Sacramento daily record-union., 1890-07-19


has much milder climate than that of La
Paz, and is altogether a more agreeable
place of residence except for Presidents,
who find it more convenient to live near
the border, SO they can skip out in case of
emergency. When Bolivia gained her in
dependence, the first Congress convened in
the village of Chuquisaca; and having
changed its name to Sucre, in honor of a
local celebrity, they decreed in the consti-
tuition that itshould remain the Federal
Capital for all time to come.
Naturally the people of Sucre are much
incensed because the seat OF government
has been removed but really, one cannot
blame the President for not wishing to live
among them, considering the reception
they gave him on the occasion of his visit
there two years ago. The citizens got up
revolution and sailed forth to assassinate
him. He barely escaped by taking refuge
in a church, under the wing of friendly
priest, whence he was sneaked out at night,
disguised as begging monk Of the order
of San Francisco-gray gown, cowl, rope
girdle and all. Accompanied by one faith
full servant, he travelled on foot for many
days, through untold difficulties and dan
gers, until at last, exhausted and nearly
starved, he reached the distant hacienda of
friend, where he remained concealed
until sufficient force arrived to escort him
to La Paz.
President Arce is as popular in Chile as
he is unpopular in Peru and Bolivia. The
quid nuncs prognosticate that in the event
Of serious revolutionary troubles Chile will
come to the rescue, in which case it is
probable that Bolivia will loose her au-
tonomy altogether, being torn piece.meal
and divided up between Chile, Peru and
the Argentine Republic.
The leading articles of export from Bo-
livia are copper, little gold, silver and
tin, fur of the vicuna and chinchilla,
sleeps wool (chiefy alpaca, guano, sarsa-
parilla and spices. Formerly the wealth
of the land lay in the mines, though these
are still very little developed. The best
mineral districts lie at long distances from
the cultivated provinces, almost the sole
means of transport being beasts of burden
Potosi, once SO celebrated for its silver
mines, lies at an elevation OF $1,000 feet
above the sea, and has present population
of about $4,000. Oruro, at the same alti-
tude, supplies its miners-as does also Pc.
tosi-with wheat, corn, barley, meat, and
other necessities from the market of Cocha.
bamba. The latter important city, with
its population of 10000 or more, lies neal
! the eastern plains; and though at an eleva.
tion of over 5000 feet has most delight.
full climate. The citizens of Cocha-
bamba are mostly half-breeds of the
| Quichua race, thriving and Industrious
but not famed for honesty or sobriety.
The richly-wooded region known as
! Yungas is really the southwestern limit Of
the great Amazonian forest. Watered BY
numerous tributaries of the Madeira river
| system, it surpasses most South American
lands in fertility and natural resources. II
the projected railway around the Madeira
rapids is ever completed, it NAV enliver
trade, as then the rich agricultural
country east of the Cordilleras will have
easy access to the navigable Amazons, and
| thence by that great waterway to the At.
lantic.
The agricultural industries of Bolivia
comprise but three articles of consequence
viz, coffee, chincona bark and cocoa. The
best coffee comes from the valley of the
Yungas. Though very small white bean
1t possesses peculiarly delicate flavor and
commands higher price in market than
any other. The narrow valley, however
produces 1900 arro6as year Us pounds
to the arroba), or about one-fourth of Boliv.
las supply. The province of Maipri pro.
duces three times as much, but its coffee
brings less money, being of inferior quail
ity.
The average value of Yungas' yearly
crop is 100000 pesos Aurana, or $4,000
bolicidRas, the dollars of the country. A
boliriana, by the way, is worth % cents
less than the "sol'' dollar of Peru; and
the Bolivian peso is worth % cents less
than the bolivianas while every Ameri-
can dollar in gold or paper commands
81 so in Bolivian currency.
10 transport the 4ungas coffee over the
mountains to La Paz costs the producer
about two bolivianas and forty cents per
quintal. The average price of coffee at La
Paz Is twenty-four bolivianas per hundred
weight The freight on it from La Paz to
the coast is FIVE bolivianas per hundred
pounds; while from the coast to Europe.
all the way around by sailing vessel, it is
only one boliviana. Luckily, there is 40
export duty on coffee, though at present
barely enough is grown for home con-
sumption. Doubtless the output will soon
be greatly increased. as many of the largest
chincona planters are now planting coffee
instead of the quina tree, since the latter
has become literally "a drug on the mar
ket.n
Though the coffee bushes of this section
seldom yield SO profusely as those of Costa
Rica, Mexico, ETC., they begin bearing re-
markably early, a bush two years old
averaging half a pound at picking, while
an eight-year-old tree yields about two
pounds. Rice, bananas, pineapples, cocoa
and sugdr-cane flourish beside the coffee;
and among other useful products of the
tropic wildernesses may be found the
copal tree, whose resin is so easily ex.
tracted. 1t is used by the Indians for a
variety of purposes, including the lighting
of their huts.
The production Of chincona bark, or cas-
carilla, as 1t is here called, from which the
alkaloid quinine is extracted, was for many
years Bolivia's most important industry in
the agricultural line. During the past four
years it has proved improbable, owing to
competition in Java and the British PROV
inces in Southern Asia. That class Of
individuals known at home as smart
Alecks" are found even in this out-of-the-
way corner of creation. One of these is a
certain Senior Shucroft, who was heavy
planter of cascarilla few years ago, pros
porous and presumably happy One un-
lucky day the idea struck him of sending
a quantity of quina seed to his home Gov
ernment-that of Holland-thereby get
ting himself into the papers and winning
the gratitude of posterity. In uncalled for
generosity he sent very large amount OF
seed, with minute directions for its treat
ment derived from his own experience, and
the suggestion that experiments be made
in Java.
The remarkable success OF chincona in
that island led the British Government to
encourage its planting in India, and al
ready the business is ruined everywhere by
production. Mr. Shucroft received a
little gold medal from the Dutch King in
acknowledgment of his enterprise: bnt at