Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-04-27

IN 10 DE JANEIRO is the cleanest
- and most beautiful city in
N the world, according to the tes-
timOny of recent visitors, in
Guiding Theodore Roosevelt. With
more than a million population it has
no Slums such as diSfigure and dis
grace even the more progressive North
American cities. Within it's wide mu-
nicipal area it has more asphalted
streets than any other city can boast
of, and at night it's prodigal illumina-
ton gives the right to take from Paris
the title of the 'City of Light" A
great thriving seaport, a wonderfully
beautiful tropical capital, Rio de
Janeiro visualizes the remarkable
transformation which has taken place
In Latin-America, and particularly in
Brazil, within the past 20 years. 1t is
more than simply a justification of re-
publican government in Brazil; it car
ries a rich promise for the develop
ment of South America.
A few years before the beginning of
the present century, travellers de-
scribed Rio de Janeiro as a fever pest
spot. 1t was under the empire one of
the most unhealthful cities of South
America. The sewerage system was
poor and there was an almost utter
lack of sanitary and hygienic regula-
tiOnS. The city was never entirely free
from the dread scourge of yellow fever
and smallpox and tuberculosis made
frightful ravages among the popula-
ton. Malaria and other fevers also
exacted heavy toll of life. Today
yellow fever, bubonic plague and small
pox have been practically stamped
out, and an Intelligent war agains
the anopheles mosquito is doing the
same creditable work for malaria
which is rapidly disappearing.
One of Americas Oldest Cities.
Rio de Janeiro is one of the oldes
cities of European settlement in tn,
western hemisphere. Discovered il
1902, the first century of it's existenc,
was marked with troublous times will
the hostile Indians before the Portu
guese settlers were able to establish
themselves in security. They also hat
to maintain themselves against tn
French, the Dutch and the Spanisl
and many times Portuguese ascend
ency hung by a thread. In I'LL, tn
French captured the city by assault
holding it until a heavy ransom wa
paid. This ended all attempts to wres
Brazil from the hands of her discoy
erers. About this time occurred tn
discovery of gold and diamonds i
Brazil, fact which increased The in
portance Of Rio de Janeiro and Bahi
and made Brazil an enormously ric
colony which was exploited to the liml
by the home government. In 1907, q
result of the Napoleonic wars, tn
seat of the Portuguese governmeT
was transferred from Lisbon to Rio d
Janeiro and Brazil became an empir
which lasted until the successful r.
publican uprising in 1889.
Claims Worlds Largest Harbor.
The bay of Rio de Janeiro is prob;
bly, the largest, safest and most beal
is II miles long and Is miles wild
with a coast line of 45 miles. The el
trance Is only one mile wide betwee
imposing granite mountains, and thel
are numerous islands. A granite qua
two and q half miles in length, col
structed at a cost of many millions (
dollars, greatly facilitates shippin,
} The harbOr also has a 100-ton floatir
crane and a large floating dry-doc
In former years the district frontir
the quay was a section of narrow CO.
gested streets, but under the republ
the district has been transformed I'M
commercial section of wide stree
and well-built business houses, cor
pairing more than favorably with IL
equipment of North American harb'
fronts.