The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1917-06-05


l., RIO DE- JA1%EIRO
tains with the Finger of God" con.
spicuous among them. AS the ship
steams up the long and deep channel
the great city slowly breaks into view
and masses and crescents of light
spring into sight The encircling city
glOws and radiates.
Time to See Rio at Its Best.
It is between sunrise and eight or
nine o'clock that Rio is seen at its
best, at least from the steamers deck.
The best smile is that of pearl which
gradually displays its orient to the be.
holder. Gray gives place to rose, and
rose and celestial blue. 1t is as if AL
mighty God had breathed on this ia.
vored spot and hidden it come forth
endowed with more natural beauties
than any other on earth. The city rises
in terraces, not in huge masses of
houses hiding the rock, as in Lisbon,
but in fairylike groups Of habitations.
half lost in the verdure of the tropical
vegetation. On the sea level the great
er part of Rio stretches in a vast cres-
cent turned toward the northeast,
broken here and there by spurs of the
mountain range at the back, throwing
out gently rounded foothills, covered
to their tops with feathery palm-tree
ferns and bamboos. In the middle of
the crescent the suburbs stretch away
inland for a great distance.
In all its essentials the city is now
,o11 of ~
the worlds great capitals. The man.
agement of traffic by the police, the
J, work of the STRENGTHENING depart
ment, the electric lighting, the excel
lent asphalted pavements, the trolley
lines, the handsome buildings, public
and private-all these things and hun
dreds of others could be instanced as
showing that Rio de JaneirO is as pro-
gressive as any one Of our great cities
in the United States. In some points
she is distinctly ahead of us-in the
municipal theater, for instance, and in
much that has been done for beauti-
flying the city. Many Of the streets are
lined by double rows Of the stately
royal palms, making the finest Of ali
imaginable colonnades. The long drive
along the brave bay front is something
quite unique. The beauty of the city
is no more evident than in business de-
velopment. Rio is an old city, but Of
late years it has gone ahead, and is
now going ahead as fast as any young
city in the western United States, and
healthy basis.
Money Lavisied on the City.
The far-sighted statesmen of Brazil
have spent millions of dollars in maxi
ing Rio beautiful and sanitary. They
transformed the former narrow and
cOngeSted streets into wide avenues
which rival the historic streets of Eu-
rope and the United States. Groups
of beautiful public buildings have
arisen. among them the Monroe palace
dedicated to the memory of the presi-
dent who enunciated the doctrine Of
America for the Americans The old
Imperial palace has become the Ma
tionh museum. and among other fine
buildings are the city hall, mint and
chamber Of deputies, etc. The Botanic
gardens are especially interesting, con-
tanning rare exotics from all parts of
the world. The School of Fine Arts
contains many pictures Of the old mas
tiers, and the National library has some
100000 printed books and half a mil
lion manuscripts.
OF those things which make a great
and progressive city Rio has it's full
share and today is making the most Of
them. It's future is rich in promise Of
even greater development. It will grow
as the nation grows and every indica-
ton points to the marvellous develop
nlent of BraZils resources during the
coming century. With 22OOO,OOO people
brazil is today, next to the United
States, the most populous of American
countries. 1t is capable of supporting
a population Of 200 100000 and it's nat
ural resources are simply enormous
with the greater part of its territory
yet untouched. With the construction
Of more railroads, the Harvesting of
limitless water power, the improve
/, ment of ports, the establishment of
new Industries, the extension of agri-
culture, the opening of mines, the ex-
plotting of TIMBER and with the mas
tering Of vast jungle areas, Brazil is
destined to take high rank among the
nations Of the earth, and with the
destiny Of Brazil is bound up the FIJI
.ure of Rio de Janeiro.