Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1890-08-21
A GREAT RIVER.
The Amazon One Hundred Miles Wide AT
Its Mouth.

The Amazon, if the Para river be in
cluded at the southern channel is 100
miles wide at its mouth Para itself,
the northernmost clty of Brazil lies at
the gateway of the most wonderful
river system in the world. 1t is the
commercial depot and distributing
point for 10000 miles of navigable
water. The Amazon watershed en-
braces twenty-five degrees of longitude.
Its western sources are in tie Andes of
Peru and Ecuador, only a few leagues
from the Pacific. Its northern tribu-
taries traverse the borders of Guinea
and Colombia, while midway the head
waters of the Negro mingle with those
of the Orinoco in the western spurs of
the Sierra de Pacaraima.
On the south the Madeira has in
Vulnerable sources in the mountain
levels of Bolivia, while the Tapajos
the Xiugu. and the Tocantine penetrate
the central provinces of Brazil. If
comparatively small group of southern
provinces be left out of the account,
the Amazon, with its tributaries, forms
the water system for an area larger
than that of the United States. 1t fur
nishes the only means of communica-
ton between the smaller centers of
population in fully one-half OF the vast
territories of Brazil.
Between most of its leading tribu-
taries are broad stretches of impene-
trabe forests which have never been
explored by white men. 1t is the
Amazon alone that renders any form
of government possible in the heart OF
South America. Within the range OF
the 10000 miles of nayigable water
settlements have been made, rubber
farms opened, and magistrates en-
powered to conduct local admnistra-
ton. Para. lying at the southernmost
outlet of the Amazon, less than lOO
miles from the sea, is the metropolis OF
this wonderful valley. 1t is a city with
perhaps 80. 600 inhabitants, and with as
much commercial enterprise as Is
possible under the equator.
The commerce of the Amazon IS
nominally carried on under the Brazil,
ian flag. Foreigners are not allowed
by law to own steamers or sailing
vessels employed in inland navigatloni
and hence it is necessary for the In
glish capitalists who control the carry
inc trade of the river to assign their
interests to Brazilians. There are
forty steamers owned by an English
line. which receives large mail sub
sidv from the Brazilian government lor
plving between various po;tS anu
Villages on the main tributaries; ana
in return for this financial support IL Is
well satisfied to fly the national nag.
Another company has eight steamers
under similar conditions; and there are
as many as dozen more on the river
and its tributaries which sail under the
Brazilian flag. These sixty steamers
are gradually opening the Amazon
valley TO commerce. Only the smaiier
vessels are now running beyond Manaos
at the junction of the Negro, but next
year the largest English vessels WIZ ela
make regular trips to 1qultoS' o'''V
miles from the coast.
Some of the tributaries are only
nayigable for long distances at hlgh
water during certain months OF 'io
year, but the lower villages on tleir
banks are visited by steamers as o!ten
as once or twice a month. This river
trade is almost completely in the naliu9
of the Portuguese merchants ana the
mercantile houses represented ~
Para. Manaos, with a population u
$4,000. is the most fourishlnS toMn
west of Para. The other settlements -,i..'.
wit. few exceptions, are stfaSsnu5
villages inhabited mainly by hesioes'
Indians. and half-breeds.
The forests of the Amazon consist !,
inc mainly of hard wood. are not at i ar
able for commercial requirements. no
finest Of rosewood and mahogany W. w.
used there for firewood. Even Il ' ne.
were 4 demand for the hardwood lalh1
Der at Para. it could not be logged a ~
brought to market on a large SCAT
owing TO the density.of the WOODS ~ NJ
the lack Of roads and clearing-. A.e
one tree which is source 81 We 49,.
in these immense forests Is the Tuo ~
tree. 1t is found everywhere rom ~
low-lying delta opposite f'sLa 80
Tapoios. the Madeira and the Ne-lo'
and probably thousands OF mics IN. M
yond those great tributaries ln llg
interior roads are impracticaoie. ="