Evening star., 1902-03-01
THE CITY OF CARACAS
CAPITAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF
VENEZUELA FOUNDED IN 1867.
Thoroughfares Paved With Stone and
Sidewalks of Cement-Nomen-
clature and Numbers,

from the caracas Herald.
The capital of the republic was founded
in 1861 by Don Diego de Lozada, Spanish
captain, who gave the city the name of
Santiago de Leon, which 1t still retains in
modern public documents. Seven years be-
fore the arrival Of Lozada, Don Francisco
Fajardo had made an unsuccessful attempt
to found the capital; his failure was due
to the Warlike character Of the indigenous
tribes.
The geographical position of Caracas is
67 degrees minutes 40 seconds west of
the Greenwich meridian, 50 degrees 25 min
utes east Of the Paris meridian, and it oc-
cupies an area of 4,272.O0O square meters.
Its altitude above the sea level has been
calculated to be 3,O1S English feet at the
base of the cathedral tower. The city, in
Guiding the six outlying parishes, forms the
federal district, and is situated in the beau
tiful valley Of Caracas, twelve miles in
length and somewhat over three miles at
its widest part. The climate and atmos-
pheric conditions are admirable, owing to
the mildness of the temperature, the pale
blue skies, almost always unclOuded, and
the varied and smiling surroundings, from
the lofty and broken heights Of Az liza to it's
slopes covered with high and leafy trees it's
thick forests and the peaceful plains from
ChacaO to La Vega, bathed by the Guaire
river and it's smaller tributaries, the Caro-
alta, Catuche. Narauli and Gamboa. The
high hills to the south Of the Guaire inclose
the plateau on that side.
The Climate.
The temperature seldom rises above 50
degrees Fahrenheit, nor has descended low
er than 65 degrees Fahrenheit, save occa-
sionally, and then only for a few hours
toward the end of December, when the tenn
perature is the lowest. The highest tenn
perature Is felt from June TO September.
According to the census of 1891 Caracas
had population of 72,4 ,429 inhabitants and
1O,379 houses, without including the six
suburban parishes making up the federal
district. With the inclusion of these, the
total population becomes 10000 rather
more than less. in 1910 Caracas had $4,000
souls. The increase today is rather small,
owing to the deyastations of the war of
independence, which was maintained until
1924, the earthquake of 1912, and after
that date the cholera epidemic, which
caused great ravages. From 1880 to the
completion Of the census of 1896 the in
crease has been comparatively greater,
and it is but natural that 1t should con-
tinue to swell by reason of the normal con-
ditions and the Incompatible climate the
locality enjoys.
The City Streets.
The streets of Caracas cross each other
at right angles and run lengthwise from
east to west and from north to south. The
cross streets, the principal streets Of the
city, are made Of paving stones, the side
walks being in cement. while the less
prominent thoroughfares are paved in
rough stones, the sidewalks being either
in cement or large smooth slabs. The sys-
tenn employed for the nomenclature OF the
streets and the numbering of the houses
| is easy. Taking as a center the intersec-
| ton of the streets where the tower of the
cathedral stands, the street running north
from that point to the national pantheon
is called North avenue Avenida Norte)
from the same intersection south, to the
river Guaire, runs South avenue (Avenida
Surf, and from the same starting point
east to the central railway station, and
west to the old high road to La Guaira
runs the East and West avenues (Ave-
nida Este Avenida Oeste). respectively.
| The streets parallel to those are numbered,
even to the west and with odd numbers to
the east, and are called Gales. For In
stance, Gale Norte i, Gale Sur 10, Gale
Este 4, Gale Oeste 3. etc.
The houses are all numbered with even
/ numbers on one side and odd numbers on
the opposite side. Notwithstanding this
| the inhabitants use still the old system.
There are, besides these streets. several
alleys, and the three passages called Pas
age Linare9 Passage del Centenario and
Passage de Altagracia.