PARAGUAY: THE CAPITAL AND OTHER CITIES
THE CAPITAL
=Asunción=, the population of which is variously given as 80, 90, 100,
120, and 125 thousand, is a quiet town on the Paraguay at a point where
the bank rises to a considerable height, affording good drainage, and
from the palace a pleasing view. An English writer calls the city the
nicest, cleanest town above Buenos Aires. Although 1000 miles from
the ocean, it has an altitude of but 203 feet above sea level. The
classical building of the Custom House stands by the river side. The
palace above, built by the Dictator, Francisco Lopez, as a residence,
is used for the offices of the President and his Cabinet. Other
important buildings are a House of Congress, a Cathedral, a Museum
of Fine Arts containing a Murillo, and a National Library with many
priceless documents.
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.
On the Alto Paraná, as previously stated, there is semi-weekly service
from Corrientes to Encarnación and Posadas. Above, three times a week
steamers, with many calls on both sides of the river, make a four days’
journey to the Iguassú and beyond to Puerto Mendez, from which point a
short railway in Brazil passes around La Guayra Falls.
=Railway= facilities are increasing, construction though not so easy
as on the Argentine plains being less difficult than in general in
the other Republics. Nearly 475 miles of track are in operation,
200 of them privately owned. The main line of the Central Paraguay,
Encarnación to Asunción, 230 miles, has first class equipment with
through sleepers to Buenos Aires, 966 miles from Asunción. Several
short lines of very narrow gauge, about 30 inches, transport quebracho
and timber from the interior to river ports, 152 miles of these in the
Chaco. A railway of 40 miles serves sugar mills back of Concepción. If
the cross lines proposed to Brazil and Bolivia (of one of the former
some miles are in operation) are constructed within the decade, a
rapid development will ensue. Cart roads are few and very poor. In wet
weather six or eight oxen are required for a cart. Two-wheeled vehicles
are much employed.