Omaha daily bee., 1898-08-28
YANKEES OF SOUTH AMERICA
Glimpses of Business Life in Chill al
Seen at Valparaiso.
WONDERFUL RICHES OF THE COUNTRY
American Trade Overwhelmed by that
of England and Germany-HOw
Europeans Are Gobbling
Up the Country.

Copyright, 1898, by Frank G. Carpenter)
VALPARAISO, Chill, July 3O.-(Special
Correspondence of The Bee.)-Valparaiso is
the New York of Pacific South America. 1t
is the chief seaport south of San Francisco,
and it is by far the best business point on
the west coast of this continent. 1t has
q population of 125, 900, but 1t does a busi-
ness equal to any American city of twice
that size. The greatest part of the one
hundred and odd million dollars which con-
,stitutes Chili's foreign commerce is con-
itrolled here, and the city is made up of
business blocks whech are more like those
pf European port than any other on this
coast Valparaiso is beautifully situated. 1t
has bay of the shape of half moon, which
Is large enough to float the ships of the
world Around this bay there is amphi-
theater of great hills, which rises almost
straight up from the edge of the water and
which forms the site of the city. The bus
iness section, in fact, is built upon ground
redeemed from the sea, and there are mil
lions of dollars worth of property now
standing where a generation ago there was
nothing but water The wharves of VAL
paraiso are walled with stone and iron rails
to keep back the water, and the reclaimed
lands is such that there are three four
business streets, which run about the bay
between the water and the foot of the hills,
Coming into the harbor you find yourself
surrounded by shipping. More than a thou
sand sailings are made to and from this
port every year, and you look at the city
through the smoke stacks of steamers and
a thicket of bare masts OF sailing vessels.
The hills in front of you are so steep that
you wonder how the houses can stand upon
them, and you see that they rise in terraces,
. oAo md ,tr OH
until the buildings at the top hang out and
seem about to fall upon those below. Here
and there you see a break in the hills of
the amphitheater, and at number OF points
cable roads are crawling up and down the
steep inclines
An EngIish-German City.
Landing at the wharves you are surprised
TO find that nearly every business man you
meet speaks English, and you soon find that
the English and Germans monopolize the
business. The signs are European, and there
are few Chilian names upon them. YOU
pass book stores which keep only English
books There are scores of Englishmen or
the streets, and you see many pretty Eng
fish and German girls shopping in the stores
The improvements are more like those o.
one of our cities than those Of a Soutt
American town. The stores have plate glass
windows, and the goods are well dis
played as in New York or Chicago. Th'
lstreets are paved with Belgian blocks, anC
lhsre are drays cabs and carriages moving
along them. Here and there you see
Vegetable peddler or baker with his stool
1 NJ nanniers on the sides OF a mule, but th'
most of the trading and freghting is don,
| vith carts. Valparaiso has cable connection
WITH Europe and the United States. 1t ha
telegraphic lines which keep it in touch will
IN parts OF Chilli and its long distance tele
bhones reach Santiago and other points
The telegraph here is as cheap, If no
sheaper, than in any other country, and a
Inv hotel / am able ID telephone to tn