Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 194, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 August 1918 — WORLD'S HIGHEST CAPITAL [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WORLD'S HIGHEST CAPITAL

LA PAZ, the dty of peace, and the metropolis of Bolivia, stands amid great and majestic mountains and in a region of the earth over which some of the earliest people trod. Only 50 miles from the country’s capital of today lie the ruins of Tiahuanacu, universally conceded to be among man’s post ancient. habitations. The whole region surrounding Bolivia’s unique capital is so hoary with age that a man’s imaginative brain is puzzled in attempting to conjecture the era of prehistoric construction, says William A Reid in the Bulletin of the Pan American Union. Scientists further tell us that once upon a time the Andean plateau was scarcely more than half as elevated as today, and that in lands where Bolivia’s *pr esent gold and silver lie secluded the prehistoric inhabitant tilled his fields of grain. Gradually rising higher and higher with the passing of geological ages, we find the Bolivian plateau at too great an elevation today for the majority of agricultural crops, but a region of the earth lavishly endowed by nature with almost every variety of mineraL It is near what might be termed the heart of this mineral plateau, an area of 65,000 square miles, that Bolivia’s modern capital has grown to be a flourishing dty of 82,000 people. La Paz de Ayacucho, to use the full name adopted after the country attained its independence (proclaimed Aug. 6, 1825), is not only unique in its undent surroundings, but the city lies so completely hidden in an enormous canyon or vent in the plateau that in journeying .thither we come very suddenly to the great abyss and are held breathless for the moment —until one’s senses are collected and the beauty of the panorama takes the place of awe and surprise. This great canyon Is about ten miles, long, three miles wide, 1,500 feet deep, and in form somewhat like that of an exaggerated letter U, opening southward. Some scientists believe that in past age? it was the outlet of Lake Titicaca, when possibly that body of water was connected with the upper Amazon river. Approaching La Paz by any of the three railways leading thither the sides of the canyon appear to be almost perpendicular; yet engineering skill has marvelously wound two railroads down these precipitous sides, presenting at every turn a gorgeous panorama. The clear, crisp air, the mineral colorings of the mountain sides, the red tile roofs and the bright shades of the houses in the distance, the green patches of trees here and there, the flowing rivulets and larger streams, the snow-covered peaks, together with the gay colors always worn by the humbler natives, combine to form a pleasing and lasting picture. El Alto, a term used to designate the little railroad station near the edge of the canyon, stands as already noted about 1,500 feet above the city, while the latter is 12,700 feet higher than the sea. La Paz being only 800 miles from the Pacific, we can form an idea of the steep climb made by the railways in order to reach this inland country. Supplanted Sucre as Capital. We speak of La Paz as being the capital of Bolivia and thereby confuse the minds of those not fully acquainted with the facts. Sucre, formerly called Charcas, is the legal capital of the republic, but largely on account of accessibility and growing commercial Importance La Paz became the actual seat of government more than 20 years ago. In the latter dty the president and his official advisers reside, the nation’s congress meets there, and it is the residence of the foreign, diplomats accredited to Bolivia; but the supreme court of the country still holds its sessions at Sucre. The distance between the two cities is about 300 miles; but the more rapid growth of La Paz, especially since the qompletion of the three rail routes to the Pacific, seems to accentuate the desirability of La Paz over Sucre as the capital of the nation. The coming of the first settlers to the location where La Pas now stands is enveloped in the mists of time. It Is said, however, that specks of gold in the streams that flow down from the mountain sides, and through the valley were a suffident attraction to draw thither the aborigines during the reign of the fourth Inca; and in former days, as at present, shelter was one of man’s comforts and necessities. Gradually little huts made their appearance along the streams, and thus Chuchlabo and Chuquiyapu, as it was called in turn, had its origin from •bout ÜBS to 1190. Later, the Span-

ish proved to be as great lovers of golden ores as the natives, and in 1545 history records the fact that the Spaniard, Alonzo de Mendoza, and 12 companions founded the present dty of La Paz on the site of the old village. In the City's Streets. As already observed, the canyon in which La Paz lies is long and narrow; it is also extremely rugged and interspersed with many small tablelands and mountain peaks, the whole dominated by majestic Illimani, rearing its snow-covered crest to 21,350 feet. In consequence of this unevenness the streets of the dty running parallel with the larger stream are fairly level (Avenlda Arce, for illustration), while cross streets are necessarily short and in many cases elevated at the ends as they approach the sides of the canyon. Some of these streets are extremely steep, while others have been constructed in conformity with the configuration of the hills and are therefore more or less winding. One of the city’s widest and most popular residential streets lies in the southeast section and is known as the Alameda, extending half a mile along a level course and adorned with willow, eucalyptus, and other handsome trees. Shrubs and flowers are also to be seen, but the extremely high altitude appears to have a somewhat blighting effect upon such growth. The Alameda, always more or less animated, is especially alive in late afternoons and on Sundays and holidays, when the elite of social and official life are to be seen walking, driving, or motoring along its course. On passing through a picturesque gateway this popular avenue is prolonged through Plaza Concordia and the Twelfth of December Street to Obrajes. The latter is three miles distant, and the ride over a very fair motor road or by electric line is through an extremely picturesque canyon abounding in novel view? for the stranger.. The more important streets are well lighted by electricity, the use of which has been expanding considerably in recent years as the motive power for numerous industries. Where Murillo Is Honored. La Paz is not unlike other LatinAmerican cities in providing numerous and attractive plazas. The most noted one of the dty is that known as Murillo, so named in honor of the hero of independence, Pedro Domingo Murillo, who gave up his life on this sacred spot in 1809. The torch of liberty there lighted, however, spread over the continent, and finally resulted tn the independence of Bolivia as well as the sister nations by which she is surrounded. Today to the center ot this plaza stands a beautiful monument to Murillo, the patriot honored ’to the past as at present as one who surrendered life rather than the cause of the people. Once or twice a week a military band, grouped near the monument, discourses soul-stirring if somewhat plaintive airs that please stranger and citizen alike, as around and around they stroll or sit comfortably on the seats provided for the public. A few large trees and many varieties of flowers suited to high altitudes are found to this park. The buildings of La Paz usually strike the stranger with Interest Although many have been constructed along the lines of Spanish or SpanishMoorish architecture, the extremely rugged topography of the place has been responsible for local modifications and unusual features of construction. The cathedral of La Paz, which has been building for a number of years, promises to be one of the finest and largest of such structures to all Latin-America. It covers an area of more than 43,000 feet and is to seat at least 12,000 people. GrecoRoman to style, its great walls have now reached considerable heights, and these will be surmounted by towers and a central cupola, the former rising to a height of 200 feet above the Plaza Murillo, upon which the building fronts.

Scene In La Paz.