Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-08-06
sneolnl corresnondence.

Special Correspondence.
sCUNCION, Paraguay, July 81.
n Looking at this desolate and
n half-rulned town. you can hard
ly believe that four centuries
ago ecclesiastical and yicc-regal edlcts
were issued from 1t which controlled
the lives Of millions OF people; that q
century back It was the gay and pros-
porous capital Of the southern half of
this great continent to whose vice
kings all South America paid tributes;
that even up TO the time Of the last
war with Brazil (Which ended In 1870
A. was richer than either Buenos Ayres,
Rio de JaneIro, Santiago or Lima.
With that disastrous war. which last
ed five years and killed of nineteen
twentieths Of the population and hope
lessly impoverished the reminder, fol-
lowing as IL did the bloody reign Of the
three dictators, Casper Francia, and
the Lopez father and son, It's glory ana
power departed, Though nature IN
generous mood, designed Paraguay for
the wealthest OF southern republics, II
Is now the poorest and least important
OF them all, and perhaps least known
TO the outer world a country OF women
whose census proves that females ac-
tuaily predominant. seven to one, the
male population having been well nigh
annihiated during that terrible war
CHARMING FOR SITUATION
Viewed from the harbor, Asunclon Is
charming. for few towns are 80 de-
lightfuly situated as regards pictur-
esque river scenery, beautiful distrlbu-
lions OF softly-wooded hills, luxurlant
vegetation aud perfect climate The
Paraguay river, here about mile vide
makes sudden bend, which forms a
bay; and In the bay are always multi
tude Of steamers and schooners, queer
river craft long RATS made Of cedar
logs dashed togetheri and just now,
owing 10 political disturbances In this
part OF the world, there are also Uru-
Ruayan and Phraguayan men-of-war
swinging at anchor, besides couple OF
snow white gunboats from Brazil, and
big black ironclad belonging TO Ar
gentlna. All this martial display ow-
Ing TO the Acre dispute, not yet settled
The port has three short piers, a
rather primitive quay, some batteries,
an arsenal. n big hospital, and the usu-
nj customs and warehouse buildings on
small scale. The beach forms n
broad, level sweep Of emerald meadow,
backed by steep cliffs OF red sandstone,
upon which are perched the principal
edihces OF the capital These are the
once magnificent palace of Dictator
Lopez, now torn with shot and shell, as
the Brazilian fleet left II 80 odd years
ago; the Cablldo, or town hall, some
long, low barracks, the great dome OF
the Pantheon browning a prominent
knoll the ancient church Of san Fran
cisco and directly below the church,
clnging as for dear life 10 the hillside,
the quaint suburb known as La Cha
carta. The shore Is lined with groups
of lavenderas wash w0men) cleansing
the city's dirty linen, their robust, more
than half-unolothed forms clearly de-
fined against the background of green
est Jungle The opposite side of the
river Is that mysterious reglon-the
Paraguayan Gran Chaco, which no one
has ever thoroughly explored and lived
20 tell the tale-a low apparently linn
itless and unoccupied dead level
stretching to the horizon, but on the
north side Is an outer zone OF beautiful
~ wooded hills rising ridge above
ridge, the valleys between them dotted
with cottages and yellow with orange
groves, II Is an eminently peaceful
scene, in which Il Is impossible TO re-
allie that stern tragedies have been
enacted, which destroyed a nation.
tramway, branching off through
two or three Of the principal streets
leads up from the landing to the far
Their limit OF the town, and on through
the forest to villa Morra--an embryo
village five miles away, whose streets
are Indicated by flnger-posts stuck IN
the open fields. That indispensable pub.
lie conveyance the tramway. bears the
appropriate name OF Conductor Uni.
versal" and the condition of Asunolor
streets may be inferred from the fact
that there Is not a carriage, public
or private IN the city. Tho
only vehicles being two wheeled carts
which require three or four horses
mules or oxen for th9iightest load. Tn,
ground upon which the city stands II
not only undulating, but sweeps bach
steeply toward the east, necessitatinl
series OF stone terraces in many d
the streets All OF them nre badl,
paved with huge blocks of stone anC
occasional boulders placed by natur,
protrudlng here and there, always an
kle-deep In sand or mud, according I,
the season, except when frequent trop
zeal showers convert them Temporarily
Into flowing cataracts dashlng head
long down TO the river. The brick side
walks, elevated considerably above tn,
rugged valley OF the roadway are s,
extremely narrow that pedestrians ar,
In constant danger OF being crowded
on, and the uniform level is preserved
as far as possible by flights OF ston,
steps Mt the corner crossings, so tina
one is perpetually climbing up ant
down. The town is laid out In couadra
(squares) after the chessboard fashion
of other Spanish cities, with a centra
avenue running east and west. grand
iloquently named la Gale Independent
ella Naclonal (rhe street OF Nationa
Independence.
STRIKING CONTRASTS.
Kerosene lamps, bracketed 10 IN,
houses, sparingly illumine the streets
by night. lnterspersed at long intervals
IN certain quarters by glazing eectrit
lights And there are other contrastl
as great as that between oil and cleo
tricity. For example, the unpaved
grass grown streets in which cows arr
straying are lined with tall posts an(
crossbeams that carry innumerable tel
ephone wires-the posts being tn,
round, smooth trunks OF palm trees
ss2SsSSSsssssSSssSSssSsssssssSssSSss:
CONVERTED