Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-11-24
A BIG CONTRACT.

Valley Railroad, has entered into a
heavy contract, with his brother, for
the gradation of railroad in Brazil.
The Philadelphia Times says:-
Among commercial men on Tuesday
the subject of increased trade between
this port and Brazil by the establish
ment of line of steamers received a
new impetus on account of the news
idst cabled from London in reference to
the Madeira Rapids Railroad contract.
This contract IS between "Ihe Madeira
and Mamore Railroad Company" and
"The National Bolivian Navigation Com
pany" aud Messrs. 2. & L. Collins OF
this city, and foots up an outlay for the
road of S6,OOO,OOO. The Philadelphia
contractors agree to complete the gra-
dation, masonry and super-structure and
furnish the equipment of road one
hundred and eighty miles along the
eastern shore of the Madeira river, IN
Brazil, from the point of navigation be-
low the rapids of that river to the point
of navigation on the Mamore river,
branch of the Madeira above. The Ma
deira river has its source in the immense
watershed of Bolivia, east of the Andes,
leaves Bolivia at the northeastern point
and runs across the table-lands of Brazil
to the Amazon, which it joins near
Barra, about seven hundred miles from
the Atlantic. The Madeira is naviga-
ble for steamers as far up as Balramao,
but lust above that town is the Cataract
de Inferno and a series of falls which
render the river useless for one hundred
and eighty miles. The Mamore river Is
the chief branch of the Madeira and
Joins the latter above the falls, on
the borders Of Bolivia. On the Ma
more are the Bananeira Falls. The
railroad is to be rur from the Bananelra
Falls to the head of navigation on the
Madeira, distance about twice as great
as that from this city to New York.
WHAT TRADE THE ROAD WILL OPEN.
When it is constructed the trade OF
Bolivia, which now has no convenient
outlet, will flow easily down the Madei-
IA and Amazon to the Atlantic. The
aggregate length of the affiuents of the
Madeira, with their tributaries, is fifty
five hundred miles, and three thousand
miles nayigated by steamers would open
the unequaled mineral wealth and agrl.
cultural products of the country to the
commerce of any nation energetic
enough to bid for such great trade.
Bolivia is the most peaceful and at the
same time richest of the South AmerI-
can republics. 1t is shut out from the
world by the Andes on the west, hav
ing, with an area of 100000 square miles
and population of nearly 100000, a
short Pacific coast line of fifty miles,
which can only be reached by mountain
journeys. The people are industrious,
and ouy want exterior trade to make
them a nation of standing among the
powers Of the earth. The silver mines
of the Cerro de Potosi, from which one
billion dollars were taken in the inter
val between 1915 and 1899, are proven
bial for their richness, and in other parts
of the mountain system, which is acces-
sible by the Madeira branches, there are
inexhaustible stores of silver and gold.
The railroad will also bring eastward
the abundance of farm products now
taken across the Andes at great cost
and inconvenience.
The climate is of such character in
the Madeira watershed that cotton,
coffee and sugar grow as plentifully as
in any other part of the South Ameri
Gin continent. The cotton trees bear
cotton until they are nine years old,
while in the United States the seed is
sown every year. Coffee plants grow
wild and tons of the berry rot for want
of transportation. The means of con-
yevarce, heretofore so unequal 10 the
productions of this rich country, have
been the mule and llama trains over the
Andes, the trips being long, difficult
and Insecure. on account of poor police,
who could do nothing with the despera-
does infesting the route. 475,000 pounds
sterling in silver, all taken from above
the water level, have been borne to the
| Pacific within the past one hundred and
twenty years. All of this went to Spain.
In 1868 the internal trade of Bolivia
reached about Is, 100000 pounds, and
in 1872 exports amounting to 3,75O,OOO
hounds were taken across the Andes on
mule and llama back Hence the i'm
portance of spanning the Madeira rap
ids was recognized years ago.
TIE NEGOTIATIONS THAT LED TO THE
RESULT.
Some steps were made in that direc-
ton. and the Bolivian Government, to
facilitate their execution, decreed that
the rivers of the Republic should be
open for ali vessels. In 1868 the gov
ernment sent TO the United States for
an engineer TO devise means of getting
around the rapids, either by canal or
railway. The services of Col George
Earle Church, of New York, were Sc
cured and he soon decided that the rail
road scheme was more feasible. He
then contracted for the establishment of
the National Bolivian Navigation Com
pany. The government issued bonds
to defray the expense of constructing
the proposed road aud sent Col. Church
to London to negotiate their sale. The
engineer found that the Bolivian Gov
eminent had no credit in London. Then
he endeavorcd to negotiate with the
English capitalists OH the credit OF Bra
I'll. but was told that there did not exist
a treaty between Dom Pedros empire