The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-09-11


Education in Chile and Something
About the American Schools.
Copyrighted, 1898, by Frank G. Carpenter.
SANTIAGO, Chile, Aug. 17.-Santi-
ago is the capital of Chile. 1t is almost
as big as Washington, and in many
things it compares favorably with it.
Washington is six hours ride from our
chief seaport New York. Santiago
is about six hours by rail from Val
ParaisO, the chief port of Chile. The
way to il is over the coast range OF
the Andes and you go from one city to
the other in a chair car like those
which are on the roads between New
York and Washington. Our national
capital lies in a basin on the banks
of the Potomac. Santiago is cut in
two by the river Mapocho and the
basin in which it is built is walled by
the snowy Andes on one side and on
the others by lower mountains which
rise one above the other from grassy
plains. We have our Capitol Hill.
Santiago has its Santa Lucia a mass
of rocks which the volcanic gods of
the past have thrown up in all sorts
of picturesque shapes. These rocks
have a base Of about an acre, and
they rise almost precipitOusly out of
the midst of the city TO a height at
least three-fifths that of the Washing
ton monument. Their top is far above
all the buildings of New York Santa
Lucia is perhaps the most wonderful
hill of any city of the world. 1t rises
like a great fort, and on It's top there
Is a theater which is as picturesque
as any castle on the Rhine. The sides
of the hill are covered with English
ivy, tall eucalyptus trees rise in ter
races out Of the rocks from it's foot to
its summit, and with it's flowers, gil
gantic ferns, beautiful grottOes and
wonders of rock formation it forms a
hanging garden, as wonderful, if not so
extensive, as those Of Babylon, resting
under the shadow of the Andes above
Santiago. Santa Lucia has a restau-
rant at which you can get your break
fast or give a good dinner and there
are cosy hooks and shady walks where
you may spend hours, hardly realizing
that below you is the liveliest and
most cosmopolitan city of western
South America.
If you viii climb to the capitol dome
you can get a fine view Of Washing
ton. 1t is on Santa Lucia that you get
your best outlook over Santiago. |
stood upon it's peak this morning and
took notes of the scene below me. l
was in the midst Of a vast eXpanse Of !
square ridges made of terra Gotta tiles,
out of which here and there rose trees
and bushes Of green. These ridges were
tho roofs Of the houses, which are all
built in Spanish style about patiOs or
courts which form in most cases the
only gardens Of the people Some Of
the dwellings have many patios and
their rooms are numbered by scores.
From the hill you see that most Of the
buildings are of one and two stories.
They are built close to the streets and
the streets cross one another almost a
right angles, the city being divided by
the Alameda. This is the PENNSYLVANIA !
avenue, the Champs Elyssee, the I'm
ter den Linden of Santiago. 1t is more |
than twice as wide as Pennsylvania |
avenue in Washington, and it runs
the full length of the city almost east
and west. Two rushing streams Of
mountain water flow through stone
aQueducts along it, and between these
are rows of great poplar trees, which
furnish an arbor of thick shade ex-
tending from one end Of Santiago to
the other. In this arbOr are the statues
of many of Chile's heroes, and al every
few feet throughout it's full length
there are stone seats filled with people
who are resting after their promenade.
Other green spots in the plain of terra
Gotta roofs as viewed from Santa Lucia
are the great parks of Cousino and the
Quinta Normal, or the Agricultural col
lege, the HipicO race course, and the
new avenue which has recently been
laid out along the River MapOcho.
The Mapocho itself is one of Santiago's
WCnders. 1t is more than 1870 feet wide,
and it runs through the city for dis
lance of about two miles. Throughout
this length it's bed has been paved with
stone, and it's banks are massive stone
walls, Which are now lined with shade
trees.
But let us go down from Santa Lu-
cha and take ride through Santiago
on the top of one of the street cars.
There is no better way of seeing a city
than this, and the street car fares here
are the cheapest Of the whole world.
The roof seats cost only 212 cents in
silver, or about 1 cent of our money,
and it is worth more than that to get
the smile Which the pretty girl who
acts as conductor gives US as she puts
her money into the right pocket Of her
white apron. We notice that the streets
are we'll paved with Belgian block
They are rather narrow, however, and
the big OK carts, which form the draws
and freight wagons of Chile, are crowd
ed almost to the walls of the houses as
we so whiZZlng by. How big the
houses are and how low. Many of
them cover acres, and very few are OF
jority have not more than one. In the
best parts of the city the houses have
Greek fronts. They are all Of brick,
plastered smooth with yellow or white
stucco. Their doors are upheld by col
umns of stuccO, and I am sure there
are more COrinthian columns in Santi-
ago today than in Athens. Many Of the
residences are like Italian palaces and
homes which have cost hundred
thousand dollars and upward are many.
l doubt whether there is a capital of
its size in the world that spends so
much money, and you have only to look
at the well-dressed people on the
streets and the fine turnouts which pass
our train as we ride though the Ala
media to see that Santiago is a very
rich city.
The same thing is noticeable in the
business streets. There are as fine stores
here as you will find in an European
capital, and the costliest Of diamonds
sparkle in the jewelers. windows. This
Is one Of the best diamond markets,
and the cOstliest Of all kinds Of goods
are in demand. The show windows are
we'll dressed, and Santiago, as we see
on our way to the Plaza de Armes,
has several great arcades, rooted
with glass, which cut through some
Of the big business blocks from one side
to the other. The plaza where the car
stops is the ganliOnic center of the
Chilean capital. About 1t are the chief
business streets, on one corner is the
cathedral, on another the post office,
and all around are portales or CORR
doris filed with booths and walled at
the back with fine stores The plaza IT.
several fountains, palm trees and MANY
self is beautiful little park containing
tropical plants and flowers 1t is sur
rounded by a hexagonal walk or prom
VI wi whit l.