The New York herald., 1878-11-10

conditions which they would undertake the placing
OF the loan that the contract for the construction OF
the road should be made with the Public Works Con-
struction Company, Of London. This company, ac-
cordng to general belief had been organized 10 take
had a capital of f20000O and was composed OF rich
and influential men, II supposed 10 be fully com
pefent to finish the task in proper manner
contract therefore, made with 1t, and i was
supposed that in a short time the road would be COM
pieted and that the trains would be running.
Engineers were sent out. Elaborate autographs OF
the published aud supplies sent to San
Antonio. but in short time il made evident that
satisfactory progress not being made The terms
OF the contract not being fulfilled and the Pubic
Works Company declaring that the road was imprac-
tcable rendered necessary to make other arrange
ments and by mutual consent the agreement Was
dissolved. The Public Works Company had spent
f40,00o. which refunded them. contract was
then made with the American firn OF Caldwell
Dorsey, but either from homeopathy or tor some
other reason they made no effort to construct the
road
THE FIRST HALT.
Affairs were at stand still and the money
which lying in the vaults OF the Bank Of England
was invested in hve-twenty bonds OF the United
States and the interest accrued was added thereto
The failure OF the Public Works Company, al
though disccuraging, was not sufficient 70 persuade
Colonel Church and his confreres that the line couid
not be built and toward the middle OF 1877 the pro-
jectors Of the enterprise prepared TO make new con-
tracts.
Having been unsuccessful in England they turned
TO America and selected the hrm of r. I. Collins, OF
Philaatelpha, men of capital who had constructed
roads OF great length and difficulty.
These gentlemen although hampered by restrictions
not imposed upon ths English contractors so
convinced of the feasibility Of the scheme that they
ut made preparations tor the fulhlment Of the
task.
They sent their engineers and exploring parties TO
the spot and found that the road open through
district lying between latitudes and IA south, and
longitudes 63 and 66 west, approximately The re-
ports sent back by these gentlemen confirmed those
already made by Colonel Church and the travellers who
had visited the region before him They found that the
road absolutely necessary if il desired to
open communication between Bolivia and the Atlantic
Ocean. the water route efiectualy blocked by
the presence Of the falls of the Madeira River.
glance at the map will confirm the statements
made by the visiting engineers and viii show the
great utility OF the plan
BOLIVIA.
Bolivia is republic isolated from the outside
world. On the east it is completely hemmed from
the Pacific by the territory of Peru and by the
scslable heights Of the Andes 1t has but seaport
that of Cobija and that can be reached only by
the tresome passage of gaps in the mountains at an
elevation of thousands OF feet. On the south it is
bounded by the Argentine Confederation, whose geo.
graphical position is not much more favorable than
that Of it's northern neighbor. On the west Brazil
and Paraguay close it in with impossible mountains
and impenetrable forests and the north the afhu
ents of the Amazon with their cascades and rapids
and their deadly ungles shut it from the great artery
1t is a nation of 000.0O0 Of inhabitants; its noun
tans filed with valuable ores; its forests
crowded with precious woods; its surface is dotted
with arabic tracts and its rivers wash aurifcrous
beds Yet the sound of the stamps is never heard the
ring Of the woodmans breaks the silence OF
the forest the products Of its soil rot where they
drop and its streams how their way toward the great
torrent that is to bear them to the sea undis-
turbed except by the keel of the Indians canoe
In all Bolivia there is but one steam engine. The
towns crowded with able bodied men, but the
land seems to be under spell which has queted
ambition and quenched the lust for gain.
Four great riyers-the Beni, the Mayutata, the
Mamore and the Itenez-receiving in their
hundred branches. spread like fan over
the Republic draining every part OF it and furnishing
communication to even its remote limits. These
rivers. rising among the hills and gaining strength
from the rains, increase in size as they descend
from the south finally gather to pour their combined
Madeira.
their onward fow Bolivia would have way out. The
products of her fields her forests and her mines could
be hoated TO the and to the marts of the world.
