Pioche daily record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1872-1876, 1872-12-08
LETTER FROM CHILE.
SANTIAGO, Aug. Is, 1872.

A. u. OONho, GSS., AoShn DLah cAAs'
Your favor was received some weeks ago,
but owing to bad health and urgent busi-
ness haye been unable until now to |
answer it. I note you expressed inten-
ton of visiting this country in company |
with three friends, and you desire for in
formation respecting it.
1t is the impression, generally, in the
United States that this is ne,o country
a country unexplored; wild region, fit
for exciting adventure and thrilling
events. Printers, as rule, are better
informed, and I hope, you being one, en-
tertain no such ideas, for if you do, and
carry out your project, you will most
certainly experience bitter disappoint-
ment.
This city counts among its institutions
hospital founded over three centuries
ago; churches and converts of the same
epoch; university with half that num-
Der of years, SO you see that so far as
years count, this is an old country.
Agriculture is we'll advanced as far as
cereals are concerned. Every farmer OF
any means, uses steam threshing ma
chimes, reapers, mowers, &c, and there
are several who break their ground with
the large and expensive English steam
plow.
The commerce of the country is con-
trolled entirely by the English and Ger
mans in staples, and by the French in
fancy goods.
In mining Chile produces more copper
than any other country in the world, and
silver in large quantities. As you are
living in silver mining region, it is use
less for me to say that large capital is
requisite in working both silver and cop
per mines, and that in a district worked
and prospected for over two hundred
years, little remains to be discovered.
Mr.. Barnes, of the Morning Call, of San
Francisco can give you much practical
information on this subject. ....
In district known as Caracoles, in
the Atacama desert, Republic of Bolivia,
and on the northern boundary of Chile,
extensive silver mines were discovered
about two years ago. There is no doubt
about their surprising richness and e1-
tensiveness-but the country is simply a
hell ON earth. The sagebrush country of
Nevada is Heaven compared to it. Sa-
hara is the Garden of Eden beside it.
To get there you are landed either at
Cabija, Mejillones, or Autofagsta, barren,
dry, rainless spots, and from there to the
Caracoles range OF mountains the dis
tance is about $50 miles over gradually
ascending plain of nitrate of soda. You
see nothing, smell nothing. taste nothing
but the sky above and saltpetre and dead
mules around you. The water you use
distilled sea water) you carry on mules
from the coast. To drink wine or spir
its is simply impossible, owing to thu
great height at which you arrive and thu
extreme dryness of the atmosphere. Or
arriving at Caracoli you can purchase /,
saltpeter brine under the name Of water
that donkeys and mules refuse to drinl
on their arrival, for 50 so the arrob.
Give gallons). and if you are not iron
\ plated you are sure to get the dysentery
The meat you get is brought from tn
interior, the last tornado being 6,
leagues, SO that the poor animals ar
killed Immediately on their arrival to pre-
vent them from dying. It Is still al
n open question which is most savory-
4 boiled shavings or Caracoli beef. Abou
the God-forsaken country (where nc
even lizard exists) can speak advise
bly,, having been there, and I am stil
amazed and confounded to find mysel
alive. was attacked with hemorrhag
OF the lungs, and only my desire to live
fancy, kept me up sufficiently to g
back to civilization. This occurred las
October, and am still an invalid but n
covering slowly. ..,.,
The printers business is poor on
here-compositors getting 80 cents p.
thousand--and little to do. m
! have written hastily and tried t
give you what little information I po
sess about this country. The best advit
can give you is il you come, come wit
plenty of money, for the chances al
mat you will need it to get out Of Il
country with. Yours truly,
n VOuCuoM