The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-07-19

southwest Of Rio de Janeiro. Is very favor
able for railroad development on account OF
its climate and its soil, suited to coffee cul-
ture and cattle raising. Another State ia
vorable to them, 1t appears. Is Minas Gcraes,
north and west Of Rio dc Janeiro, which
already has railroads extending to Ouro
Prcto, while their continuation into Goyaz
would open n region Of wealth now mac
cessible. A projected route Of much interest
is one from Santos In Sac Paulo SOUTH
westerly to Asuncion In Paraguay. 800 miles
distant. Brazil has now In round numbers
about 5000 miles OF railroad in operation,
and several thousand moro under construc.
tion or planned.
Argentine's first railroad was built be-
tween 1868 and 1870. from Rosario, above
Buenos Ayres, on tho Rio do la Plata, west
ward to Cordoba. Additional sections fol-
lowed, and halt dozen years ago the line
had reached Mendoza, at tho foot OF the
Andes, making total length. with branches,
OF over 472 miles. constructed Mt cost ex-
ceedlnG $l3,0o0,000. Other roads were ex-
tended northward to Tucuman and Salta.
and from Buenos Ayres to Rosario and Nor
cedes. Then came rush for railroad lines
and bewildering hosts Of concessions were
granted. BY the end OF 1889 there were
5000 miles in operation, the greater portion
OF which had cost not less than $4,000
mile. This was excessive. considering the
character Of the country traversed. Still,
the earnings were very large, and Mr.. DE
KALB looks for an extension Of the paying
lines Of railway when tho Argentine money
troubles are over. Then the railroad system
will pierce the Andes between Mendoza and
Santa Rosa, reach the central plateau OF
Bolivia, and afford through connection from
Buenos Ayres to Valparaiso. Argentlne's
neighbor. Uruguay, has q little network Of
railways tributary to Montevideo.
Chilli Is one OF the great railroad countries
Of the continent, having 1,765 miles Of line,
Of which 74s are owned by the Government.
The mountainous character OF the country
made their original cost average about
$4,000 per mile, according to Mr.. DE KALB,
who adds that they were earning, neverthe-
less, prior to the present revolution. nearly
five per cent. upon the capital invested
Peru's railroads are especially interesting
to Americans. Besides shorter lines, she
Southern Railway, built at q very moderate
cost. starts from the seacoast at Mollendo
and reaches an elevation Of $4,000 feet at
Lake Titicaca. The other. the Callao, Lima
and Oroya Railroad, will be when finished a
remarkable achievement Of engineering. 1t
reaches an elevation Of nearly $4,000 feet
and traverses, within distance OF 1856 miles,
more than sixty tunnels. One Of these tun-
nels. 1000 feet long, Is l5,645 feet above the
level Of the sea.
North OF Peru the Andes are hostile to
railroad building. Colombia. however. has,
in addition to the well-known Panama
Isthmus road, ON important line from Baran-
quilla to Puerto Belillo. But the total
length Of Colombia's railways Is only 226
miles, and the longest single road Is only "a
miles. The French have suggested a trunk
route from the Pacific by way of Bogota to
Venezuela, but that Is rather an audacious
project for the present. Venezuela now has
IA miles Of railway. with 25S In process Of
construction. and 1900 more contracted for.
She has only begun to supply the railroad
needs Of her interior.
This review OF the railroad development Of
South America brings out very clearly the
great part played by subventions and Gov
eminent ownership. Against subventions
there has been lately a strong reaction In
some quarters. particularly in the Argen-
tine Republic. Another point Of interest is
the fact that one cause Of the tardy progress
in railways was the river system Of South
America, which furnished such highways to
commerce az the Orinoco in Venezuela, the
Magdalena In Colombia, and the Rio dc la
Plata in Argentine. It is remarkable how
much has been done there In railroad build.
ing In 30 short q period as twenty years.