New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-10

a settlement: hut Mr.. Osborne IS confident thai
immigrants Will follow the new line IN TIE Chaco,
and that the Paraguayan Government Will derive
great revenues from the sale OF Sucn lanuS as IL
reserves under its contract with him. Railway
building in this section viii he cheap ana easy.
The region is heavily timberel, 50 that sccpcrs
Will not have to he imported or Drought long
distance inland and there is almost an unhrokcn
level from Asuncon to the borders OF BOLIVIA Win
very little bridging. Engineers have practically
completed their surveys in what was considered
n year or two ago an unlnhaDltaD.e wilderness.
The concessions are most liberal. and tie projectors
ere allowed long period III Whlch 10 complete
their lines. They assert that they VIII have
tie first section in operation within two years.
This railway project has an important hearing
upon the future OF Paraguay the Republic has
been aptly compared by Consul Baker to Illinois.
whose sOuthcrmOst extremity al The mouth Of
the Ohio lies a thousand miles FROM the mouth of
the Mississippi. The Paraguay River unitcs with
the Parana a thousand miles from the mouth Of
the Plate. and the old domain of the Republic
lies between the two rivers, It's superficial area
being 10000 square leagues. II tins south Amer-
can Illinois can he connected hy railways with
Bolivia one Of the riches, and most fertile Of
tropical countries. il VIII form the outlet fer a
northwestern territory Of magnificent resources.
RoiVias approach to the Sca was cut of by Chilli
at the close of the recent war. The country has
interior levels of highly productive land. and has
varied mineral resources. II must have outlets
for lis trade in The river system of the Plate
An Argentine railway has been extended from
Corlova nearly up to the Bolivian frontier but
il is circuitous route. ana the projectors made
the mistake Of selecting too narrow a gauge.
Paraguay is in the direct line between the north
ern republic and the lower Plate II will derive
material advantages from the construction of rail
ways across the Chaco by which outlets for 10
livian trade can he opened in the direction OF
Asuncion BuenOs AyTcs and MonteVi leo.
II is almost needless 70 add that Mr. Osborne
takes more interest in the Grand project for the
construction of tTanSrDntlrcntal railway from
the Isthmus 10 the Plate than in any measures
for the restoration Of American shipping He
does not believe that competition with European
maritime Powers is practicable on tie sea. The
establishment of trunk railway line which can
he tapped by various countries he considers the
only possible cNpcdicnt for the restoration of
American asccndancv in this part of the world.
Russell r. Pcccr whom ! mot in Montcvideo and
Bncnos Ayres, is an enthusiast on this subject
When the Central and South American Commits
sion paid its flying visit to the Plate he gave
important testimony in favor Of railways rs
means Of rcviving American trade. He told me
that he had not modified his views in any respect,
but firmly believed that the United States Govern
mcnt could obtain command Of tho commerce
Of South America by lending It's credit. in the
form Of guarantees Of interest. 10 continental
trunk railway. Al my request he Outlined on my
maps the course which such n railway should
follow. Panama and Barranquilla were marked
as the northern ports. or tcrmlnI, one on the
Pacific and the other on the Caribbean Sea.
From these ports the lines Of railway would cor
verge at Antioqui and follow the eastern slope
Of the COrdillcra to the southern frontier of
Colombia. Here would be the beginning of A.
long loop, one curve following the eastern valleys
Cuzco district. and the other passing inland 10
Nquitson the hcadwaters Of the Amazon. and
thence through La Montana 70 the point OF June
ton. From Cu7cO the course would be south
cast over the plains Of MaoS and the Gran thaco
70 Paraguay. whence connections could be mode
by railways either now in operation or under
construction with the Argentine. Uruguay and
Chill From the southern edge of Paraguay
do ublc lines could he built to the Brazilian coast 50
TO tap the san Paulo and Rio coffee belts ana
Rio Gr9ndc do Sui Mr. Peters facc lieniS
r1at nf pof1 flsir ~ le -
working ont on paper The details of this m1r-
nihccnt railway enterprise. lie maintains that
the United States Government would only have
TO build and guarantee The Interest on 800 NILES
Of railway. and that the South American rcpuh-
lies would go operate with il. There are other
Americans i'm the Argentine who nave expressed
similar views when - Aiul with me. Then. a1ain.
there are sohcr-mindrl Americans who rldculc
all these railway projects rs ihr Nacarics ~
spectators and drcamcr> of III" sellers type.
