The New Student's Reference Work/Buenos Ayres

Buenos Ayres (bō′ nŭs  ā′ rĭz, Sp. pron. bwā́′ nṓs  ī′ rā́s), the federal capital of the Argentine Republic, stands on the right bank of the River Plata, 150 miles from the open sea.  The river here is 36 miles across, but very shallow, a difficulty which is being remedied by a vast system of harbor works.  Besides the coast and foreign trade, there is a large overland traffic to Chile.  The absence of any good fuel near at hand and of stones and timber for building purposes, has been a great disadvantage to the city.  It is, however, being greatly built up, in modern style, and has a number of fine buildings, among them one of the finest cathedrals in South America.  The six railroads, also, which have their termini here, have many of them handsome depots.  There are also a university and a military college; while its extensive mileage of street railroad lines and an extensive telephone system are among recent improvements.  Europe and the United States are connected with the city by cable.  Buenos Ayres was founded in 1535, but was twice destroyed by the Indians.  It became independent of Spain in 1810.  The commerce of the country, which passes through the ports of Buenos Ayres and Montivideo, consists chiefly of wheat and other grains, mutton, sheep-skins, wool, tallow and stearine.  Its population (estimated 1911), 1,319,747; population of the province of this name, 1,796,320; area, 117,777 square miles.