davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-12

cades The column of mist that rises
from the Iguassu falls is visible twelve
miles away.
There are many other great cataracts
besides these l have mentioned. The
Ivahy river at Rio Branco has a fall
almost 800 feet high, and one fall on
the river Preto in the state of GoyaZ
is 24O feet high. The Tocantin has
falls of 200 feet, while those of Bene-
vente and the Salto Grande on the
.Iequitinhonha are each about $50 feet.
The Onca falls of the Rio Grande river
are said to have a potentiality of 6oo,-
900 horsepower, while those of Doura-
do on the Parnahyb a, have 100000. In
the state of Minas Geraes there are more
than 200 waterfalls and cascades that
will generate commercial electricity,
and the state of Sac Paulo claims to
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-12

waters in Matte Crosse and the Andean
highlands. The Amazon altogether has
several hundred tributaries, and 100 of
thep are said to be navigable. Eight
cen are described as rivers of the first
rank and six are each longer and more
copious than the Rhine.
Many of the southern tributaries rise
in the highlands of Matte Crosse. and
some are SO close to the headwaters of
the Parana system that one can take
canoe and go from the Amazon into
the Parana. Indeed, one can start into
the Orinoco in Venezuela and by slight
portages so clear down through the
South American continent by way of
the Rio Negro and up the rivers that
flow into the Amazon from the south,
and, crossing to the headwaters Of the
Paraguay. come out through the Pa
rama into the Rio de la Plata at Monte
video and Buenos Aires.
The Rio Negro is navigable for 40
miles, the Purus for 1000 miles and the
Tapajos for hundreds of miles. although
interrupted by cascades The largest
ocean steamers sail up the Amazon as
far as Manaos, and one can take ship at
that city and go direct to New York.
One of the easiest of out-of- the way
steamship voyages would be to go from
New York to lquitos. Peru. The first
stage of the trip would be to Para, at
from Para to Manaos and the third on
a smaller steamer from Manaos to
Iquitos. The latter city is about $500
miles from the Atlantic ocean and
about 1.o00 miles from Manaos. The
cost of the trip is comparatively cheap,
and it could be made winter or summer.
for the river voyage is almost on the
line of the equator. where the climate
is much the same the year around
NY trip up the Amazon was a. sue
cession of surprises. The sea was yell
low with the silt of the river for day
before we came into it. The ocean was
discolored with the washings of half
a continent and the great river was
loaded with silt, all the way to Mauaos.
We entered the stream by the mouth.
south of the island of Marajo, and
wound our way in and out through a
series of wonderful channels before we
reached the main stream.
The Amazon delta is cut up by nat
ural canals. You wind your way past
Islands of curious shapes between
walls of tropical vegetation. The river
flows slowly, and the water looks like
FURNISHED steel At sunset it turns to
copper and gold. The vegetation is be-
yond description. The great trees reach
for 200 feet above your head, and you
steam between walls of emerald plush
a hundred feet high.
The canals make you think. of Hol-
land The islands in some places are SO
small that you seem to be passing
through one of the great cities of ma
ture, city populated by monkeys, par
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-12

