Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-02-27


tiles, double front door Of massive iron or
carved wood always wide open by day, disclos-
ing tall inner gate of open wrought iron or
steel, through which one can plainly see the
howery patio. embellished with palms and stat
uary and fragrant shrubs growing in boxes, and
often second or even third patio beyond,
making a charming vista. The frail-looking
gate, with its lace-like pattern, though it af-
fords no obstruction to the view, is firmly
fastened inside, and to gain admission one must
ring bell. similar to those on our doors at
home, which summons the servant to unlock il
The facades of the better houses are adorned
with much marble and stucco. and before
every window iron bars, gilded per-
haps. and highly ornamented, but neverthe-
ess as secure as those OF the common Jail.
In Montevideo it seems that the wealthier a
man Is the more does his casa run to fancitul
establishment In the way of thing and stucco
the more deliberately lace-hke is his iron work,
the thicker the gliding upon his gate and win
dow bars, the softer the tints of rose and
purple and blue and yellow upon his outer
walls. Many OF the tenement houses have their
yestibules and patIos paved with the knuckle
bones of sheep, arranged like mosaic work In
fantastic designs. and it is a stale old Joke to
tell asfonished strangers that those are human
bones of people who were killed in the hundred
years war. At any rate the effect is gruesome
in the extreme. and in walking upon them one
feels as If entering charnel house.
The city is lighted by gas brackets attached
to the walls of the houses and also by electricity
in many of the shops and streets, furnished by
two enormous establishments. In several of the
streets-notably in that long and splendid
boulevard called Gale Is de Julio Eighteenth
OF July street )-one instantly notices rows of
gas jets in semi-circular pipes. arching the way
from house to house at frequent intervals most
of the jets provided with vari-colored glass
globes These pipes were put up to assist in
illuminating the city on occasions Of great
iestas more especially on the anniversary Of
the greatest national holiday July 49, $780, cor
responding to our 4th of July. as upon that
date the republic Of Uruguay sprang into being
On ordinary festivals the illumination is paid
for by equal assessments on the houses thus
joined, but on special political celebrations the
government pays the bills
TIE PLAZA ISpKPENpENc1A
Continuing our tour along the Gale IS
de Julio, which is pronounced by many trav-
elers to be the finest street in South America.
| as In the evenings 1t is one of the most ami
mated. twenty-six meters wide, lined with shops
| hlled with rich Partisan goods we come at
length to the Plaza Independence, which ia
hardly second in interest to that of de la Consti
| tucion- 1t Is an imposing parallelogram. 22I
| meters long by 232 wide. crossed by a broad
paved path lined with benches. It is being
surrounded by lofty colonnades in the Doric
style, such as We have seen in Lima Areauipa.
Santiago and the City of Mexico, sections OF
| which are already completed. On one side of
| the plaza Is the government building in local
parlance called a "paiacio," though it bears no
sort of resemblance to palace, being an ex-
ceedingly plain affair In it are the officers of
/ the various cabinet ministers and in front
stands queer little sentry box (Which we al
| first mistook for a BARRIERS sign) painted in
blue and white stripes. with simulated curtains
| tied back with golden cords done IN red and
yellow paint The barracks are fronted by one
Of the newly completed arcades, under which
the corps de garde (mostly negroes) loll all
day on long bench smoking cigarettes and
exchanging comments upon passing ladies.
By the way, Urusuay's standing army does
not exceed 5000 men. and they are mostly con-
centrated at the capital The presidents
body guard. battalion 400 strong, sport pic
turesque toggery Of leopard skin, topped by q
scarlet fez, each fez with black tassel bobbinc
| over the wearer's ebony nose. The common
] soldiers wear baggy, red trousers. fastened