The Coolidge examiner., 1936-12-03
Prepared by National Geographic Society
Washinqtnn d C.-WNI Service.

Prepared by National Geographic Society,
Washington. D. C.-WNU Service.
q ANTIAGO, metropolis and cap
ital of Chile, is seen to great
Y J est advantage by climbing to
the summit of Santa Lucia
hill, which rises out of the heart
of the city much as the Acropolis is
encompassed by Athens.
Let US climb up to the pavilion,
built perilously on top of the rocks.
At our feet lies a community of a
half million souls, dwelling for the
most part in one and two-story
houses. But for the moment we
have no eyes for the beauties OF
this fair city. To the east rise the
mightiest ramparts of the Andes. AS
the clouds drift over the sun, lights
and shadows pursue one another
and one sees the majestic noun
tains in many marvellous moods.
Morning, noon, and evening they
present different aspects; but per-
haps ones favorite memory of
them is when the shades of evening
are gathering. A blue haze wells
the metropolis as the sun sinks be-
hind the horizon, and multihued
shadows climb higher and higher
up the sides of the mountains until
finally only the white crests OF the
loftiest SUBMITS are left il light.
At length they, too, must surren-
der the glory of the suns light, and
ones eyes turn back to the scene
below-a vast city wrapped in dark
ness, but glittering with its tens of
thousands of night jewels, made to
shine by the hydro-electric engi-
neer, who transmutes the melting
Andean SHOWS into light.
One turns in another direction and
sees on the outskirts of the city
San Cristobal, conical mountain
springing up from the level plain
and towering above Santa Lucia, as
the latter rises higher than the city
at its feet. The distant ridges that
separate the valleys of the Mapocho
and Maipo from that of the Aeon
cagua and from the coast, add their
beauties to this mountain-Walled
Eden.
Striking Architecture of the City.
Santiago itself is a city of in
Vulnerable domes and spires, which
join with the few skyscrapers of
the downtown district, the imposing
railroad stations, and the great
arched arcades to give diversity to
its skyline. On the citys outskirts
are the new hippodrome, perhaps
one of the worlds most beautiful
racing plants; the Cemetery Gen
eraI; and the famous Parque Cou
sino and the Quinta Normal.
Past and present mingle striking
ly in the capital. Here rises the
tower of the Franciscan monastery
from which sounded the bells of the
curfew in days colonial, and there
the steel-framed buildings of the
commercial district. The cloister-
constructed houses, with their open
patios, red-tiled roofs, and succeed
walls, are overShadowed by the
brick and marble buildings of the
palaces which share the blocks with
them and which radiate the architec-
tural spirit of France and America.
Stretching past the base of Santa
Lucia is that magnificent avenue
officially known as the Avenida de
las Delicias, but popularity called the
Alameda. 1t is, as its name pro-
claims, truly the avenue of the
Delights" Once the Mapocho river
ran down a part of its length, but
the city planners gave to this
stream an artificial channel, and
thus converted a river bed into a
beautiful thoroughfare.
Some one visiting Santiago during
the season when the rivers are
largely dry, and seeing the numer-
Gus bridges spanning the canalized
section of the Mapocho, remarked
that Santiago ought to sell its
bridges and buy river; but in the
flood season the necessity for the
bridges is obvious. The Mapocho's
waters flow through the city with
the rush of a mountain stream, and
only a marathon runner could keep
pace with bit of board thrown in
to the water and carried down.
stream by the current.
On a charming terrace stands the
statue of Pedro de Valdivia. sur
rounded by flower beds in which
the most beautiful blossoms of Chile
exude their fragrance to the mem
ory of the hero it commentaries.
The inscription tells us that THE
valiant Captain of Estremadura,
first governor of Chile, in this very
SPOT encamped his band of $50 con-
ouerors. December 13, 1870"
Beautiful Hanging Park.
It was from the top of Santa
Lucia. with it's sharp cliffs and steep
slopes, that Huelen-Huala, surround
ed by a gorgeous retinue of chiefs
ir full regalia, had been accus-
toned to issue his DEGREES to his
people before the coming of theS
Spaniards. Now vanquished, he was
forced to abandon his rock