New-York tribune., 1890-04-14

mcntS OF various metals amounted TO Sl,5!6.05s
IN 1883. ana to ~ .4u5,35j during nlne months Oi
1881. There Is SAID TO he . valuable pctfOien'n
district in the Argentine. but il has not been de-
vclopcd, even with the advcntitious aid Of the
'ari'l; importatlons OF kerosene being pr@c,icaiN
prohibited by duty exceeding the original price
in the United States There have been
rumorcd discoveries of coal deposits. nHt
the imp0rtaiions from Cardih steadily
increase mere and theTc is no home prouuctiion, p,,inn
Inc receipts OF coal during 1sss AZ Arech'nc
ports Were 333. 19S tons, valued at S3,33 ',9s'.
During nine months of $50 the imporatlons were
46$.96l tons, valued at S4.5,3,2lo. These val,
uatlons represent only fraction OF the actual
cost to consumers. A good working coal VEN
in these mountains would he worth more than
gold mine.
The industries Of the Andcan Provinces are
mainly agricultural and pastoral; maze pclne
raised for the Chilian market and cattle and sheep
being driven oNci the mountains ny the man
passes. This export trade with chm amounted
10 SA,345.i91 in 1sss and is rapidly increasing.
Grapc-vines are prolific in the Mendoza district
white wine being made from one OF the common
est varieties. Nnk-worms have pccn successfully
introduced and flax and tobacco are also cultlVat'd
The climate is mild and cquahlr; me ar helhI
dry owing to the lack Of rainfall IN the noun
famous regions. Agriculture is dcWhueh' upon
systematic irrigation. and this can De managed
more economically and with greater iaclllty on
the Argentine than the Chilian slopes Of the
Andes. The town of Mendoza. standing near 'hc
entrance TO the Cspaata Pass. the nlghroad over
the mountains. already is Ihe chlcl cehrr oi aiuc
with the Western Republic. Every DAY dhillG
the summer months long trains ul pa'N-ilulcs are
set in motion over the Andes. ne noui'aln'tr'
with his poncho or >haWl-capc. the ir> character
istic South American garment when nave seen seen
in the course OF long tourney, Is th a'nr'rIn o,,le
bell and the crack Of the muleteerS whip may De
heard AT any hour Of the day on thc mfhroad
leading TO the Faramillos II is ho9ilshihs M
TRANSFORMATION trade that Will nc ruined Wheh the
TranS-Andcan Railway is completed.
This is one Of tho most ambitious railway pro-
lectS in South America. IL IS designed TO 1uTlsii
direct communication between Naipafhis" anu
Bucnos Ayrcs by railway CROSSING the Cor
dillcras at elevation Of over 10000 lert above
level. The original surveys o"tAhcu a ~
inch gauge from Mendoza Ia santa Rosa dc Los
Andes. a distance Of 159 miles through l.pa!lata
Pass. and contemplated an expenditure OF S''VVo.-
coo in gold The survey and estimates have been
repeatedly cadiusted and The pioDanIe cost oi INC
railway i anybody> guess Inc NrS' ana
easiest section follows tho Mendoza River TO
Punta Las NocaS. distance Of "a miles WIN a
rise Of in every 100 feet. ihlS portion ! an,
told by the railway cncinccrs VIII he completed
by the end II this wear for twO-ihlrd> 0l TIC as
tancc. or far as the lspalata foSthouse.
Great damage 10 this part of the WORK mas hcrh
caused by trcshets during the last year ana crave
doubt> are entertained respecting 'he prac'lra-
hility of protecting the railway against similar
Hoods when II Is in practical operation FROM
Punia Las Nocas 10 the cntranre of tho proposed
tunnel of the Cumbic or central Anccan summit.
the rise will he | in 3S feet for distance "i
twenty-five miles. THIS part oi me WORK may pe
finished i'm the course Of eighteen months Inc
tunnel will be over TWO miles long, ana as now
projected will be- "A magnificent engineering work
Large gangs Of Italians are now m, thr m"un'1.nS
on either side of the Cumbrc and this sleantic
engineering undertaking l. about 10 nc begun IN
earnest. The engineers speak hopeinllN OF com
plctng the tunnel before the close OF S92. nni
Shrcwd railway MANAGER in Mendoza told me that
il would be impossible - have the Trans -Andcdh
in working order n that date Little work mas
been done on the Chllan in comparison with the
Arrcniino slope Tie descent from the western
mouth of the big bore will hc very siccp-3 ! .
rer cont 10 Tamhillos distance Of five miles.
