Montevideo and the Lazaretto.
Interior Commerce.
It has not yet been possible to calculate exactly and completely the
interior commerce of the Republic, between Montevideo and all the
other Departments. Statistics only give the figures representing the
cattle and rural products imported to Montevideo by the Departments
and that come by railway for local consumption and export.
This commerce gave, during the last five years, a total of 143,446
carts, that is to say a yearly middle term of 28,689.
There arrive daily to the Montevideo markets, by railroad and by
the rivers, great quantities of skins, (oxen, horses, sheep) wool,
horns, bones, tallow, ostrich feathers and other products of cattle
industry, and among rural products great quantities of corn, wheat,
flour, canary-seed, barley, mustard-seed, potatoes, garlick, French
beans, onions, pumpkins, eggs, butter, fowl, cheeses, paving and lime
stone, spirits and many other goods it would be too long to mention
here.
There is an important increase every year in the quantity of cattle
destined to local consumption, to the Montevideo saladeros and export.
Trade-Houses, Industries, Professions.
During the year 1891, 20,328 licenses were paid for by trade-houses,
industries, professions and work-houses. The nationality of those who
asked for their trade patent was:
Natives 4,134
Argentines 370
Brazilians 166
Italians 7,995
Spaniards 5,336
French 1,324
English 130
Germans 173
Swiss 186
Portuguese 116
Belgians 7
Swedish 7
Danes 5
Norwegians 6
Dutch 1
Austrians 52
North-Americans 28
Russians 6
Peruvians 1
Chilians 12
Paraguayan 11
Other Nations 262
Among the most important industries, must be mentioned: the Liebig
Extract of Meat Company, the _saladeros_ or killing grounds, the
spirits, wine and beer manufactures, flour mills, the starch and
vermicelli manufactures, the soap, suet and oil manufactures, the
gas, electric light and water companies, the match, brick, shoe and
wooden shoe manufactures, the tan-yards, saw-mills, etc., etc.
There are in Montevideo a great many important spirit, wine, brandy,
beer and match manufacturers; and there are sixteen of them in the
departments. The Montevideo manufacturers give an annual product of:
Alcohol, 2,000,000 litres.
Beer, 1,700,000 "
Matches, 55,000 grosses.
Wine and Spirits, 400,000 litres.
According to the declarations made for the payment of the license
tax, the capital represented by the trade houses, industries, etc, is
$89,329,539.
The clerks employed by all these houses, manufactures and industries,
were 11,639, and the workmen of various nationalities 16,621.
As a demonstration of the industrial importance and progress of the
country, among many other establishments, the description of which
cannot be made here for want of space, one may mention the great
brewery _Germania_, established under the direction of Engineer J. A.
Capurro.
It occupies a magnificent building situated in the "Playa Honda"
in front of the Montevideo Bay. Its construction and interior
distribution completely corresponds to all the technical necessities
required for beer manufacturing. It is provided for night working,
with electric light produced by a eight-horse dynamo and 68 lamps.
The establishment was built and is worked by a stock company.
It receives the waters of the River Santa Lucia, the very purest,
the same that is drank in the town. It possesses, nevertheless, two
immense filters, so as to make the water still purer.
The machinery comes from the renowned German manufacture of Chemnitz;
it is 25 horse-power, and can give from 18,000 to 20,000 litres per
day. The receiving depositories are two, the first one of a capacity
of 12,000 litres, and the second of 8,000 litres; the cooling
depositories can receive 9,000 litres every hour and a-half, with
a temperature that can go to 14° under naught. The clarifying is
made by three filters of the most modern system, without any paper
application. The fermentation cellar contains three large tubs of a
capacity of 3,000 and 3,500 litres. There are also 6 great cellars,
for depositories, with 34 tubs each; 18 of them can contain 5,000
litres each and the other 16, 3,500 litres.
With a compressed air machine they cork 10,000 bottles a day.
The ice depositories are beautiful; they always remain at a
temperature of 12 or 20° under nought.
The "_Germania_" also has many other depositories for the raw
materials, empty bottles and casks, another for 5,000 litre tubs,
brought on purpose from Germany; a forge, a workshop for cask-making,
ten carts and stables for 30 horses, and many offices.
It possesses a quay on the bay for loading and unloading and, during
the season of most activity, employs over a hundred workmen and
clerks.
This establishment represents a capital of over half a million
dollars.
