The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-06-30
MONTEVlDEO.
SIGHTS or A LUXURIOUS cAPI-
TAI.


A Proud and Peculiar Peopie--A City of
Tiles and Stucco-Almost the Pref
tiest Flag In the World.
Especial Correspondence of the Journal
and Courier.)
Montevideo, Uruguay, May II, 1904.
Let us devote this beautiful morning
to seeing the sights of Montevideo: and,
by the way. let us first learn to COR
lrectly pronounce its name In the
schools of Yankeedom we were taught
to say Mon -te-ve-di-o, with the accent
on the third syllable; but here on the
spot, where the people certainly ought
to know, it is called Mon tay-vay dee
.loh, accenting the fourth syllable and
remembering that the letter which in
English is rendered '.e'' is called IA in
the Spanish language, and ar is pro-
Inounced "e." It is nearing mid-winter
NOW on this side of the equator, you
know, and these late May days are the
most delightful of the year-absolutely
perfect in point of weather, the heat
tempered by ocean breezes and dry
pure winds blowing down the great Rio
de la Plata from uninhabted pampas
The happy Ricos (aristocrats) sit all
day on their balconies strummlng gui-
tars, smoking cigarettes and sucking
mate through silver tubes; while los
Pobres tthe poor)- equally careless of
tomorrow IL only there be bite and
cup" to-day--loll In the sunshine, more
thoroughly contented than any king in
his gilded palace: and in the balmy
| evenings all tho local world, rich and
poor together. HE themselves to the
plaza to enjoy music and moonlight to
the top of their bent.
| Let us begin our sightseeing with
that central point. the Plaza de la Com
stitucion. which--after the manner of
all Spanish American towns--was laid
out before the rest was fairly planned
and was the nucleus around which eve
rything grew. For many years it was
known as the Plaza de Ia Matriz, until
In 1890, when the constitution of the
newborn republic was formally pro-
claimed In that equare, after which 1t
was solemnly rechristened. One side
of 1t Is occupied by the great Cathe-
dral de la Matriz, with It's huge dome
covered with blue, green and yellow
tiles. and its two tall towers In one of
which is a clock that tells the hours,
halves and quarters and is Illuminated
at night. Modern Montevideo Is much
given to stucoo, stunning facades and
general frealdshness of architecture, In
contrast with which this plain old-fash-
ioned Church of the Martyrs, grim and
massive with Its air Of steadfastness
and indestructability, appears doubly
impressive. It was dedicated more
than century ago, but time and revo-
buttons have made little impression
upon 1t. inside we find the usual taw-
driness that distinguishes other South
American sanctuaries, the smell Of cam
die smoke and long-imprisoned incense
"a tornb-like atmosphere that receives
no ventilation except from the carefully
screened main entrance
On another side of the plaza is the
Cabildo, where congress holds it's ses-
sions, as indicated by the labels across
f its 'front.' epresentacion Nacional."
On the other side is the far-famsd Uru-
quay clubhouse, with its magnificent
facade OF white marble, one of the
most luxuriously appointed places of it's
kind on the continent Nearly opposite
is the English club house-an institu-
ton dear to the hearts Of exiled Britt
ons, though plainly housed and conduc-
ted with an eye to the solid comfort of
its members and their guests rather
than to ostentacious display. In the
middle OF the plaza is a superb white
marble fountain, with many basins and
much carving, it's base inscribed with
patriotic sentiments and dates COM
memorating the political history of the
country From this central point paths
radiate like the spokes of q wheel each
path f1anked with acacia and Egyptian
thorn bushes, covered with blossoms,
but pruned and tended so that one pit
les their crippled condition.
There Is a pretty little kiosuuee,
where fine military band plays every
Sunday morning after mass and on
most evenings of the week. Stone
benches outline the paths, set under the
thorn trees, and the rest of the plaza is
strewn with smooth, reddish gravel,
upon which small tables are scattered
about, where ices, wines, lemonade,
etc, are served. On summer evenings
all upper-class Montevideo may be
seen here, out on dress parade, In their
choicest freaks of tickle fashion 1t is
the beauty show" of the section. pa
tronized by all the ladies, old and
young, and therefore as a matter of
course, diligently attended by all the
men. The senoritas, guarded by their
mothers and duennas, slowly prone
made up and down the paths, or rather
they toddle, with more or less grace, on
their extremely high-heeled slippers
the marketable females with downcast
eyes and coquettish mien, their chape-
rones marching With bold front, like
veteran soldiers, glaring severely at the
double rows of ogling men, whose at