ratio of in feet thence 10 Rio Juncal dis
'ance Of miles. and in - thence 70 santa RoS'-
The most diHicult portions Of the work. thc main
tunnel and the curving incnes from dmhillos 10
tie Rio llncal have NOT vet ro'n ."rlouS'N ind"r
token although hcrinnino has been madc and
The surveys are finished The Argentine and
Chilisn Governments are backing up tins railway
ertcrnrise which will be most costly one. hat
i've line will hc finished IN The course oi a irw
years there is every reason 80 believe. hut l~'2
is probably an earlier da'c than can be prufcntlv
named fer ~" opening ~ railway communication
hctw l'ncros AvrcS and Valparaiso.
one of tie engineers actively employed in super
intending the WORK IN the heart OF the Andes
mn 'Sr" ~r ' IN rer,in sccrfrs ne remarked in the
course OF long conversation. " but The processes
Of construction have been cheapcncd at rulnous
rishS. With the expenditures RISING steadily above
t.c estimates. the engineers nave been compelled
10 make Tie cost - low as possible iof me con
tractor. Consequently. slap curves which never
ought 10 have been allowed are sanctioned, and tie
wOri; 81 building fhc railway las been cic"irncd
thereby. Nhv. II Is hardi, possible 10 inn uain
without an accident. Tie wheels l'T,Ne TIC track
rcaFiy cvert time the nttcmpi Is made - pn'
train around tie cnrfrs Yes. u VIII -" % etrat
work. especially M" ug bore. bui when u lo
finished and my services arc no longer required
shall not ride o,er the railway - Valparaiso or
20 Mendoza. Is value ms life | shall mount
lnshIolci way. conscious that am slfc every inch
Of the way Great worf Yes.
very ur Great c.T T'FSS"' DO and NnG% sSr "1c' c'
other lcopr travel over The railway al their
o"n risS. As the cuginccr. VINO VAS an accom-
pliShcd and sol"r-mindcd Enciishman, was not
aware that he was taking an American newspaper
correspondent into his confidence. II wonld not
hc lu>i - mention hIs name. but his cand"r con
way will have 10 be- regarded and rchnili lh"
risks from tie mountain torrents and spflh-
frcshcis IN those mighty river gorgrs have also
been seriously undcrratcd
The railway system Of f,c Ar-cntinc. IN which
the Irans-Andcan Will ho f. connecting link "itn
thr Pacific lines. IS The pride Of the country ana
Tie main source oi is recent progress ~ ll'
latest published returns u So. - now consists
Of j. II miles u operation. JHJ under con.ir'c-
iion. and 2.1Il projected 1hcs" lines carried
-.3i3.j0O passengers and 1850 600 tons 81 ir'-hi
ir l--~, and 1l'3.5OO passengers and ].-"'.''"
tons Of freight IN 1851. This IS large bI'incss
for a country Wiih population Of J.10V.D"
Nearly al the>r roads have been hnlit under 10Y
eminent Guarantees and the sum of <$Oo,v"" ~
gold paid from IA" Treasury In 1--- III
Liquidation Of interest on railway bonds. Inc
Provincial Legislatures as we'll ~ tie National
Government. have, been prevailed upon 10 1ssl>' |
new railway enterprises, and "a large amount "l
Indebtedness has iccn rolled mp IN This way
Last year IN view 0f the critical state Of ~" |
finances. Tie central Government declared 'Nd' |
IT. would not grant any more faNofs 10 railway |
companies. bat soon as the Chambers mel, |
several new lines were sanctioned. and interest !
on tncir bonds was guaranteed. The Argentine |
Nation hfS inpllcli faith IN railway cN'chs"h |
as means Of attracting immigrants and develop |
IL z the country. H. lew country roads ol some |
kind must be provided. and steam railways are |
considered "A better Investment than publlc IiFi'-
ways. Most Oi the railways have been hullt ~ |
rNtIaNagant cost ana heavy bnrdcus have "ch |
ssuncI bN the various Governments IN securing |
their complctiOn bui the i's' of these enterprises
are now Oh sclf-sustaIning basis. and some ol !
'luin paying handsome dividends. Ny own |
observations have extended 10 five OF the prin- |
cipal railways. and have sorn litlc TO criiici% |
and much 10 admire in the general management |
If flesn lines. have carried my baggage checked !
on tie American plan. from BurnOs Ayrca '" |
Ncndo7a via Rosario. Cordovn and villa Maria, /
and have had it delivered promptly at 'he |