The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-02-02

Iouguest sea ne had ever seen.
COLONEL GEORGE E. cHuRcH's STATEMENT.
HERALD reporter paid VISIT Yesterday afternoon
10 Colonel George E.. Church, the president OF the
railroad compa-. Tor wnicl wrecked steamer
Metropolis was carrying !aDorers and supplies fne
following conversation ensusd:-
REroRrER-I nave called, Colonel Church, to gain
some Information In regard 10 ihe company that cnar.
tered the steamer Metropolis.
Colonel CHuKcu-rhe a0orers and supplies on board
the steamer Metropolis being sent to aid In the
CONSTRUCTION OF tho Madeira anu Namore Railroad
Company. OF which am president The steamer was
not anaer cnarter company, but been en-
gagged by Siessr>. l.. /. collins, Tho arm thai
nave contracted 10 build the road
kEPoRTER-Wnat ~ tne object Of building tho roadY
Colonel CHuRCA--To form The connecting INK OF =
transport ation scheme That VIII open trade OF
nearly a hundred million dollars per aunum. rho
road is destined 70 run between San Antonio, small
settlement on tho Midelra RIVER and point Noout
TWO nancrca and forty miles 10y the winnings OF tho
rlverj further up. Tue length OIL The road Will Do
ABOUT hundred and eighty miles. San Antouio
is situated ABOUT ave hundred mites up tue Madeira
River, which lows into lhe Amazon ABOUT one Thou
miles Para, mat inc terminus VI Inc
road will be l, 800 miles from she sea.
REPoK-ER--fuete must Dc "a steamship company,
then, ia VIA the rairoady
Colonel CHURCH-Yes the National Bolivian Navi-
galion Company was organized through charter
granted ny The United States Congress In 1870, anu
largely assisted w subsidies from the BOLIVIAN gov.
ernmcnt. They nave aso 0oen gwen Tue sole right
TO navigate tue rivers ~ BOLIVIA FOR twenty-five
years. In order, however. 10 connect the inland
rivers OF central Bonva with an outlet 70 the sea q
had TO DC built, us for distance oil 24O miles tho
aiis ana cataracts on Inc Madeira made mat RIVER
unnavisaole.
REPokTER-What navgaDio rivers arc there al the
SOUTHERN end vi The route!
Colonel CHuRcH-rhere the Mamor6, Beni,
Maya!ata, itoaama, Mngdaiena, san Misasa Guapera
six hundred mlIos from tho terminus Of the railway.
Tho river penetates the very heart OF Bolivia anu at
point in that 600 miles is thsro loss than ten
1eet OF wafer, inc dry season. ~ mas also
thrtytwo nayigable branches penetrating into an cx
ensive and !ertie prairie land The Mayaata YET
only partially explored but II IL supposed that will
be found navgaDe for steamers Tar point wilhin
one hundred aud twenty miles OF Cuzco, IN Southern
Peru, the interesting old capital Of Tue Empire OF the
lncas and passing through the richest vi all the gold
districts WORKED ny the Spaniaras.
SUPERINTENDENT meaus OF transportation has there
been IN that country up 10 the present?
Colonel cHURcH-Tne only means OF transporta.
ton was by pack mules that came IRON some 0f The
ports on the Pacific and every pound oil goods they
carried had be brought by route 15 900
the level OF the al cost OF over $3.50 FER IL
was brought IN packages OF 800 pounds and undor,
aud consequently no. machinery OF any consequence
been brought into the country, aud many profit
able enterprises arc thus kept inactive through
OF the proper macnipery 10 WORK them |. IS estl-
mated Inat wnen The hue is running the newly de-
veopod country ought to give business OF nundred
millions per annum
REpoarEs--what are the natural products OF the
country
Colonel CHuRcH-AImost everything that can
think OF. For Instance, hides, horns aud tall0w;
llama, alpaca and common woods; the white and yell
low cotton nearly all tho Peruvian bark .0t COM
mcrce already leaves Bolivia by this route tobacco,
sugar. the richest conee district IN tue wUril
ali Kinds OF medicinal products, precious gums dys
stuts, cubluet woods and mineral wealth unbounded,
embracing gold, silver, copper, Tin and bismuth. Tue
steamers will have BIZ ted with wood, as up 10 the
present coal has pecn discovered
REPoRTER--Is The railroad owned by this steamship
company
and luey the same interest," The railroad
company was organized in Lonaon. and, as the ilro
runs through Brazil the consent 0f mat governments
had TO be obtained. They granted very iiOerul c0n.
cessions including land grant oil 900 square miles.
rich IN cabinet wood forests, aud gov
erument recently guaranteed $1,000, 900 IN bonds
that were raised AZ par in Londtn A large sum or
moncy also raised by the steamship company on
their Bolivian CONCESSIONS, so that uow they have
plenty OF money on hand with which " construct the
railroad.
ca2
Colonel CHuRCH-The steamers will run from Parata
San Antonio, and The railroad VIII connect them with
other steamers running on the Manor9 and other IN.
land rivers
that nas lett THIS country IN that ServtceY
Colonel CHuRCu-NO, the Mercedta sailed on the I'd
Of January with three corps OF engineers aud $50
iaborers. She has probably arrived at San Antonlo
by this time. The distance from New York 10 San
Antonio Is about l0ar thousand I've hundred miles
RKpoRTER-What will DC the effect vi tins disaserf
Colonel CHURCHILL Will oniy Cause little temporary
delay. as expedition Will soon be despatched.
The contractors Messrs Collins, OF Philadelphia, are
well known men, and have doubt OF their ability to
build the within the two years ana eight months
Lnat tueir specifications allow.
RaPonTER--W hat sized town Is San Antonio?
Colonel CHURCH--lt Is Only small settlement at
present, but eventually be place OF CONSIDER
able through the trade that the steamship
aud railroad lines Will develop. 44