rots and butterflies, the resting place
of the orchid and the home of the
crocodile. You are surprised at the
palms. There are scores of new va
rieties. Some are as big around as
your arm, others are as tall rs a SIN
story house. The latter extend from
the ground to the top without limp
and end in tassel of leaves. Other
palms are all leaves. They sprout
from the earth in great punches. Others
are of but a single leaf. such as the
travellers palm, which has but one
stem. These palms grow among the
other trees of the forest 1t is only
when planted by man that they are
seen close together. The forest in the
distance looks much like our trees at
home.
:: 4
1t is only when you get close to the
shores that you can study the Amazon
vegetation. In such places you see that
the trees are matted together with
vines. You observe that the bark is
often silver gray and that much of the
forest is loaded with flowers. Some of
the grandest trees have the brightest
of blossoms. | have seen some sixty
feet high, with branches extending out
in the shape of a haystack and the
whole one mass of blue flowers. Imag-
inc haystack of violets on a pedestal
sixty feet high and you have one of
the flower effects of the Amazon.
Farther on you will pass a tree with
blossoms like buttercups. Think of a
circus tent covered with buttercups,
high up in the air, surrounded by
green, and you have an idea of these
golden blossoms.
The country is wild all the way up
the Amazon. Para. the city at the
mouth, is the metropolis of the whole
region, and Manaos, although it is a
thousand miles from the coast, is a
good second. Outside these two cities
there are only collections of huts scat
tered mere and there al wide distances
apart along the banks. with now and
then q clearing just big enough for a
hut and garden. The hut is made of
poles and palm leaves, and the garden
consists of a few banana plants and
an orange tree or so. The huts are
matched with palm leaves. They are
little more than shelters to keep off
the sun and rain. Most of them stand
close to the river. Naked ba bi.es play
on the shore in front of them. and the
grown-ups are bare-footed men and
women, mostly nulattoes. or negroes
who stand and look at the steamer as
it goes By. The people are rubber
hunters, who just now, on account of
hard times in that industry, are pow
erty stricken.
The only cities of any size on the
Amazon river are Para and Manaos,
which monopolize the trade of the
Para commands the entrance to the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-12

wealthy. but most hospitable, and from
his household there must be numbers
of invitations issued formally by sew
eral different members of the family
before any one of the company ac-
cepts.
The most important invitation comes
through the visit of the old family
nurse, who trudges about to the vari-
GUS homes on the list, announcing to
the young ladies or their mothers the
name Of the young man who has been
chosen as the particular partner or
the girl in all games and contests
and dancing for the Christmas fun.
This throwing of two young people
together for several days under one roof
and under the eyes of one friendly
matron is always hoped to result III
number Of matches, and, though seem
ing very informal, is such an old Gus
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-12

tom, and comes but once a year, that 1t
has taken on an air of sober dignity.
In the French provinces both social
and religious ceremonies vary with the
region Purely agricultural localities
have preserved the memory or TINS or
that ceremony which in the beginning
was observed by the entire country
and ordinarily designed to relieve the
monotony of the long. cold winters, Tor
here, as elsewhere. the Christian Church
had awaited itself of many heather rites
and gradually transformed them into the
semblance of Christian worship. In the
northern districts the celebrations OF
Christmas have more or less of Ger
man air Christmas trees are distinct
feature.
But the genuinely French festival is
to be found in the south and central
districts. Here the Yule log was cut on
Christmas eve from a live oak, except
close upon the Pyrenees and the PENN
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-12

have more than two million horse
power as yet undeveloped. With an en-
pire like that of Brazil, country of
enormous resources encouraged by q
protective tariff, it would seem that
these electrical possibilities might be
turned into fortunes
AS to the rivers of northern Brazil. l
have already spoken of the Paulo At
fonso falls. They are on the Sac Fran
cisco. river which is the third in size
In South America and the fourth larg-
est on our hemisphere In this l put
the Amazon first. the Mississippi sec
ond and the Parana third. The Sac
Francisco runs through more territory
than any European river except the
Nolga. 1t crosses a plateau where for
more than a thousand miles it is navi-
gable and navigated. Its only obstruc-
ton is at the Paulo Alfonso Falls; and
it may be that canal will some day
sea.
than thirteen rivers upward of thou
sand miles long. and it has nine or ten
that range in length from five hundred
to one thousand miles. Nearly all of
these rivers have waterfalls at some
points in their course. The names OF
many of these streams are unknown to
the ordinary reader. Let me give you
some of them. The Itapicuru is over
one thousand miles long and the Par
nahyba is fifty miles longer. They both
foW into the Atlantic ocean. The To-
cantins is sometimes called a tributary
of the Amazon, but that is because it
flows through the Rio Para into the At
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-12
Waterfalls to Make Brazil Great industrial Empire

