Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1909-04-01
AN|NIERES||NGLETIER
Paul 7. DeIavan Writes From Far
Away Argentina.
SHIP MADE A RECORD TRIP
Ne Tells Of Conditions In The Far South and
Believes Many Opportunities Are There.
San Tuir. Argentina. Feb. %, 1909.

San Tuir. Argentina. Feb. %, 1909.
Alma Record Co., Alma. Mich.
Gentlemen Before leaving for the
southern hemisphere l announced INV
intention to the Alma Record of writ
ing to the people of my home city. aud
of describing the country to which 1t
was my privilege to come. Now that
my destination has been reached. am
reminded to fulfill this promise. 1t is
my purpose to give brief review OF
the incidents of the journey, and to
write of few facts drawn from OBJ
serration at the various cities which
have visited. which l hope may be of
interest to the readers CT The Record.
From what learned from nv fellow
passenger on the Verdi. JOURNEY to
the South Atlanic ocean during the
northern winter is becoming more and
more popular among people of means
and leasure. who delight to travel.
Unlike the north Atlantic. where the
seas are more boisterous. the traveller
toward South America experiences de-
lightful weather day or so after
leaving New York. During our trip
the weather was uncommonly good
and the sea smoother than usual. No
mishap of any kind occurred and
when the ship anchored in the harbor
of Rio de .Ianiero, the captain an
nounced that record trip had been
made The distance from New York
to Rio was travelled In Ia DAYS and
hours. being by one. hour the best time
ever made between these ports by
Lamport and Holt steamship.
During the remainder of the journey
the fair weather continued. with the ex-
ception of one day off Monte Video.
when-w experienced squall; and the
captain, not daring to pass the break
water. anchored outside the harbor for
twelve hours Had it not been for the
time lost at Monte Video. the Verdi
would have made record trip from
New York to Buenos Aires. AS it
was we arrived there four days ahead
of time, the trip of twenty y-seven days
being cut down to twenty-three.
The first port of call is Bahia. the
second city of size and importance In
Brazil This city is situated on a large
and picturesque bay, and consists of
an upper and ID lower town. 1t has a
very quaint appearance with its
tropical foliage. its CAV colored houses
and many towers and converts and
prominades. A great manv negros
inhabit the city. in fact il is said that
95 per cent of the population are of
this race. Three days south of Bahia
the steamer enters the magnificent bay
of Rio de Janeiro, the second best
harbor In the world The bav runs
northward for about fifteen miles.
varying from two to seven miles in
width and is studded with beautiful,
verdant islands while on all sides the
great mountains rise with forest clad
slopes and luxuriant tropical vegeta-
tion. The past three wears have seen
great changes in the city its self.
Notorious from time immemorial as a
dirty and deadly plague spot, it has
been transformed into a beautiful
modern CITY with wide avenues, brilli-
antly lighted by gas and lined with
majestic buildings. Finest of the new
streets is the Avenida Central.
central avenue. People who have
visited both cities say that this street
is the equal of anv in Paris The
Avenida is mile and quarter long
and two hundred feet wide and runs
directly through the Eost densely
crowded part of the old city to the
bay. The cost of this street is said to
have been $4,000. Zoo OU. Another
beautiful thoroughfare. the Avenue
Beira Mar, extends for miles along the
bay
There are many places of interest.
including Botanical Garden. National
museum. academy OF fine arts. thea
ters, and the famous Corcovada noun
tains, 9. 900 feet high at one side of the
city. the ton of which is reached bv a
cable railway. and from which
matchless view can be obtained
After one DAYS -un from kio the
steamship arrives at the coffee port of
Santos Although this city is smaller
than either Rio or Bahia. and has few
places of interest to the tourist. il is
of more importance to the United
States commercially tnan either of
these cities on account of the large
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