Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-10
THE PLAZA OF SANTIAGO.

The duties and high rate of exchange pre-
vent much importation of furniture, though
| good many cane-bottemed chairs are re-
ceiyed. Ready-made frame work for the
most expensive chairs and sofas is imported
to be upholstered here, and "knock-dow
articles, in trade parlance-thati is, in pieces,
to be put together when arrived. Excel
lent furniture Is made in the country, but
the cabinet woods, including mahogany,
walnut, oak, cherry. etc.. are all imported.
Pianos come chiefly from France.and Ger
many, and are commonly of the cheaper
grades, though what with transportation
charges, duties and high rate of exchange,
they cost more than the best at home. For
these reasons there is little sale for fne
pianos here, such as Chickering's, Steinways,
Knabes. etc.
The United States furnishes Chile with
most OF her cotton cloth; but until Uncle
Samuel makes some different arrangement
in regard TO the tariff on wool, he can never
compete with Europe in the manufacture
OF woolen goods All the drugs, too, come
from Europe, except a few pills, plasters,
patent medicines and specialties. Many OF
the familiar pictures which grace the walls
at home are seen here-the big Goldfish
which pertains to Scott's Emulsion, st
jacob with his bottle OF oil in hand, the
smirking phIz Of that old humbug, Lydia
Pinkham. etc., etc., the legends setting forth
their respective virtues being printed in the
Spanish language.
The Light and the Fuel.
All the kerosene used ia Chile comes from
the United States. The coal is mostly dug
in the country-notably at Corouel, Lota
and Punta Arenas, the latter place being
the convict colony at the tip-end of the con.
tinent; and little anthracite is imported
from England. The United States fur
nishes most OF the clocks, articles manu-
factured from India rubber, refined sugar,
lubricating oils. soaps, perfumes and "Yan-
kee notions" Our silver-plated ware is in
great demand. and much preferred to that of
any other country. Chile makes her own
fireworks, and uses o great quantity OF
them: bnt gets all her gunpowder, az we'll
as most of her munitions of warfare, from
Europe. A few wagons are sent down from
the United States, but not many finer We
hicles, as there are several carriage manu-
factories in the country. We supply most
OF the materials, h0wever-hubs, springs.
trimmings, and even the wood that il used;
but as good carriages are made here as any.
where IN the world. Harnesses. saddlery
and stirrups are also manufactured in the
country.
Most Of the materials used in photo
graphy, including all the plates, come from
the United States. Despite heavy duties
thereon, the poor photographers manage to |
worry along by charging 'Sa5 per dozen for |
cabinetsize photos. As the natives are ex- |
cessiyely gwen to having their pictures |
taken, the artists, as q rule, not only sue |
ceed in making both ends meet, but lay by |
for rainy weather.
The dentists, too, nine-tenths Of whom are |
from the land Of the Stars and Stripes, keen |
the wolf a long way from the door BY charg- |
ing outrageous prices, compared to which |
the $10-an-hour rule OF Mexico is a mere |
bagatelie. ] knew lady who had the 4
misfortune to loosen false tooth from the 1
front of her plate. She rushed to the near |
est dental surgeon-aDd what do you think |
he charged her for sticking that same bit of /
ivory back on the same old plate, at the ex.
pense OF perhaps quarter of cents worth |
OF plaster paris? Twenty dollarsl or course
she ''kicked," but in vain. He calmly told 1
her that nobody In South America touched |
q tooth for less than that sum, and that in |
many places she would have been obliged to
pay even more. One hundred dollars for a
set of "uppers," that elsewhere cost from % |
to $40, is considered cheap in Chile, and I |
know several. dear creatures Tin n double
sense), who carry around in their mouths
from $500 to s., COG worth Of gold in the
form OF plugs and filings. The instruments
and materials, as well as those who use
hem, are mostly from the United States.
The pleasure loving.Chileans buy most of
heir billiard tables from US, and lately
,ood many Chicago elevators have been in
reduced, they having become quite the
ashton IN private houses-a characteristic
extravaganza where the casas are rarely |
more than two stories high. There are Eii-
on telephones ia every town aud city; and
Until recently the Brush electric light was
lsed in Santiago-tili, through mismanage.
nent, the company failed disastrousiy and
he city went back to gas.
FANNIE B. WARD,