During the season it sells over 200,000 litres per month to nearly
1,500 or 2,000 establishments.
The same society possesses also a starch and an alcohol manufactory.
They are very important establishments, provided with the very latest
inventions of European and North American manufacture.
In the same conditions are also the Richling and Niding Beer
Manufactories.
Banks, Anonymous Societies.
The Republic counts with a great many banks and anonymous societies,
that make easier all commercial transactions.
The emission banks are: The _London and River Plate Bank_, that on
December 31, 1891, had an active capital of $8,911,000; the _Italian
Uruguay Bank_, with an active capital of $7,714,521; the _Spain
and River Plate Bank_, with $4,614,752; the _Italo-Oriental_, with
$10,432,276, and the other banks called _National Bank_, _English
and River Plate Bank_, which actually are in liquidation, being the
active of the first bank, 31st December, 1890, $61,630,320, and that
of the second, $15,298,406.
Among the discounting banks, there are the _Commercial Bank_, the
_French Bank_, the _South America British Bank_, the _Anglo-Argentine
Bank_.
The principal anonymous societies are; The "Credito Real Uruguayo,"
the "Industrial," the "Cobranzas, locacion y Anticipos," the "Agencia
de Tierras," the "Colonization y Fomento del Uruguay," the "Caja
de Credito Uruguayo," the "Auxiliar de Credito y Alquileres,"
the "Co-operativa de Consumo," the "Caja Nacional Uruguaya," the
"Edificadora de Montevideo," the "Mercantil del Plata," the "Vegas
Uruguayas," the "Viticola Uruguaya," the "Viticola Saltena" and many
others that represent important capitals.
Commerce Halls.
In Montevideo there is the important commercial centre called "Bolsa
Montevideana," or Montevideo Exchange Hall. There are also the
French, the Italian and the Spanish Commercial Boards, that make
easier and easier the exchange of goods between the Republic and
France, Italy and Spain.
Means of Communication and Conveyance.
All the towns and villages of Uruguay littoral communicate with
the capital by the regular service of beautiful steamers between
Montevideo and Salto, stopping in all the ports of the Uruguay and
Argentine Republic littoral.
Other steamers start from Montevideo for Paraguay and Matto-Grosso
(Brazil.)
The lines of transatlantic steamers establish constant communications
between the Republic and European and American ports.
By land, a great many places in the Republic are put in communication
by the railways and by the telegraph, established also between
Montevideo and Europe, Brazil, the Pacific and Argentine Republic.
Where the railways are not yet established, there is a good and
regular service of stage-coaches.
Railways.
There are already seven railway lines in the Republic, the service
of which is quite regular and comprehends an extension of 1,567
kilometres.
Some other lines are in way of formation, and for some others the
necessary preliminary studies have begun, comprising a new extension
of 1,231 kilometres.
The railways already established are:
1st. _The Central Uruguay Railway._ It starts from Montevideo, runs
through the whole territory of the Republic, till it reaches the
capital of the Department of Rivera, on the very frontier of Brazil,
in front of "Santa Ana do Livramento," that is to say, with an
extension of 575 kilometres. Besides this, it has also another line
of 32 kilometres from "25 de Agosto" to "San Jose."
2d. _The Northeast Uruguay Railway_, between Montevideo and Minas,
with an extension of 122 kilometres.
3d. _The "East Extension" Railway_, between Toledo Station, which
belongs to the Northeast Uruguay Railway and Nico Perez, with an
extension of 206 kilometres.
4th. _The North Railway_, between Montevideo and Santa Lucia,
where are established the municipal slaughter houses. This railway
furnishes with meat all the Montevideo markets and has an extension
of 23 kilometres.
5th. _The Northwest Uruguay Railway_, from Salto to the River
Cuareim, through the Department of Artigas, with an extension of 178
kilometres. In "Paso del Correo," where this line stops, begins the
Brazilian Uruguayana Line.
6th. _The Midland Uruguay Railway_ joins with the Central Railway in
"Paso de los Toros" and with the Northwest Railway in the town of
Salto and has its principal station in Paysandu, with an extension of
317 kilometres.
7th. _The North Uruguay Railway_ between Isla Cabellos, which belongs
to the Northwest Line and San Eugenio in front of San Juan Bautista
(Brazil). It runs through the Department of Artigas and has an
extension of 114 kilometres.
River Steamers.
There exist many important navigation companies with beautiful and
comfortable steamers for the service of the River Plate, Uruguay and
Parana.
