The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1918-08-23

| The coming of the first settlers to
| the location where La Paz now stands
is enveloped in the mists of time. 1t
is said, however, that specks of gold
in the streams that flow down from
the mountain sides and through the
valley were a sufficient attraction to
draw thither the aborigines during the
reign of the fourth Inca; and in form
er days, as at present, shelter was one
of mans comforts and necessities.
Gradually little huts made their APP.
pearance along the streams, and thus
Chuchiabo and Chuquiyapu, as it was
called in turn, had it's origin from
about 1855 to 100. Later, the Span
ish proved to be as great lovers of
| golden ores as the natives and in 1915
history records the fact that the Span
lard, Alonzo de Mendoza, and IL COM
| panions founded the present city of
La Paz on the site Of the old village.
In the citys Streets.
AS already observed, the canyon in
which La Paz lies is long and mar
row; it is also extremely rugged and
| interspersed with many small table
| lands and mountain peaks, the whole
dominated by majestic Hlimani, rear
| ing it's snow-covered crest to q $50
feet. In consequence Of this uneven
ness the streets of the city running
parallel with the larger stream are
fairly level (Avenida Arce, for illus
tration), while cross streets are neces-
sarily short and in many cases ele-
| waited at the ends as they approach
the sides of the canyon. Some of
these streets are extremely steep,
while others have been constructed in
conformity with tlfe configuration OF
the hills and are therefore more or
less winding.
One Of the city's widest and most
! popular residential streets lies in the
southeast section and is known as the
Alameda, extending half mile along
a level course and adorned with will
low, eucalyptus, and other handsome
trees. Shrubs and flowers are also to
be seen, but the extremely high alti-
tude appears to have somewhat
blighting effect upon such growth. The
Alameda, always more or less ami
mated, is especially alive in late af-
ternoons and on Sundays and holidays,
when the elite of social and official life
are to be seen walking, driving, or
motoring along it's course. On passing
through a picturesque gateway this
popular avenue is prolonged through
Plaza Concordia and the Twelfth of
December Street to Obrajes. The lat
ter is three miles distant, and the ride
over very fair motor road or by cleo
trio line is through an extremely pic
turesque canyon Astounding in novel
views for the stranger. The more i'm
portant streets are well lighted by
electricity, the use Of which has been
expanding considerably in receAt
years as the motive power for numer-
Gus industries.
Where MuriIio Is Honored.
La Paz is not unlike other Latin
American cities in providing numerous
and attractive plazas. The most noted
one of the city is that known as Mu-
rillo, so named in honor of the hero of
independence, Pedro Domingo Murillo,
who gave up his life on this sacred
spot In 1909. The torch Of liberty
there lighted, however. spread over
the continent, and finally resulted in
the independence of Bolivia as well as
the sister nations by which she Is sur
rounded. Today in the center of this
plaza stands beautiful monument to
Murillo, the patriot honored in the
past as at present as one who sur
rendered life rather than the cause Of
the people.
The buildings of La Paz usually
strike the stranger with interest. Al
though many have been constructed
along the lines of Spanish or Spanish
Moorish architecture, the extremely
rugged topography of the place has
been responsible for local modifiea-
tons and unusual features of construc-
ton. The cathedral of La Paz, which
has been building for a number of
years, promises to be one of the finest
and largest of such structures in all
Latin-America. 1t covers an area of
more than $4,000 square feet and is to
seat at least $4,000 people.