Paraguay will necessarily hc The centre OF any
cont mental system o. railway which may hc d.
vscd. II is in that quarter that connect ors VIII
naturally be made with the coffee districts Of
praz,l and the lower Plat" countries II any
railway scheme Of continent maenit dc b. car e
out in the future. tat distracted and UNHAPPY
country viii thrive and prosper as It never hIS
donc in the past llt even without the ad-
vcntiiious aid OF IN All-Amcrican railway. II Is
increasing in population and wealth. consul
Baker who made q recent journey 10 Ns'unci"n,
Describes the country as remarkable for the beauty
OF its scenery. The capital lies on III" slopes II
pIcturcsluc lillSides tie river almost cncircllnl
IT, ana the virgin forests of the Gran ha'o upc'-
ins in the west. While there are stall runs -
hc seen on every side. there Is hustle ir tie
streets hopeful spirit animatcs the population.
and the suburbs are already Frightened with siens
of wealth and luxury. charming GuluiAs TrNJ
among the orange groves Inc CHURCHES h,Fe
been rcpaired tie streets are now being I we'd n
framway is in successful OPERATION and There Is
"a prospect Of the speedy extension Of the short
line of railway leading from the capital lie
country abounds III raw materials aud natural
.,I .sYff methods
ulrurc and production. would speedily hrrDiu"
rich The oranges. which are now exported IN
laroe quantities. are Of the finest qualify l"fh'
and tobacco are the Whln H~irhlIINl ppul'lN,
Inn there are many uudcvcopcd resources. There
are valuable claws available for pottery there
are fibre plants NJ for woven eo'fs 80 w" '''
c,rda -c. there is p rubber tree tlaf can readily
10 utilized: that are forests Will great variety
of ,voods soft rs we'll as hand: corn. wheat,
barley mandioca. tobacco. sugar ana c'''"h can
be produced with marked success. ana mere "i'
cxfeu.ivc tracts i0r stNciraising. j" 'linA'f II
couabc there being difference II only . n'-
cree, lcwcen tie mean temperatures ol winter
and summer There are hgh t"mperairrc, IN
Jauuarv and February. hri II u % IN hr','
Win loes ~ that rncrvatinr humidity which
renders the climate Of Rio almost intol"rahle al
this season Of the year
The chief article Of commerce j. A'la nI'',
or ParaQuayan tea made Of the leaves Of spccIc'
Of icy or holly tree This industry was t"enn
two centuries ago under the eve. OF the jesuit
missionaries and was very carefully managed 10Y
vcricd if into a Government monopoly. ana SUD
iectcd the product 10 enormous export 'u'fo-
Some o. the ruling families now nave cNcusir
rirhts over a portion Of the product. but IN me
main the cultivation Of Jesuit tea Is free ana
open 10 all competitors NIKE the c"irr lie''
the lex does not require viei'ant care It's i'HWs
when picked are ecorchcd over fire. carefully
dried and exposed second time 10 me iur"s
II scented wood and finally pulver7cd. me
tree grows in a large section Of Brazil but the tea
made there is considered inferior 10 that prodnccd
fran tho choicest plantations OF Paraguay lGTD
Quantities Of This Tea are consumed by me iari-
quayans, who look upon il as both meat and drink.
Women engaged in field work live upon IT almost
exclusively drinking il dozen times in The
course Of dav The value of thc Tea cXporlrl
annually from Paraguay now exceeds : ooo,uoo.
The South American nations never ne" less thaii
CO. 600 tons Of this tea. but only Only small
quantities shipped 10 Europe 800
All travellers who 90 TO Paraguay speak oi me
remarkable prcpondcrancr Of women over men.
The estimates differ greatly some writer's making
tlc ratio nine women 10 one man. ana DINERS
four or five 70 one but the country Is inhah"d
mainly by women three fourths 81 the men having