The Coolidge examiner., 1936-12-03

bound citadel and dwell ever after
in the valley below.
1t was not until 1872 that work
was begun on transforming this
once rugged mass of rock into a
magnificent hanging park, for
which level Buenos Aires might
freely offer a million cattle or a
seasons garnering of wheat. 1t was
then that Don Benjamin Vicuna
Mackenna began it's transformation.
Public and private munifcence
alike have shared in its embellish-
ment, and today it is mass of lux
uriant vines, blossoming trees, and
flowers, with here and there
glimpses of stairs, roadways, cliffs
and walls, towers and battlements,
chapels and monuments. Flower
beds and fountains ornament the
terraces; trees, shrubs, and over
hanging vines border the driveWays
and promenades. Here are dancing
esque hooks and balconies, and
rustic seats for those who wish to
enjoy a view of the city, valley, and
mountains from such a charming
vantage ground.
Avenue of the Delights.
From Santa Lucia we wander up
the Avenue of the Delights and ap-
preciate the enthusiasm of the San
tiaguino for his capitals major thor
oughfare. For here one may see
not only an imposing array of beau
tiful statuary, splendid residences,
and all that makes a morning stroll
delightful, but one may also find
cross-section of Chilean life.
The Alameda is 300 feet wide and
miles long. 1t was General O'Hig-
gins who banished the river to make
the city's principal boulevard. Many
new buildings border it, including
the splendid National library and
the famous Club Union. The CEN
trail parkway formerly was adorned
with four rows of trees-oaks, elnS,
acacias, and other varieties. In re-
cent years these have been removed
as a military precaution.
The Alameda is Chile's Hall of
Fame" not encompassed by four
walls, but placed in the capitals
most frequented promenade, where
the birds sing and the children frol-
ic, and where the stories of sculp-
tured marble and bronze inspire the
multitude to patriotism and cour-
age. Here is stately monument
in memory of Don Jose de San
Martin, the Washington of South
American freedom.
A few blocks beyond the Alameda,
with the business district inter-
vening, is the Plaza de Armas, once
the center of the open-air social
life of the capital. Even today there
are certain evenings of each week
when a large proportion of Santiago
Wanders there to see and to be
seen. On one side of the square is
the cathedral, on another the post
office and government telegraph Of
fees. The remaining two sides are
occupied by arcades with pictur-
esque shops.
Promenade of Youth.
There are walks around and
through the Plaza, and during the
evening promenade these are
crowded with people on pleasure
bent, always moving in two lines.
Round and round they 60, lovely
young girls walking with their du-
ennas, and the handsome young
men, in their clothes of latest cut,
usually in groups, the members of
each line undisguisedly looking
over and assessing the members of
the other.
In spite of the watchful eyes Of
the mothers who bring their daugh-
ters to the promenade, which usual
ly takes place on Thursday, Satur-
day, and Sunday evenings, Cupid
seems to find the Plaza a delightful
haunt.
The cathedral stands on the site
which Valdivie appointed for the
erection of Chile's first church. 1t
contains numerous paintings by old
masters; a reclining, life-size fig
,,.o 80 Cav Eropcicoo do Xouior
carved from the trunk of a pear
tree; a monstrance and altar of sill
yer more than 200 years old; and a
crystal chandelier which hung in
the room where the first Chilean
congress met. The organ is one of
the finest in the world. 1t came to
Chile by accident. The ship which
was carrying it to Australia was
wrecked in the Strait of Magellan;
the organ was salvaged, purchased
at bargain, and placed in the
cathedral.
Across the city from the Plaza de
Armas is the Parque Cousino, the
Central park of Santiago. 1t is
about a mile long and half mile
wide, green with eucalyptus, aca-
cias, poplars, magnolias, and myr-
tie and a great variety Of shrubs,
vines and grasses. Here and there
are charming little lakes and love-
ly flower beds. In the center is a
parade ground, hanked by grand
stand,