TWO Million Horsepower Furnished by
1 the Falls of Paulo Affonso-How the
Tiete Cascades Run the City of Sac Paulo.
The Iguassu and Guayra Cataracts, Whose
Waterpowers Equal Niagara Cascades Of
the Amazon Tributaries-Eife and Travel
on the Great Rivers of South America.
Manaos a Great Rubber Metropolis in the
Heart of Wilderness.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-12

every employer, each host and more
prosperous person is supposed to make
gift of some sort to the employees,
guests and children associated with
them on that day. In barber shops and
restaurants there is a vase set up for
the contributions of regular customers
to employees
All over the wine-growing parts of
merly fourished in Paris also, is prac-
ticed, however, on Christmas eve lie
bon petit Jesus" Jesus as child, is
believed to come down the chimney
near the midnight hour. and therefore
before every mantelpiece open fire
rows of tiny shoes await filing with
nuts, candy or fruit. In the homes of
the very poorest peasants. whose chill
hillsides, the sight of little sabots
trustingly waiting remembrance is very
touching.
In "Notre Dame" Victor Hugo has
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-12

eighteen or twenty miles away. There.
in a distance of less thar one-half
mile, the Tiete falls thirty-three feet:
and this fall, by means of dams and
electric generators, is supplying both
light and power to town of more than
a half million inhabitants. The conces-
sion belongs to and is run by Canadian
and United States citizens. 1t is profit
able.
Between Sac Pauio and Salto de Itu
the Tiete river has falls where, in
rapids ninety feet long, 5000 horse
power can be generated. and lower still
are other falls which are now reached
by the Brazilian Northwestern railway.
This river will supply an enormous
electric force. At its mouth, preceded
by rapids, is the cascade of itapura.
which falls forty-four feet, and not far
away is another fall on the Rio Grande
river of which the Tiete is tributary.
The volume of water of these two falls
is so great that 1,000.0s0 horsepower
could be developed from them
The state of Sac -Paulo has also other
valuable water powers. 1t has one on
the Rio Sorocaba. which furnishes pow
er and light to the city of that name,
and another on the Paranapanema.
which has a volume of 900 cubic yards
per second. Many of the chief towns of
Sac Paulo get their light and power
from rivers nearby. This is SO of San
tos. Campinas, Amparo, Rio Clara, Mo-
coca and Rebeirao Preto.
There are number of water powers
of great extent on the Parana system,
some of the largest tributaries of
which are in the Brazilian republic.
The Urubupunga falls have capacity
of 100000 horsepower, and the falls of
Iguassu and Guayra, on the borders of
Paraguay, will rival those of Niagara
and the Zambesi in their electric posi-
xI. rnlI
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-12
Rescue Work.

mR. AUGUST Won HUMBOLDT. the
W Austrian fiscal agent, said at
saengerfest in Milwaukee:
1T is no wonder England finds it Inn
possible to get the Balkan states to go
in with her.
England came to the rescue of Bel
gium-and look at poor Belgium! She
came to the rescue of Serbia-and look
at poor Serbia. Is it any wonder
Greece and Rumania fight shy?
"England's idea of rescue work re-
minds me of the Sprinter who said to
his best girl:
You need have no fear of tramps
or thugs when you are with me, dear
est. L hold. as you know, the quarter
and half mile records, and if anybody
attacked us I'd run off and bring help
in no time"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-12
With Many Christmas Celebrations

