The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1893-11-01
RIO DE JANEIRO.
THE METROPOLIS OF THE BRA
LILLIAN REPUBLIC.
1ts Harbor is Ono Of the Finest In the
World - The City, It's Chief
Edt6ces, Industries and
Surroundings.

finest in the world. 1t contains over
Hfty square miles Of anchorage ground
and the entrance is about mile across.
The harbor has always been extolled
for its great natural beauty, and many
descriptions of it's charms have been
written by travellers,
The City of Rio is on the western
side of the harbor. 1t is an indepen.
dent municipality, embracing about
$40 square miles divided up into par,
ishes, The population is about 49,.
900, The population of the State OF
Rio Janeiro is ], ,052, ,S17, Of which 54,-
14S are foreigners. Two hundred and
thirty four thousand Ave hundred and
eighty-fiv arc able to read and write,
and Si9, 1872 are unable TO do So.
Eighty.two per cent. Of tho children
do not attend school. Back of the city
are several picturesque mountain
groups, One Of these, comprising
Mount Tijuaca, Mount Gavia and
Mount Corcobado, seen from the bay,
forms remarkable picture known as
THE Sleeping Giant"
In the old quarter Of Rio the streets
ore mean and narrow. OF recent
years, however, they have been laid
out on better lines, and the buildinge
that line them are very fair examples
of architecture. The chief drawback
is that they lack modern improve.
ments, as a general thing, and that
many of them are painted on the out.
side in gaudy colors. In the suburbs
are a great many beautiful places, all
surrounded by fine gardens teeming
with tropical vegetation. During the
latter part of Dom Pedro's reign many
public improvements were carried out
in the city. Among other things fine
sewerage system was built, the prin.
cipal streets were paved according
to modern methods, and system OF
street lighting was introduced which
was, at the time, said to be the best in
tho world.
The chief edidces in the city, from
ON architectural standpoint, are the
Roman Catholic churches, Of which
there are upward of fifty. One writer
speaking of these churches says that
they are particularly striking from
their size and tho barbaric mag
ni6cence Of their decorations, as we'll
as on account of their well.chosen
sites" Some of these churches date
from the Seventeenth and Eighteenth
| Centuries.
The public buildings, on the other
hand, arc by no means imposing. The
former city palace Of the Emperor,
now occupied by the Chamber OF
Deputies, fronts on Palace Square.
The Merchants Exchange, postoffice,
and tho Custom House. arc not far
away, and the Marino Arsenal, rather
finer than the other buildings, is al
the end Of Direits street
The other public buildings comprise
the Italian Opera House, the National
Museum, the building Of the Minister
OF War and Commerce, the Hospital OF
Misericordia, tho Mint, the Academy
OF Fine Arts, the Observatory and the
Palace of Sac Christovao. There are
military and naval schools, n National
college, medical schools and other
educational institutions. The National
Library, founded by Dom Jac, has mp
wsrd of $50, 900 volumes.
The art of printing is we'll repre-.
sented IN the city. II is estimated
that there are over seventy-five native
publications turned out from sixty or
seventy private printing and publish
ing houses. There is besides public
printing establishment thoroughly
equipped with modern machinery.
The steamboat, railroad aud ferry SER
vice has been fairly good in recent
years, several street railways have been
in operation.
Rio, as the town is colloquially
known, has rarely enjoyed long
stretch Of peace. except under the
administration of Dom Pedro, who
was dethroned by popular uprising
November rs, 1882. Tho fret settle
ment Of the town was made in 1891 by
the Portuguese, but this settlement,
MS we'll as one made subsequently in
1862. was abandoned. A party OF
french Huguenots effected a settle.
ment in 1855, but they were driven ont
by the order of King John, OF Portu.
gal, who claimed the province by
virtue Of the discovery OF the Bay of
Rio de Jeneiro made by Juan Dias dc
Sells ia 1915. In 1867 another
Portuguese settlement was made, and
an endless series OF wars against the
Indians, civil conflicts, and battles
with the French were visited on the