Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-08-20
Correspondence of the Republican,
Young's Letters from Brazil.
NO. VII.
MoRETTEs PARANA, BRAZIL, !

L promised you In my last a description OF
the water power of this place, and the prospects
for the manufacture of -four.
Take map of Brazil and pass your eyes over
its length and breadth. Notice how its coast
line faces the Atlantic. Mark its mountain
ranges and its innumerable streams, and you
will acknowledge what is fact that it, OF ne
cessity, must be one of the best watered regions
on earth. But have to do now with the south
ern part alone of the Empire-the part selected
by almost all Americans as the most suitable In
all respects for them to settle in. The district
begins about three hundred miles north OF Rio
Janeiro, and extends to Uruguay, distance of
more than one thousand miles, Throughout
all this distance there runs, parallel with the
shore, a range of mountains, some OF which, as
at Rio and other places, jut out into the ocean;
others stand far in the interior, their lofty tops
barely visible to the passing mariner, but all
giving a variety and beauty to the scenery,
which often rises into magnifcence. Here as
everywhere, Providence unites the useful with
the beautiful. While the poet and artist gaze
with rapture on scenes which pen and pencil
are totally incapable of describing, the mere
seeker Of wealth finds in the soil an abundance
of the most valuable of mineral and vegetable
products, and in their never falling streams
power enough to move all the machinery of the
continent. How high these mountains are I
do not know-they are said to range from 900
to 1000 feet-one thing is certain, they stand
in position to catch the trade winds which
come in from the ocean, laden with moisture, a
large part of which is deposited in the form of
rain, as they ascend the slopes and pass the
SUBMITS to the regions beyond. These rains
supply vast number of streams which reach
often the dignity fnavigable rivers, long before
they touch the coast and empty themselves in
to the bays and ocean, having everywhere along
their course, descents which furnish admirable
locations for mills of any required size. The
number emptying into the Bay of Paranagua
alone, is estimated at from fifty to eighty
Most of these streams are, the greater part of
the time, of remarkable purity, transparency
and GOODNESS, fit for all the uses of man.
The town of Morettes, with respect to its
water power, as we'll as nearness to the bay, and
other advantages, stands prominent over all its
sister towns in the district above described. It
is in fact miniature Lowell in the number
Of its mills and the manufacturing activity of its
worthy people. 1t has thirty eight mills en-
gagged in the manufacture of the Herva Matt
alone and as many more in pressing the juice
from the cane, to be made into rum and sugar,
the whole driven by waite. power. Compared
with the machinery Of the United States, these
mills are very rude contrivances. But they an
profits, which, compared with the money in
vested, ought to be perfectly satisfactory,
will write about the HerVa Matt more particu-
larly hereafter
have on my lands several streams, two Of
which may be easily united so as to form one as
large as the big Spring, at the Meramec iron
| works, in Crawford county. They flow the en-
| tire year, not losing in the dryest season more
than third of their volume, which may be
| stated at the lowest time at twenty four feet
wide, one foot deep and eleven feet fall, with a
velocity of four hundred feet per minute, fur
| nishing about two hundred horse power. | do
not pretend to eXactness in these measurements,
| &c. The correct figures are as likely to be over
as under. This stream is but sample fwhat
may be found around here in every direction,
| though most of them are smaller.
My intention when came here was to engage
| principally in the raising of cane and manutac-
| turing it into rum. | have since altered my
plans, finding that have in timber and water
power facilities for operating in another line,
| that will suit my inclination better and be more
profitable to myself and the country at large
Lumber and -four are much needed and will be
more so when American emigrants come in in
| large numbers. have made arrangements for
saw-mill and expect to have it in operation in
few months. This will give full employment
| to my time and to all the capital [ can COM
| mand Having plenty of power to run large
| Touring mill, l will point out the advantages
offered to those who may engage in the bust
ness, hoping that there may be one or more
among the many preparing to emigrate who
understand and would like to invest in it. The
data give will serve as we'll to show farmers
the extensive field there is open for them for
the raising of wheat.
| learn from the best authority that wheat
was once extensively cultivated in this province.
| In message to the Provincial Assembly of
Parana in 1854, the talented and patriotic Presi-
dent Vasconcellas regretted that the cultivation
of that article had been abandoned. Formerly,
he said, it had not only been an article of cult
walton in the fertile district of Curitybe, but it
had been produced extensively enough to ad-
NIT of expectation. He attributed the aban-
donment of it to the greater attractiveness of
the Herva Matt trade, which about that time
| began to assume an importance that has in
creased ever since until now, where it is the
chief one of the Province
| L believe the decline of wheat raising was
owing to the want of good mills-of machinery
that would make flour good enough to compete
with that Of the United States If they had
had these, the wheat would have been raised to
keep them running, for the miller could have
| given prices that would have paid the farmer
well for his labor. 1t may be that there are pc
culiar obstacles in the way of milling that [
know nothing of. will try to find ifthere are.
| the only ones 1 even suspect. But even these
if they are serious obstacles-can be over
come by kiln-drying. One thing is certain
| the wheat can be raised There is an abundant
water power-the best of all power for milling
and we are within four days run of Rio ia
neiro where flour always ranges from fourteen
to sixteen dollars barrel in gold [ have be-
| fore me Rio Price Current Flour is quoted
| from Philadelphia, Richmond, Trieste and
| Chill, all which, except the last, have to make
a long sea voyage and cross the equator, during
| which large amount of it is injured by heat
| and dampness. Flour from Morettes could be
delivered in Rio in four days, and as sweet as
| when it left the mill.
| Steamers deliver -four in Rio from the United
States in four weeks and charge freight one
dollar and half per barrel Sailing vessels in
six weeks, freight one dollar per barrel. In
| surance is two per cent. duty forty-fve cents
per barrel. Now let us see what advantage the
| Morettes miller will have over his United States
brethren:
Freight from U. S. to Rio, say............... $1OO
Insurance 25
Duty. As
Average damage, sc. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 80
So
Here is a sure profit Or advantage of two dol
lowe opd fftv how