Among these companies the English company _Platense_ must be
mentioned. With its twenty steamers it represents an important
capital. It possesses its own docks and wharfs in this republic and
in the Argentine Republic. The principal steamers of the _Platense_
are called: _Venus_, _Eolo_, _Apolo_, _Minerva_, _Olimpo_, _Saturno_,
_Cosmos_ and _Helios_, the finest of all, recently constructed. All
these steamers have electric light on board. They all go to Buenos
Ayres and stop in Martin Garcia, Nueva Palmira, Mercedes, Fray
Bentos, Gualeguaychu, Concepcion del Uruguay, Paysandu, Villa Colon,
Guaviyu, Concordin, Salto and vice versa.
The steamers of the other companies have more or less the same
itinerary.
The movement of goods and passengers is important and has always
given good benefits to all the companies.
The journey between Montevideo and Buenos Ayres is of a few hours.
The steamers start from Montevideo at 6 p.m. and get to Buenos Ayres,
generally, at 4 next morning. The very same day, at 10 a.m. they
start again for the ports of the Uruguay; getting to Salto the next
day.
Stage Coaches.
In all the departments where railways are not yet established there
is a regular service of stage coaches putting the various railway
lines in communication and making easier the conveyance of goods and
passengers.
Tramways.
In Montevideo there are nine tramway lines: 1st Union and Maronas
Tramway; 2nd Paso del Molino and Cerro Tramway; 3rd Eastern Tramway;
4th Buceo and Union Tramway; 5th North Tramway; 6th Oriental Tramway;
7th Reducto Tramway; 8th Montevideo Tramway; 9th Central Tramway. In
nearly all the streets of Montevideo there is a tramway line and with
such a shortening of the distances life and activity are a great deal
increased.
In the centre of the town the tramway ticket costs 4 cents, and from
one extremity of the line to the other it costs 10 cents.
During the year 1891 all these tramways made 916,798 journeys, which
represent 9,285,940 kilometres, they conveyed 18,000,000 passengers.
They possess 507 coaches and 3,622 horses. The number of men employed
by the tramway companies is 1029. They have 14 stations.
In the town of Paysandu there is also a tramway line.
Telegraph.
The telegraph, as it may be seen on the map, is established all over
the Republic and in communication with all the towns of Europe and
America. The different telegraph companies are:
Telegraph Cable.
The National Telegraph Co kilom. 951 15
The Platino Brasilero " 829 ...
Rio de la Plata " 233 160
The Western and Brazilian Co.,
Oriental Line " ... 694
Telefonica del Plata " 180 45
The Oriental " 1,362 ...
The Platense, Brasilero, United
States direct " 250 ...
----- ---
3,805 914
Telegraph of the railway lines " 1,568
----- ---
" 5,373 914
There are two telegraph companies more between Salto and Concordia
and between Paysandu and Concepcion del Uruguay (Argentine Republic).
But they are of little importance.
The number of telegrams sent by the various companies was, in 1891,
256,467.
Navigation Companies.
Many European and American Companies have their agencies in
Montevideo. The principal ones are:
Italian Company _La Veloce._
French Company _Chargeurs Reunis._
English Company _Royal Mail Steam Packet Company._
Spanish Company _La Trasatlantica._
French Company _Messageries Maritimes._
French Company _Nouvelle Compagnie Marseillaise._
English Company _Pacific Steam Navigation Company._
N. American Company _United States and Brazil Mail._
English Company _Shaw, Savill & Albion Co., limited._
English Company _New Zealand Shipping Co., limited._
Italian Company _Navigazione Generale Italiana. Societa Riunite_
(_Florio e Rubattino_).
Italian Company _Fratelli Lavarello Fu Gio Batta._
Italian Company _La Genovesse._
French Company _Transports Maritimes a vapeur._
English Company _Lamport Holt Line._
Brazilian Company _Companhia Nacional de Navegacao a vapor._
All these steamers put Montevideo in direct communication with
Barcelona, Genoa, Naples, Dakar, Lisbon, Bourdeaux, Rio Janeiro,
Saint Vincent, Vigo, Bahia, Pernambuco, Marseilles, Havre, Santa Cruz
of Tenerif, Dunkirk, Plymouth, Liverpool, London, New Zealand and
also the ports of the Pacific Ocean and those of North America.
Telephone.
In many points of the Republic telephone lines are established.