with color and light and Imagery that
one who merely hears of them does NOT
easily forget the story.
Throughout Italy churches great and
small have an altar dedicated to the
infant - sior. The figure which lies
on this altar from Christmas eve un-
til the close of the Epiphany is made of
wood or wax. and on Christmas day is
honored particularly by being clothed
it costly robe and placed in tiny
cradle, the beauty of which is de
termined by the purse of the congrega-
ton.
The Franciscan Church of Ara
Coeli, in Rome, possesses the most
celebrated "Bombino." or holy infant.
in all Italy. Il is faithfully believed to
perform miracles and to heal those
who. i'll or dying. may be brought to
the altar and there touch it with 'the
tips of their fng ers Christmas day. aft
err the image has lain in reverenced
state since the night before. and has
been dressed and adorned by the hands
of the officiating priests of Ara Coeli,
most picturesque and curious cere-
mony is performed in its honor A COM
pany of tiny boys. not yet of school
age, at given signal, mount an i'm
provised platform that is built before
the cradle, and, one after another, re.
ten for the occasion by a relative CT
family friend. These must dwell upoI
the coming of the christ-child or incl
dents in His boyhood.
Across the border line of the Pyre-
nees. in lower France. the church serv-
ice on Christmas eve is often prolonged
by the insertion of symbolical pro-
cession. such IS the arrival of the
shepherds with gifts. There is truss
of straw before the altar. and an image
of the Christ child upon it. Even fig
ures for the OK and ass bend over the
Manager A big, gold star shines over
head. and the rays fall on the little
group of Joseph and the Virgin, with
the shepherds standing near.
Every year til $ ancient observance Is
kept by fewer churches, and in another
decade the custom VIII probably have
died out among even these border
provinces Near the Church of st. Sui
pice in Berlin. a stones throw from
the Latin quarter, there is still one Old
hookshop which has for sale these
figures that form the scene, but the
stock grows less and is not replen-
ished.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-12

sula, where olive trees must be substi-
tuted, either, necessarily, being large
enough to blaze away from Christmas
eve until New Year day.
In the hills among the vineyard homes,
the log. upon being brought INTO the
house. following an ancient usage. Is
still sprinkled with wine. and trlnkets
for the children are hung from pegs at
the ends of the log. But the custom or
exchanging gifts on Christmas eve is
not yet adopted in France. in city or
countryside.
New Year eve is the day of presents
and the time which seems to an Amer
lean like the blending Of our Thanks
giving and the spirit OF our Christmas
day. Family reunions are IN order, ana
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-12

III NJ tianity in many lands and
Ill " through many centuries vari-
~ Gus races and religions have
contributed to the superst1tious ooseFV-
ances connected with celebrating the
birth of Christ. Pagan ideas and feasts
have formed the background for many
an inroad of the mission OF the NaZa-
rene, so that the two. faith and festival,
are now so woven together in some
celebrations that only the student may
trace the sources of the skein- In the
war zone alone there are as many pecu-
Nar legends and practices among chris
tiaus at Christmas time as there are
countries Most often these are found
in the rural sections and the few that
NAV be related here are both weird and
interesting.
In comnernoration of the fact that
Christ as an infant had lain upon straw.
il was very early in the history OF
Christmas celebrations the habit 70
strew the houses and churches with
straw And from this practice rose
numerous superstitions. In Sweden the
houses as well as the churches are mt
tered with straw. and IL Is stlii cur
rent that If offered 10 cattle when they
are sent out to pasture again. such
straw protects the stock from disease
and that if scattered over the fields It
aids in tertilizinS the crop.
In the province OF Thuringia, for the
purpose OF having good harvest it is
common TO tie bundles of wet straw
around the stems OF fruit trees on
Christmas night. In a neighboring dis
trict bundles of straw are placed under
the tables for footrests during the
Christmas feast. When this meal is FIN
ished, each person partaking carries out
into the yard the bundle of straw upon
which his feet have rested and ties 1t
about Il tree.
10 leave oats or barley in tire open
air. so the dew may moisten the grain.
Is set presumed % insure the highest
fertIlity. In Goitngen. Germany, cattle
feeding in H. open air on chri9 mas
night are greatly benefited, and among
tn. Hessians the cloths with which fine
ly bred hOrsss are rubbed down are ex-
posed to Lpis same night air in the be-
lief that d more lustrous coat of hair
will be the result
Far-north legends are numerous, and
perhaps because % the cold remote
ness of many sections of the two
or three peninsulas Jutting into the
green and blue and silver seas there
is still an air of pagan mystery evil
dent ia even the everyday lives of
these people. A young country girl
desires TO know whether she shall be
married She goes to the poultry house
between II and IL o'clock on Christ
mas night and raps on the door II
the lordling of the roost hears her and
crows she will soon be welded, but If
quiet reigns the maid is at once rele-
gated 10 eternal spinsterhood.
The .icandinayians are given credit
for the Iule log, the Teutonic races
calling ii the Christmas block which
arose il is said, from the practice OF
supplying the local priest with an
abundance of fuel, SO that the very
poorest even might have good festi.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-12
Copyright. 1915. by Frank G. Carpenter)
PERNAMBUCO.

