The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1879-08-14
Blown the Andes in a Hand Car.

Correspondence of the Philadelphia Press
Here am among the snow-capped peaks
Of the andes, acclimating myself for a
trip over the mountains, whose highest, L., :
$40 feet, l intend TO scale. Leaving Lima
this morning with a party of officers,
came over the celebrated Oroya railroad to
Mstucana, and from there by the light ex-
press TO this place, the present terminus Of
tine road The building of this road was
one of the greatest undertakings the world
has ever known. 1t is only completed
eighty-six miles and cost 10000 600.
From the sea coast to the summit of the
Andes we passed through forty four tunnels
and over many high bridges, one of them
300 feet high The road follows the valley
of the river Rimac, crossing and recrossing
it many times From Mstucsna to the top
is nothing but succession of W., rs and
doublings. Some Of the places are truly
frightful. Az you pass around mountain
peak you can look for thousands OF feet be-
low and still above you can see the lofty
peaks Of the Andes. Even here at Chilca
we are still 600 feet from the top, and the
railroad tunnel on the summit will be over
1900 feet above the sea.
Chicls is the highest railroad station and
within a few feet OF the highest city in the
world. In Lima or Calico the lightest
clothes would be very comfortable, but up
here wear double suit Of heavy under
clothing and large ulster. With all my
clothes, sm nearly freeing, and red-hot
stove close by at thst. Less than a week
ago was in the tropical seas of the equator
quite a change. Most people here are
troubled with what they call "soroche,"
headaches, nausea and sometimes bleeding
st the mouth, nose snd ears. The air is 30
rare it is difficult to breathe.
At the invitation of the roadmaster /
took ride with him down the road. We
were Just ahead of the regular train, and
We started Of like streak of lightning. /
have been in good many tight places in
my life, but never in position to make
my hair literally stand on end, as it did in
coming down the Andes on . hand-car
Never till my dying day can / forget
that ride. Starting among the very
clouds, down, down We came; disappear
ing like a flash liz tunnel OF pitchy dark
ness and out on to . frail-looking iron
bridge over mighty gorge from two to
three hundred feet deep. We stopped in q
long, curved tunnel to look at some work
that Wa going on, and did not hear the
train in our rear until it was in the tuu-
mel. We could not lift the hand car of, 40
We made aspripg for it, cut loose the
brake, and made dash for our lives. And
truly it looked 30, for che came in full |
view before We were we'll across the gorge,
and on she came at the rate of q mile q |
minute, but We we're going BY this time |
much faster than that, and in . short time |
We left her far behind. We reached Matu-
cana. twenty. three miles from Chicls, in
safety, but pince come TO think it all over,
| would hardly dare to try it again.
1 have seen . few beautiful faces in my
life, but never hundreds of Thousands Of
hem until came to the gay capital of
Peru You can not see these ladies on the
',reet, for they cover all but their eyes with
, mantle; but in the windows, on the balco-
lies, 10 the pubic gardens and at the opera
'ou see them At their best Lsst Sunday
Eeek there was . review of 10000 troops
q Lima, and believe / saw all the reople
q the CITY. which is said to contain l50, 900
ouls. But Lima il not what it once Wa.
Many Of the people are rich - of old, and
he splendor Of their houses II said 70 dazzle
lie eye. Outside, however. they look like !
nss9 Of ruina