The principal lines in Montevideo are: The Co-operative Co., the
Telefonica Nacional Co., the Telefonica de Montevideo Co.
During the year 1891 these lines have had 21,000 daily
communications. They have 3,600 subscribers and the wires they employ
represent 5,500 miles. They have 10 offices and employ 174 persons,
74 men and 100 women. The capital of each company is: The Telefonica
de Montevideo $220,000, the Telefonica Nacional $105,000, the
Telegrafica Telefonica del Plata Company has established a telephone
line between Montevideo and Buenos Ayres.
Postage.
The movement in the Postoffices of the Republic is greater every day,
owing to the continual improvement of the ways of communication.
The following table gives an idea of the movement in the Montevideo
Postoffice:
Letters,
Years. Papers, etc.
1885, 12,203,381
1886, 11,407,596
1887, 17,157,345
1888, 20,171,929
1889, 21,366,472
1890, 21,534,209
1891, 20,105,295
The movement during 1891 may be divided thus:
Letters, in general 6,152,654
Business papers, samples 543,127
Official correspondence 423,178
Post-cards 55,955
Papers, etc. 12,930,381
----------
20,105,295
Carriages, Coaches, Etc.
The number of coaches is very considerable in the Republic.
Montevideo alone counts over 4,000 carts and more than 700 carriages.
Public Education.
Primary education is gratuitous and obligatory in all the Republic.
The public schools are at the expense of the State, that gives the
books and all the necessary materials.
Since the year 1877, in which was issued the law on public education,
the primary education has improved a great deal.
The reform of the primary schools was initiated in the year 1868 by
a private society, founded by the great reformer, Jose Pedro Varela,
the Horace Mann of Uruguay, under the name of "Friends of Popular
Education Society," which created an application school, called
"Elbio Fernandez," in honor of one of the founders of the society.
Various North American books and manuals were then translated for the
use of the schools and masters. Varela's ideas soon were diffused
among the people, and the reformer was appointed to a high situation
in the Public Instruction Board, in the year 1876. Immediately
he reformed all the official schools, and organized the scholar
administration, being himself appointed principal director of it,
with the title of "National Primary Instruction Inspector."
University.
The number of the students in the University of Montevideo during the
year 1891 was 668, distributed thus:
For law, 377
For social sciences, 176
For medicine, 85
For mathematics, 30
---
668
Out of those 668 students, 631 were natives and 37 foreigners.
The professors were 75: 14 for law and social sciences, 23 for
medicine, 19 for mathematics and 19 for the preparatory studies;
being 58 of them natives, 12 Spaniards, 3 Italians, 1 German and 1
Frenchman.
Public Schools.
In the year 1891 there were in the Republic 483 public schools; that
is to say, 143 more than in the year 1886.
The number of pupils was then for the whole Republic 43,676 (24,541
boys, 19,135 girls)--14,763 boys and girls in the capital, and 28,913
in the departments.
All the schools cost $690,574, the education of each pupil
representing a value of $13.27.
The professors were 863--272 men and 591 women.
Ninety-four schools were established in buildings belonging to the
National Educational Board and representing a value of $448,541,
and 11 of them in buildings belonging to the State, with a value of
$45,942.
Private Schools.
In 1891 there existed in the Republic 375 private schools, with
21,945 pupils and 930 professors (381 men and 549 women).
We obtain, therefore, the following result:
No. Pupils.
Public schools 483, with 43,676
Private " 375, " 21,945
--- ------
Schools: 868, 65,621
Normal Girl School.
In this national school 114 girls received the title of professor for
the first degree, and 29 for the second degree, from the year 1887 to
the year 1891.
In the same building is established the "_Museo Pedagogico_, or
Pedagogic" Museum, one of the most important institutions of this
kind in South America, under the direction of Mr. A. Gomez Ruano.
Art and Professional School.
This important establishment is actually under the care of the
"National Charity and Public Beneficence Commission." It is
established in a large building of its own, fit for 600 pupils. In
1891 there were 227 of them who received there, besides professional
instruction, a very serious general instruction up to the third
degree.
In that establishment they study for carpenter, cabinet-maker,
ironsmith, shoemaker, bookbinder, typographer, lithographer,
mechanican, turner, silversmith, tinsmith, sculptor, painter, etc.
There are also classes of telegraphing, drawing, gymnastics, singing,
and music. The professors are 46.