THE MADEIRA RAPIDS.
But the way is open For $50 miles IL is blocked
by the granite rocks Of the Cachoerss OF the Madeira
Nineteen cataracts rend and shred the stream it
descends. Some of these are but ripples and spark
ling breaks Of continuity, mere abrssions OF the
surface, denoting danger below. Others are foainB
aud dashing whrlpools showing polished bosses OF
rock amid their seehng eddies, while others plunge
boulders and crags to fall spray into the
swiftly changing pools below Through the dense
forest for nearly four degrees of torrd latitude there
is this constant succession OF ripple cascade fall and
cataract but at last the end is reached, and the
troubled waters stilling themselves in the mighty
current of the Madeira flow placidy to pour into
the turbid mass of the Amazon
AMERICAN CONTRACTORS
1t is around these natural barriers that the Messrs
Collins contracted to build railroad. With that
constructed the products OF the hitherto isolated
country could be transported to vessels the other
side, and freights from the world beyond could be
carried TO the heart of the Republic. The American
contractors were made fully aware of the difficulties
of their task Not only had they the reports Of their
engineers but they had also the failure Of the
English Construction Company to warn them. They,
therefore, went into the work fully prepared to COM
bat the obstacles Of nature, and with complete un
derstanding Of the danger of the undertaking.
They sent to San Antonio. which was TO be the
headquarters of the company. corps OF engineers.
some fifty in number. and in company with them
laborers to the number Of 700. They landed 1t San
Antonio G3C tons OF rails with all the fsh plates.
spikes bolts and nuts to lay them. and
first class locomotive. The value Of this material
alppe A. "A 10 ~
The steamers Mercedita. Metropolis and Richmond.
and the schooners Ida VI. Edridge John d. Ingrahan.
carry the supplies ana men. Ihey secured
permission from Brazil to land negroes American
rangements to ship 500 Of them from the Southern
States to the Of action They engaged the
vices Of 600 Of the Of the famine stricken district
of Ceara and sent them forward They secured orders
from the Navy Department. which sent the United
States steamer Enterprise. under the command of
captain Thomas Q. selfridge. and offcer.d
the Amazon and Madeira. and which
suited in the obtaining Of thorough and
accurate chart of those rivers for their steamers and
they contracted with the firm Of Mackie. Scott 4 co.
imtedD. Of Philadelphia, for the towing Of their
sells from Para 70 San Antonio This contract sent the
tugs Juno and Brazil with fun corps OF assistants.
from Philadephia to Para and placed ON the Amazon
unexcelled towing facilities.
LITTLE PROGRESS.
They began their work according 10 their contract
and according to the report of the engineers Sep
tember l. 1875, they had accomplished up to that
Miles,
Preliminary survey 6j
Located and accepted. %
Cleared OF tlmDer. 10
Under coDstruction ,
i<alu 4
And the resident engineer at San ANTONIO that IL
the Let of October there had been the spot
Loo laborers with proper provisions and supplies he
could have bad fifty miles Of the road running
by the lat Of February, 1879. II viii thus
be that the building Of the road Is entirely prac
ticabe. and that the American contractors have
failed Ia any essential point to do their part toward
constructing IT, Yet the years of labor Of the proec
tors Of the enterprise destined 70 be still further
increased. The toll already expended promises to be
wasted The advance guard OF the forest Is preparing
10 creep in upon the gap made by the of the road
clcarers The gangs Of laborcrs have melted away by
dcsertion and discharge. The Of Ceara have
been turned back before they have reached
their destination and, 10 add to their
misery said 10 be starving amid the forests of
the Madeira. The order for the shipment of the
blacks from the South has been countermanded. The
tugboat company lis the of winding up its
affairs and the present promise is that in short
time all work in the iuDgles Of the Falls will have
cpaqed hn of he men yxh bnvc cl