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* BUENOS AYRES. 626 BUENOS AYRES. for judicial purposes, and there is a Supreme Court at La Plata. Administratively the prov- ince is composed of 100 districts, under the con- trol of their chief municipalities. Capital, La Plata. Population, in 1881, 084..').').5 ; in 1895, 921,168; in I'.lOO (estimated), 1,140,007. BUENOS AYRES. The capital of Argen- tina (Map: Argentina, F 10), on the southern bank of La Plata River, 175 miles from its mouth, and 125 miles west of Jlontevideo (lati- tude 34° 36' 21" S., longitude 58° 21' 33" N.). The river here is 30 miles wide, and the city is only 15 to 25 feet above sea-level, in a flat plain. Buenos Ayres enjoys a moderate temperature, which does not vary greatly (the average being 62.6° F.), and which usuall,v ranges between 79° in January and February and 55° in •Jul,y and August. Winds and rain- storais are frequent. The city has an area of 72 square miles, and is regularly laid cut, the streets for the most part crossing at right angles. They are lighted by gas, petroleum, and electricity, and compare favorably in ap- pearance with those of large European cities. There are many beautiful thoroughfares, squares, and parks, the finest avenue being the Avenida de Mayo, 98.5 feet wide. The Plaza de la Victoria, over 1200 feet long and 640 feet wide, is sur- rounded by many handsome buildings, such as the episcopal palace, the cathedral, the hall of Congress, the exchange, the post-office, the Gov- ernment Palace, the Palace of Justice, the nuuii- eipal building and department of police, and the Hotel Argentina. In the middle of the square stands a magnificent statue of Liberty upon a handsome column; and an equestrian statue of General Bclgrano is erected before the Govern- ment Palace. At the northern end of the city is the Parque Tres de Febrero (3d of February), of 300 acres, containing zoological gardens, an aquarium, lakes for boating, etc. There are sev- eral Roman Catholic and Protestant churches besides the cathedral, a magnificent edifice in the style of the ]Madeleine, Paris. The city has about twent.v theatres, of which the most impor- tant is the Teatro de la Opera. There are also a race-track, situated in the suburb of Palermo, and public places for games and athletic sports. .VDMIXISTRATION and PrBLIC IXSTITl-TIONS. The city is divided into 14 sections, ^vhich elect the municipal council, and for the administration of justice into 20 districts, each with a justice of the peace. Numerous electric and horse tram- ways facilitate communication throughout the city. There are six railroad companies con- necting Buenos Ayres with the north, south, and west, while numerous steamers run from here to Mont<'video and towns along the Parana and Uruguay rivers as far as the confines of Brazil. The city is connected with foreign countries by cable, and has an extensive telegraph and tele- phone system. Primary education is provided in more than 220 schools, with nearly 00,000 pupils. There are four colleges for secondary education, in- cluding commercial and normal schools. The National University, founded in 1821, ranks among the finest in South America. It pos- sesses a library of 36,000 volumes. There are two public libraries, the municipal and the Saint Christopher. The number of private schools exceeds that of public schools, and there are also various professional institutions, a nui- seum of natural history, with the famous Bur- mcister collection, and numerous scientific and literar,v societies and clubs. The newspapers and jieriodicals publislied in the citv number more than 100, 25 of theni being issued daily, in Spanisli, German, Italian, French, and English. There are 15 hospitals for French, German, Eng- lish, Italian, and Spanisli patients, and one for women, besides lunatic, foundling, and orphan as.vlums, and a shelter for immigrants, the last being aided b.v the State. The city also main- tains shelters for the night, a Pasteur institute, and a crematory. There are many jihilanthropie societies, notably the Sociedad de Beneficencia, founded by Bernardino Rivadavfa in 1823, and composed of women, and those founded for the care of immigrants of the diU'crent nationalities. On account of the low situation of the city, improved methods of drainage and house and street cleaning have been |)Ut into operation, the refuse collected being l)irned bv the cit,v. Water is supplied by the nuuiicipality, drawn from the La Plata just north of the city, and ])urified by filtration. There is a well-organized system of police and fire protection. Formerly Buenos Ayres was at a disadvantage becau.se of the lack of a harbor, the Plata being so swift and shallow at this point that sailing vessels had to anchor 14 miles down the river, the cargoes being trans- ported to the eit,v in lighters. At present there is a large and complete system of basins along the water-front, permitting vessels of 22 feet draught to dock within a short distance from the principal business jjortion of the cit,v, and to connect at the water's edge with the railroad terminals. Maxlfactures and Trade. There is consid- erable manufacturing, the numerous factories in the city giving employment to more than 100,000 persons. The principal establishments are those manufacturing furniture, carriages, machinery, leather, shoes, hats, woven goods, tobacco, and liquors. Buenos Ayres is the port for more than one-half the exports of the entire country, the annual value of which is equal to about .$150,- 000,000. The most important articles of export are wool, sheep, and cattle products, as well as live stock, and notably grain. Exports go chiefly to Europe, though the cit,y has a large trade with the United States. The total tonnage of the ves- sels entering the port at its three harbors, Puerto ^ladero, Puerto Riachuelo. and Rada. exceeds 3.000,000 tons annually, and inchides over 2200 sailing vessel.s of less than 500,000 terns, and over 2300 steamers of more than 2.500.000 tons. l'oinL.TiON. Buenos Ayres contains a large ]iroportion of foreigners; over 80 jier cent, of all immigrants to Argentina land here. Its growth dates from the middle of the Nineteenth Cen- turv. Tn 1801 it had 40,000 inhabitants; in 1852, 76,000; in 18f)9, 178,000; in 1895, 663,- 854: in 1900, 800,951, of which about 50 per cent, are foreign, mostly Italians, Spaniards, and French. History. Buenos .yres has plavcd an impor- tant part in South American history. Founded in 1535 by Don Pedro de Mendoza, it received flie name of' Ciudad de la Santfsima Trinidad y Puerto de Santa Marfa de Buenos Ayres, after Our Lady the Virgin JIary of good airs or winds. After being twice destroyed by the natives, the city was firmly established in 1580. It success- fully resisted attempts of the French and Dutch,