The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-08-23
An Event or the Age.

One Of the most remarkable events OF
the age we live i'm is now taking place
in Peru. For two years past work has
been progressing i'm the giant struggle
Of enterprise to gain the mastery OF
the Titan Andeau chain. Last July
work was commenced ON the eastern
terminus of the Lima and Oroya Rail-
road, which is being constructed under
q contract for q, ,000, 600 reals by Henry
l.. Meiggs. This road, which comuen-
| ces virtually ut Callao, on the coast, Is
| destined to cross an altitude of over
| 1900 feet and terminate at Oroya, .
little Indian town, at an altitude of
Il, 200 feet. Old Californians are pro-
minent in all these works. Jesse l..
Wetmore, ESQ.,, who was well known
in this city during the "flushn times
as contractor, has assumed the great
responsibility of experimenting the
construction from Oroya westward.
The Inca Indians, commonly known
in that country as "Cholos," are en-
ployed, being the only ones who can
successfully operate at such high alti-
tudes, where the rarity of the atmos-
phere prevents those who have been
raised IN lower places from working.
The head camp and centre for supplies
is now at You'll, a small mining town,
at about IA, 500 feet altitude. Eighteen
miles of terreplein. or grading, have
been finished, and this month the
work of making tunnel through the
crest of the Andes has begun. 1t will
be worked from both ends with force
of fifteen hundred Indians engaged on
il and i'm the vicinity. The tunnel
will be 5000 feet in length, and ele-
waited above the sea higher than the
summit of Mont Blanc. In an air line
it is distant from the western terminus
OH the Pacific coast only about sixty
miles. The gradient Is for the most
part two hundred aud eleven feet to
the mile, or what is there called q four
per cent. grade. Many expedients
have been adopted i'm order TO sur
mount the great engineering Difficult
ties and to so lengthen the road to the
best advantage for the purpose of con-
tinually gaining altitude. At one
point above San Bartolome, about
forty-two miles from Callao, it has
been necessary to resort to (which
is simply turn table and switch,
where the road takes an upgrade In
reverse direction for several miles, and
again returns, forming in its course
almost figure 8. The difficulty ex-
perienced in working ut the eastern
end may be at once comprehended
when it is remembered that the mule
trail, by which all tools and provisions,
with the exception Of what may be OBJ
tanned in the interior, passes over an
altitude of 16, 5000 feet amid a cluster
of peaks covered with perpetual snow.
1t Is hoped by this road to develop the
mineral wealth of the CordiIleras,
which consists of silver ore. Coal has
also been discovered in the vicinity Of
Oroya and Yauli, which must eventual
ly prove valuable resource in a coun-
try which is totally destitute OF tim.
ber. With the exception fsome coal,
which is rudely taken out and Trans
ported on the backs of llamas to the
principal camps, at a cost Of sd per
ton. nothing can be obtained for feuI
excepting dried turf, buffalo chipsp
twenty-five cents sack, and dried
llama dung. The latter Is preserved
by the ton for use i'm rude smelling at
the mines. Thousands of sacks have
been brought up for the railroad work,
for burning lime, which abounds in
that vicinity, etc. Such items as these
will enable those who are unacquaini.
ell with the peculiarities of the coun-
try to appreciate the fact that this
work, which has begun, is one Of the
great events of the present age San
francisco paper.