_Montevideo Atheneum._--A beautiful establishment is being built for
this literary, scientific and artistic institution, the object of
which is, delivering gratuitous lectures and publishing reviews, to
foment in the Republic the general literary, scientific and artistic
instruction.
_Professional League._--Very good results are attained by this
institution. In its halls the best professors give every night
gratuitous lessons on painting, drawing, architecture and mathematics.
Military School.
This establishment is under the care of the Ministry of War and Navy,
and works according to the latest improvements of military science.
It counts with the best professors of French and German tactics,
physics and natural philosophy, mathematics, geography and history,
lineal drawing and photography, fencing and gymnastics. It possesses
also all the necessary apparatus for physics, chemistry, physiology
and mineralogy, and has a complete library with the newest and best
scientific works.
Religious Schools.
In the Republic there are a great many schools and colleges under the
care of religious communities, in which more than 4,200 children are
taught.
Educational Patriotic League.
Under this name there exists in Montevideo an important
establishment, the object of which is to improve and foment
the primary, secondary, superior, artistical and professional
instruction, not only in Montevideo but also throughout the whole
country. It has also founded an important college.
National Library.
During the 185 days in which that important establishment remained
opened, in the year 1891, the number of the readers have been 2,849.
The number of the books asked for was 2,698 and 64 manuscripts.
The library possesses over 21,000 volumes and 2,500 manuscripts, a
great many engravings, photographs and maps.
There are also the "Archives" where all records are kept, ancient
writings and documents that have a relation with the National History.
In nearly every department there is a public library.
_International Book Exchange._--Uruguay is one of the nations that
signed the Brussels treaty and in Montevideo there is a very useful
office for International Book Exchange.
National Museum.
In the National Museum there are 24,226 objects, that is to say:
Orchæology 814
Numismatics 4,201
History 140
Paleontology 107
Zoology 13,741
Botany 1,812
Mineralogy 3,253
Fine Arts, Industries 158
Newspapers.
Great many newspapers and reviews are published in the Republic. They
are agricultural, industrial, scientific, political, commercial,
literary, religious, judicial, satirical or philosophical.
In 1891 there were 74 papers and reviews issued in Montevideo and 31
in the Departments: total, 105.
Out of them, 96 were written in Spanish, 4 in French, 1 in English, 3
in Italian and 1 in Portuguese.
26 were daily papers and the other monthly.
93 were morning papers and 12 evening papers.
Societies.
In the capital town of each department there are various societies,
the object of which is charity and mutual help.
Among the societies that exist in Montevideo, we must mention the
societies called: Amigos de la Educacion, Ateneo de la Mujer,
Agricola Italiana, Ateneo Militar, Confederacion Cientifica
Literaria, Associacion Rural del Uruguay, Cosmo Italiano, Centro
Catalan, Centro Gallego, Ciencias y Artes, Circulo Catolico de
Obreros, Idem Napolitano, Clubs Aleman, Espanol, Frances, Ingles,
Uruguay, Catolico, Colon, Dramatico Italiano, Societies Garibaldina,
Hannemaniana Uruguaya, Homeopatica, La Lira, La Patrie, Laurak Bat,
Liga Lombarda, Liga Industrial, Liga Masaniello, Nova Stella di
Italia, La Romea, Tiro y Gymnasio Nacional, Union de Obreros, and
also the French, Italian and Spanish commercial boards.
The Uruguay Masonry is represented by a Great Orient on which depend
many other lodges. There exist also many foreign lodges.
Worship and Churches.
Although the State Religion is the Roman Catholic Apostolic Religion,
all the other religions are tolerated in the Republic owing to
the liberality of the laws and to the independent spirit of the
inhabitants. There exist Protestant Temples, not only in Montevideo
but also in Salto, Swiss Colony, etc.
The budget of the Republic assigns $19,712 for all the expenses of
the Roman Catholic Church.
The Republic has 43 churches and 36 chapels. The number of the
priests is 161.
Actually they are building 7 more churches.
Public Revenue.
The public revenue is derived from the custom duties, direct taxes on
property, licenses to trade houses, stamped paper, stamps, import and
export duties, port dues, municipal duties in the capital and in the
departments, duties on indirect inheritance, trade patents, cattle
marks, etc.
Its amount has been during the three following periods:
1882, $ 9,095,409
1883, 10,928,639
1884-1885 (economical year), 12,373,688
-----------
Total, $32,397,736