The Washington times., 1907-10-31
RIO De JANEIRO
MADE BEAUTIFUL
IN FOUR YEARS
Sets Pace for Washing
ton With $32, 900, 900
Outlay.
Has General Plan and
CommiSSion-LeYelS
Mountain.

''No city in the world has ever made
such great improvements in so short a
time"
This is the tribute paid to Rio de ia
metro, capital city of Brazil. by Consul
General C. E. Anderson, in a report just
published by the Bureau OF Manufac-
tures. he presents an extrtmely inter
esting review Of a plan for the adorn-
ment OF the Brazilian city. which bears
fair comparison with that Of the park
commission for the improvement of
Washington. From $S2 OO0. 900 to So, ,0OO. .OOO
has been spent so far. The city has. as
a result, a new water front, a new main
thoroughfare, corresponding to Pennsyl-
vania avenue, a municipal theater, a
municipal building. about 81. 100000 worth
or houses for workmen, and other struc-
lures and vast area of new street
payements, curbing. and sidewalks.
Situated Like Washington.
Washington will have special interest
IN the reportA because Rio de Janeiro Is
also situated in a federal district. and
the cost Of these improvements has been
divided between the municipal and na-
tlonai treasures. Mr.. Anderson's &C
count is. in part. as follows:
1t is probable that no CITY in the
world has ever made such great i'm
proVements In so short a time, and II
also IS probable that no other city in
the world is likely TO equal the record
because it is doubtful If there is another
CITY similarly situated either naturally
financially or politically. Rio de "a
nero - the capital city OF nation
Whlcn IS Just commencing to appreciates
It's own size and possible Importance
ana 10 feel the force Of its own re-
sources II is a federal district situated
~ lng Iichest portion Of the Brazilian
Tepibie, the center Of national society,
ART and national life generally
II IS but natural that Rio de Ianelro
shoCld nave the necessary influence in
lhe FEDERAL government OF Brazil 20
secure large appropriations for its bet
IernenC and that the peopie of Brg zlI
5nouid take great pride In the city and
IT'S improvements These conditions
combined with the favorable opDortunitv
represented by the construction OF port
works, DOCKS, warehouses, and ap-
pIo41hes 70 the water front, have led
20 the transformation of Rio de Janeiro.
Lhe movement for the Improvement OF
the city took shape in 1853, when il was
9etsFHlned 70 build improved port faCil-
lIles Two foreign loans. amounting to
SS5I3Vo,oo0, raised In London for this pIr-
pose. were secured by the collection OF
special tax OF , per cent ad vaIorem
on all goods imported into Rio de Ia
nero and paying other duties.
mo Matter What Was In Wav."
The water front of Rio de Janeiro. ex-
tending along the shores Of the most
beautiful bay in the world, represents a
series Of semicircles Of from half a mile
20 mile In diameter each, and ranging
from the opening of the bay into the
sea-marked by the famous Sugar Loaf
rock. about 1000 feet high. rising sheer
out Of the s6a-to the lower end Of the
bay, where the new port works are To-
ed ra nj
the city included an avenue or bcule-
ward along this water front for the en-
tire front OF the city. thus ranging In q
series OF circular stretches, the whole
representing convex line, across the
diameter OF which were TO be a series
OF subsidiary avenues
This plan has in general been fol-
lowed The principal portion of this
great avenue passed through the busi-
ness portion OF the city and was called
the Central avenue. A STRAIGHT line -
drawn from the end Of one small nav
10 Lhe beginning OF another across the
SiI' EiSy' ,l end me avenue was. built on this
hne no matter what was IN the way. no |
matter whose property was involved
Inc edeFAI Government appointed a !
commission OF three members, under
presidency OF an engineer, and property
involved In the construction OF the ave-
nue. was purchased or condemned. The
commission as rule, paid from ten to /
fifteen times the annual rent OF the
property as It's value-that is, IL propelIv
was comparatively new, the valuation
was nearer fifteen times its rental: III
II was OLD, il was nearer ten times its
rental There was comparatively little
trouble over the matter, little Iigita-
ton, and little dissatisfaction.
The work OF commencing the demoIi-
ton of the old buildings for the con-
structiOn of the new avenue across the
city was commenced in March, 1904
The avenue was being finished at the
time OF the visit OF Secretary of Sfate
Continued on Tenth Page)