River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1874-04-14
THE TRANSANDINE RAILWAY.
Scenes among the south American Moul
tains.

Scenes among the south American Noun.
tains.
A late number of the Buenos Ayres
Standard contains an account of the
proposed great railway across South
America, which is to connect Chill with
Buenos Ayres. The line will cost 800
600, and will bring Buenos Ayres and
Valparaiso within forty-eight hours of
each other. The Standard says
I" The Cumbre or Uspallata has al
ways been the most frequented PASS in
the Andes, being on the main route
from La Plata to Chill, and much inn
proved of late years. The dangerous
snow region is passed in a day From
November to April the road is perfectly
safe throughout After leaving Men
doza the road runs about ten leagues
northward by the foot of the Sierra
Paramillos, which attains a height of
/ 10000 feet. The ascent to Paramillos
is rough, but not very difficult; at a
height of 10000 feet the mind and cold
are excessive. In summer the storms
are frequent and dangerous, but as the
length is only half a league it is quickly
got over
The view from the Paramillos Ia
bic land is charming; it embraces the
whole Cuyo territory, and you see the
white houses of Mendoza, about twenty
miles southeast. Looking westward
the view is bounded by the giant wall
of the Andes, with its black peaks
capped with snow. The road then de
seends into the Uspallata valley by a.
long route entirely destitute of water
until you reach the river Uspallata.
formed OF numerous snow streams and
here there is "A custom house station.
Copper abounds here, and close to a
smelling establishment is an estancia-
louse used as an inn, where food can
always be obtained. The height over
sen level Is 5000 feet, and the cold and
vlnd and so severe that nobody could
he induced to settle in the proposed
\ town marked out by government. From
1 Uspallata to Rio de Mendoza the road
again ascends, by the right bank of the
nver, until reaching Punta Las Vacas,
where the deiile breaks into three the
northern gives outlet to the Vacas river /:
the southern goes towards Potrero and
Tupungato the western or middle one
Is known as Las Cuevas and forms the
road to Chill. An elegant wooden
bridge spans the foaming torrent Of
Las Nacas and as we ascend the Cuevas
slope the road widens, becomes
smooth, and is SO humid as to support
good pastures. We enter now on the
region of Casuchas, vaulted brick huts
of ten feet high for protection against
/ the SHOWS.
The Incas Bridge is about one-third
OF the way mp the Cuevas valley, and
crosses a stream bounded by limestone
rocks The water is ferruginous, and
the natural bridge much grander han
that of Clermont in France, being
about 6J feet across the chasm. and 30
feet wide, varying from Ii TO % feet in
thickness, and forming beautiful arch
over the cascade of Las Cueyas, the
inner part hung with snowy stalactites.
The mineral springs are two basins,
about 3 feet in diameter, whore the
water boilo mp, with tsmporotui OF
thirty-four degrees. perfectly limpid, of
salty taste but not unpleasant, being
charged with acid of carbon and iron:
not unlike the Mont Dor springs in
AuNeiEHes
II there were n good hotel at the In
cas- Bridge these springs would soon
draw crowds of people. After this we
ascend Paramillo-la las. Cuevas. which
shuts in the valley. leaving room only
for n boiling stream, On thcother side
is valley six hundred yards wide,
silent, grassy and fed by the SHOWS
which last for five months every year.
Black poryphyritic rocks are seen
around. until the pass seems barred by
a peak rising some 1000 feet, which we
have vet 10 cross. the Casucha nj its
base being II. 900 feet above sea-leyel.
A zig gag path takes us in an hour ami
q half to the summit, 1900 feet, which
forms kind Of platform, the view
being bounded ON all sides 10y noun
tains still higher. This is the frontier
post between La Plata and Chill, the
descent 10 the latter country being
rapid as We approach the River Of Aeon
aqua, fed by numerous snow streams
As the ascent from Mendoza 20 Us
pallata, for - leagues. was very gradu.
al, the descent 10 Chill is more steep
and rapid. In six hours we come down