The several hotels are fairly comfortable if not exactly modern in character. There are electric lights and electric car service. The streets at last accounts were poorly paved with rough cobble stones, but some automobiles are in use. The city is steadily advancing in commercial importance, 80 per cent of the imports and 40 of the exports passing through its Custom House.
Other Cities
From the meagre information available, to describe individually the various States or Districts of Paraguay is impossible, as also unimportant, the sparse settlements having little marked variation. Mention will be made instead of the principal towns, few of which have a population of 15,000.
Villa Rica, population perhaps 30,000, 40 hours from Buenos Aires and 93 miles from Asunción, is the second city of Paraguay. Situated in a rich agricultural district, it is destined to a sound if not rapid development. It will become important later as a railway junction; for the railway designed to cross the Paraná River into Brazil just above the entrance of the Iguassú, passing the great Falls, will connect with the São Paulo-Rio Grande Railway at União de Victoria and go on to São Francisco, called the best port in Brazil south of Santos. However, the date of this road’s completion is uncertain. The actual railway junction is at Borja, a little south of Villa Rica, but the latter place will receive the benefit. All of the towns are what we might call large country villages.
Villa Concepción, 130 miles up the river from Asunción, the third if not the second city of commercial importance, with a population given as 16, 25, also 30 thousand, is a port for yerba, cattle, quebracho, and sugar. The town of one story houses has better streets than those of the Capital, and a comfortable inn. It may now boast of 50 automobiles, instead of the one stylish turnout noted years ago by Colonel Roosevelt.
Villa Encarnación, population 15,000 or less, opposite Posadas, is another city of commercial importance, as the junction of the railway ferry and of river transportation. Here there is a change of river boats, those of lighter draft being required for the Upper Paraná.
Other towns are Paraguarí on the railway between Asunción and Villa Rica, Carapeguá near by, San Pedro north of Asunción, half way to Concepción, Luque, nine miles south of the Capital, and Pilar, well down the river. Villa Hayes is one of several centres of commercial importance in the Chaco.
San Bernadino on Lake Ipacaraí, two hours from Asunción, is a pleasure resort favored in winter by citizens of Buenos Aires. A large modern hotel caters both to fashionables and to sufferers from tuberculosis.
Transportation
River transportation in Paraguay is of the greatest importance. Large comfortable steamers give good service three times a week between Buenos Aires and Asunción, making the trip upward in four or five days, down stream in three. Above Asunción boats of suitable size and draft give poorer service on the Paraguay. Several lines run up 765 miles to Corumbá in Brazil, a three or four days journey, calling on the way at several Paraguayan ports, Concepción, 250 miles, San Salvador, Puerto Max, and others. Fares are high, especially down stream, apparently because one is obliged to go. Some ports on the Paraguay and on a few branches above and below the capital are visited by local steamers. Barges can be floated on over 2000 miles of internal rivers. Chatas (which are poled along) drawing 2-4 feet of water carry 10-100 tons; such boats on the Paraguay may carry 600 tons.