The South American Tour

by Annie S. Peck

PALERMO PARK

The central façade of the Capitol, setting a trifle back from the line of the projecting wings, is adorned with a fine portico and approached by a stately staircase having on each side an equestrian statue. The central dome is a remarkable work, the pillars supporting it covering 300 square meters. To sustain the weight of 30,000 tons, the foundations were laid 30 feet deep, and an inverted dome of stone was fixed. No one should fail to visit the top of the great dome, which provides a splendid view over the city and the broad river; or the magnificently furnished reception halls and legislative chambers. The Senate Chamber, arranged for but 30 members, is a small room though provided with two galleries. The larger Chamber of Deputies has three rows of galleries, the first for the diplomatic corps with an especial reservation for ladies, some of whom come to hear the debates. The acoustics are said to be poor and the heating inadequate. There are conference rooms, a library, rooms for secretaries, etc. The Houses regularly meet from May 1 to the end of September, but the sessions are usually prolonged until January by Executive Decree. The Deputies meet Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at three, the Senate on the alternate days. The Chamber of Deputies, semi-circular in form, has 130 seats besides eight for the Ministers, here admitted to their deliberations. There is a platform for the President and two secretaries. Behind the Presidential chair is a portrait of Valentin Alsina.

Below the platform is a table for stenographers, two of whom write a report of the proceedings, published the day following. Members speak from their places receiving polite attention, especially noticeable in comparison with the practice in Assemblies of older nations. There is no division of seats for political parties, nor special garb for President or Ministers. Each Deputy has a desk with writing material. For each 33,000 people, and for an additional half as many more, one Deputy is elected for four years, receiving a salary of 18,000 pesos. Every two years one half of the House is renewed. The Senate Chamber also has seats for the Ministers. The Vice President, according to the Constitution, is the presiding officer. Strangers of distinction desiring to visit the sessions of Congress may obtain from the Secretary cards of admission to the galleries.

The characteristic of the city first obvious is its extreme neatness, in strong contrast to our chief cities; then the narrow streets of the business section and the absence of skyscrapers, each of which will seem to Americans generally an evidence of backwardness and provincialism. The former certainly is a great defect, inherited from colonial times, which the officials of recent days have been and still are endeavoring to remedy. As the widening of all the streets at once was obviously impossible, to relieve the congestion of traffic and to beautify the city, the Avenida de Mayo was constructed. Soon two diagonals, wonderfully diminishing the present difficulty, will be cut from the north- and southwest corners of the Plaza de Mayo through the busiest parts of the city. Although the streets in the center are only 33 feet wide, since the buildings have mostly but two or three stories, they do not lack air and light, as in so many of the streets of New York; the height of all buildings being limited according to the width of the street on which it stands, an excellent and necessary rule. All of these narrow central streets are one way thoroughfares, both for cars and other vehicles. Natty policemen stand, not at a few, but at dozens of busy corners, regulating traffic. Yet in spite of their best efforts blocks are frequent, sometimes delaying cars for ten or fifteen minutes. It may be mentioned that the city has, in proportion to the inhabitants, twice as many policemen as New York, generally courteous and obliging. In order to help a little, the corners of many buildings and sidewalks have been chopped off in accordance with a law promulgated some years ago, though long not strictly enforced. Many of these old streets will be widened in time, as new buildings must be set 10 or 12 feet farther back, a temporary disfigurement, ultimately of great advantage. West of the Capitol all streets are wider. New ones must have a breadth of at least 60 feet. In the newer sections are many beautiful broad avenues, the Santa Fé and Alvear in some respects surpassing the Avenida. There is an excellent service of electric cars, one writer says the best on this hemisphere, already supplemented by a subway now being constructed from the Plaza de Mayo to Plaza 11 de Setembro. This one completed, others will be promptly begun; not as in New York ten years after they should have been finished. For in Buenos Aires, packing like sardines is not permitted, as will be discovered, perhaps with indignation, when a car marked completo passes without a pause, and one has to wait several minutes for a second or a third. Within, all are comfortable, the seats, each for two, facing the front with an aisle between, where no one is allowed to stand; on the broad rear platform six only are permitted. With carriages so cheap, anyone in a hurry can easily afford to patronize them. The cars with large figures in front, as in Chile, a fashion which might well be introduced in our cities, are easily distinguished; the hotel porters and the policemen being usually able to tell you two or three numbers of the several cars which may take you to your destination, and the points at which these are to be found. Also a little red guide book, Guia Peuser, purchasable for 10 centavos, will give all necessary information as to railways and electric cars, carriage tariffs, etc.

