New-York tribune., 1908-12-27
THE RIVER PLATE
MONTEVIDEO'S PRIDE
"4S BROAD rs IT Is LONG"
Il FACT.
Steel Ddshbodrds Necessary to Pro
fect Team Dr5Uers from Heels
Of MotiCe Po7cer- Mules.
Ev Lewis r. Freeman.


Tlere are Numerous small rivers flowing TO the
sea ali along the east coast OF South America and
most OF them are named MaEdalena- This seems
strange 10 yoI first. after you have crossed
historic bridge over one Magdalena, sat up all
night 10 shoot aIIigators on another Magdalena.
snd bathed and boaJed. respectively. in two other
Msgdalenas, YOU get over your CONSERVATION ana
begin 10 call all rivers Magdaena- Just call
al Cinnamon John California all elderly gen
tIsuaen coIonel n Kentucky And you usually
right about river. whereas sure in time
20 IRE wide with your John and colonel and hurt
somebody's feelings.
The Rio Plate IS one OF the few rivers that
escaped when the rest o: the drainage system Of
South America was being named Magdalena- II
IS cf the widest rivers IN the world and is sec
ond orlv tc its sister the Amazon. in the amount
cs water IL discharges Its main branch, the Pa
-7na has a length of over three thousand miles,
and provides the cnly trade route available for
all q Para quay and parts % Argentina Brazil and
T--uz--av. The Tremendous development IN the
last TWO decades OF the countries drained by its
tributaries. notably Argentina, has made It the
waterway for SO great amount OF shipping that
- --s easily rvres1ed rom the the title OF
--e Gateway 70 South America
The reo2ie Of AIontevi6e0 are always ready with
g. endless stock Of graphic comparisons of what
the waters Of the Rio Plate would do under various
s--7-e-ahIe circumstances Everybody knows how
many cubic feet OF water the river discharges a
second how many horsepower this amount Of
-rs-sr would contribute = converted into steam
- -re amount CT coal necessary TO effect the
conversion Row many years II would keep e man
xrcn thirst e burning desert and so on, ad IN
eni-ur. But the sJrangest thing they tell you is
& mere statement OF fact, strange sounding but a.
most literally true that the Plate IS as broad as
i Is i0IE-
II -5u VII take -he trouble 10 put a square and
COMPASS or tbs map you NAY verify Il TO your own
satisfaction II bridge were thrown across the
mouth Of the Plate al Montevideo 10 the Argentine
side would be $50 miles long and span the widest
gap between river banks 70 be found in the world
z & uacoring line were run from q steamer an
chored e the point where the Plate begins-the
junction q Tie rivers Pzrala and Uruguay-to 9
pier IN the middle OF the bridge across the mouth
= tie river II would lack several miles OF being
q long as the bridge By saying that the Plate
= as broad as Il Is long, do not mean 70 assert
that II is square but simply that its greatest
width IS equal 10 its greatest length
THE M0NTEVIDE0 MULE.
TIE old mule trans Of Montev!deo, to be shelved
son On The completion of the electric system
1a.- ryPes Of what never the least interesting
oh5ects n any South American town large enough
q support tram line The cars are rickety little
affairs with the four wheels set in q cluster as
rear the middle possible 10 facilitate movement
t1 camping around the sharp turns at the corners
= narrow streets This construction presents
ze-v Unstable and T,recarious equilibrium and IL IS
70 --cona-on sight 70 see conductor, with mani
scs- fury. dragging the passengers from q rear
yla-ta--n Of car let that end tilt ba ack 70 its
normal and bring tie driver On the forward plat
form down into striking distance Of his mule.
r s -he mule that always furnishes the best Of
--= entertainments before the show is over The
T--z-gvan mule Is beautiful. trim little animal,
with Ire sharp hoofs. clea--cur legs and the eien-
der viIIox-y body Of an antelope. and with even
less Of -nulishress n the Of his ear. and The
general cast Of his coUntenanCe than one IS wont
- associate with members OF the species But in
rsrcsi-sou Re IS true the generic name, and as
q spectacular ball knows no peer
Newcomers 70 NOn1evideC make light o. the
heavy steel dsshboerds on the forward ends o. the
cars nut there 10 protect tie driver and his human
,-s,-- from, TIE heels OF the dove-eyed. fawnliks
I--Ie mules I even recall asking friend who
w-zs with ne WREN one OF these contrivances
fr- rhe first time. II the had been part OF an
z--o-e5 train Il. the last revolution But expert
e.ce chzste-eth the scornfu spirit. and the weak
- ne-ved te1derfoot covering IN terror az the
menace OF q Kansas cyclone or California cloud
burst Is lion IN bearing compared Win the
stranger passing through his first experience with
TIE mules . No1tevideo-
When -he first mule was put 70 drawing a car
4, -e T5g7iavan capital Il IS said there was some
ar-eznpt made 70 confne him IN harness ana MS
sphere q activity the track IN front OF tne car
re %rst experiment sufficient 10 demonstrate
-.e <--f-v OF employing anything so per-shable a.
--=5-s-v z--ars snd buckles and n the process of
---7e he harness has been reduced 70 a big IRON
-S EoIe leather collar for the neck, and Two steel
- chains Beyond these The action Of the mule
s. l-+-z17relIed save by the almost negHglDle IN
vedfrlerr offered BY the Errle car
The --r5Ie IS there TO pull the car. how he pulls
f. does uo- signify The pulls easiest when ne
t-ots IN the middle Of the track, and Il ne WeEe
net q mule he would observe the fact and pun II
that way al the time But being mule rs
r~ed. must sacrifice energy for variety. snd vel
s.5 animal VIII nearly box the compass once a
block where the street IS wide enough Tor nm 10
swing in proceeding n which he Is not nam
-ered fy his philosophical driver so long as the
car keeps the track