Copyright 1915. by Frank C. Carpenter)
PERNAMBUCO.
E@HE white coal of Brazil,
1t has a potentiality of mill
lions of horsepower. and it will
& eventually make this country a
great industrial empire. BY white coal
mean the great waterfalls. The coun-
try is full of them, and almost every
state has enormous possibilities in the
way of hydro-electric development. 4
general idea of Brazil is that the coun-
try is fiat. The truth is it is made up
of mountains and highlands, and even
outside the Amazon il has some of the
most wonderful waterfalls of our hem
isphere Many of the cities are already
lighted and moved by such falls. This
is so of Rio de Janeiro. whose lights
can be seen by the steamers several
hours before they come into the har-
Dor Those lights are generated by
falls. fifty miles away in the Organ
mountains. They are made by dam
that supplies something like 10000
horsepower They not only light Rio,
but they move its tramways and they
supply light and power to the sur
rounding country.
These notes are written at Pernam-
buco not far from the mouth of the Sac
Francisco river. That river has falls
with a potentiality of more than e.000,-
600 horsepower; and a concession has
been granted to one company for the
development of one-tenth this amount.
The first installation. / am told is to
produce 200, 900 horsepower This is to
come from the Paulo Alfonso falls,
which are $50 miles or so from the
mouth of the Sac Francisco river. To
get there you go from Pernambuco up
the coast to the mouth of that river
and then take small steamer and
travel for day until you reach rail-
road station, from which the trains
take you to the tremendous canyon
into which the river pours. The sac
Francisco has five branches. which
unite above the falls, and then take
mighty leap over the black rocks OF
the canyon. The falls are $50 miles
from the capital of the state of Bahia
They are in the heart of an undeTel-
oped empire, and one that may some
day be q great cotton plantation the
concession already granted is for sew
enty years. 1t viii probably be fol-
lowed by others.
The city of Sac Pauio, the metropolis
of southern Brazil, gets its electric
power from the River Tiete. 1t comes
from a hydraulic plant, situated about
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-12
THE FALLS OF PIRACICABA.

Obsens Many
Background Of CebaionsPecuGar
Finding Their Ahns the Rural SectonsCuoms
Supposed Have O1gmtedChsmas
France, Russia, Italy, Spain and Greece.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-12

No good peasant in Thessaly, one of
the most historic parts of Greece, would
think of leaving behind him on New Year
morning the pomegranate which had
been eSpoused to the stars all night,
and which must be taken to the church
turn home the fruit is dashed to the
floor, and certain phrases relative to
the presence of evil spirits in the house
are said over the flying seeds. The wife is
religiously careful to fill each child's
hands with sweetmeats on the same
morning, and something is saved for
the basket for the poor. from every
household, however poor itself.
In purely religious ceremonies at
Christmas the Latin churches hold
the palm for picturesqueness, particu-
larlv on Christmas eve. The ringing
of bells at midnight to announce the
coming of the anniversary of the ma
tiyity is the most universal usage. per-
haps. and doubtless originated with the
rule of the Catholic Church in having
the first mass of the festival at mid
night In connection with this prac-
tice there are some romantic legends as
to lonely churches that stood by the
sea being destroyed in some terrific
storm. but whose bells on the night
before Christmas ring as of old. And
there are ceremonies almost as old as
Nazareth's faith itself, that while
sternly religious, are SO interviewer