An afternoon drive may be taken in auto, car, or carriage. Setting out in good season, one may first traverse a few streets in the center of the city, the fashionable Florida to Plaza San Martin, returning by Reconquista to the Plaza de Mayo, cross down to Parque 9th of July below the government Palace, then go by Paseo de Julio and Avenue Alvear to Parque 3rd of February, commonly called Palermo. After a drive in the park return may be made by Santa Fé and Callao to the Capitol building and upper end of the Avenue, or by other streets past the Recoleta, the Aguas Corrientes, etc.

The calle Florida is par excellence the fashionable promenade of the city. Though narrow like the others and but ten blocks long, it is distinguished from the rest by having no car tracks and is lined by many of the most fashionable shops, beginning with Gath & Chaves extending from the Avenue to Rivadavia; though to be accurate, this is on Peru instead of Florida, the old Rivadavia street being the dividing line where the names change and the numbering each way begins, instead of the Avenue as would seem more natural. Besides many of the best shops, there are on Florida many fine residences, among these one between B. Mitre and Cangallo belonging to the Guerrero family; one on the left in the Louis XV style between Corrientes and Lavalle, the home of Juan Peña; opposite is that of Juan Cobo. Beyond Lavalle on the right is the magnificent home of the Jockey Club, soon to be abandoned for a larger and still more costly establishment. This Club, noted as probably the richest in the world, with an entrance fee of £300, nearly $1500, yet having a considerable waiting list, receives so large an income from the receipts at the races that it hardly knows what to do with it. Its present edifice has a noticeable façade, a fine entrance hall and staircase, on the first landing a famous Diana sculptured by Falguières. Corinthian columns, ornamentation of onyx, ivory, and azul are part of the decoration. A fine banquet hall, various dining-rooms, luxurious drawing and reading rooms, rooms for cards, billiards, fencing, baths, etc., and a few to which ladies are admitted with a member for afternoon tea, unite to make this the equal of any Clubhouse in the world. Beautiful paintings and other expensive luxuries, like tapestries and carving, contribute to the elegance of the establishment. On moving from their present quarters to the much larger and more splendid structure now being erected near the Plaza San Martin, the Club will present this edifice to the Government to be occupied by the Department of State.

Beyond on the same side between Viamonte and Cordoba, a large building with arcades, covered by a glass roof, occupies the entire square. This, called the Bon Marché, is used mainly as an office building and contains some Bureaus of various Ministries. Formerly the National Museum and the Academy of Fine Arts were here located, but the Museum or Gallery now occupies a fine building on Plaza San Martin, with the Academy adjoining. The Florida ends at this Plaza, one of the handsomest of the city, surrounded by many splendid edifices, adorned with large trees, flowers, shrubbery; and at the upper end an equestrian Statue of San Martin. The Art Museum is at the east end of the north side; farther west are stately residences, as also on the south side. Here, between Florida and Maipu is the office of the United States Legation, easily distinguishable by the United States Coat of arms above the door, should the flag not be floating from the projecting staff. Happily in the South American countries visited, the legations are all suitably housed, though it is said that at least one Minister of ours to Argentina, paid more for his house rent in Buenos Aires than his entire salary. It is obviously not a position to be sought at present by a man with only his talents to recommend him. Returning by Reconquista one would pass many fine business blocks, including banks.

Driving past the Government Palace and turning down to the left, we come to the Parque 9th of July in the rear of the palace, from which we proceed again north on the way to Palermo. Buenos Aires boasts of 74 parks and plazas altogether, with an extent of 10 million square meters. The 9th of July is modeled after the Champs Élysées, having a broad avenue with gardens of the Renaissance style on each side. It begins at the south with a half circle in which a statue, probably Rivadavia, was to be placed. In the middle is a circle with an artistic fountain by the French sculptor Moreau, and at the north end, opposite Cangallo, is a pretty fountain by an Argentine artist, Lola Mora. Along the way are cafés, restaurants, and concert halls.

Proceeding along the Paseo de Julio, with its line of shrubs and flowers, one may continue by the fine Avenue Alvear through the most fashionable quarter of the city. The Avenue, bordered with flowering trees and palms, is lined with palatial mansions, in the midst of beautiful grounds and gardens. At the fashionable hour this avenue is filled with vehicles, rented victorias, the stately carriages of the residents, and many automobiles, which although numerous have not yet seemed to lessen the multitude of carriages.