Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-07-07
THE END TOWNS OF THE WORLD.
Bammerfest in the Extreme North and
:'unta Arenas Away to the South.

1nGN dIc U1ln6Il6SI, norway, anu
Punta Arenas, Chilli.
The former is the capital of Fin
mark, the extensive province or annex
of Norway, which forms the extreme
northern portion of continental Eu-
rope, and is situated between the Arc
tic sea and Russian Lapland. Fin
mark has an area of 49, 06 square
miles, includes Norwegian Lapland,
and comprises numerous islands, on
the northernmost of which is North
Cape. 1t has important fisheries,
which give employment to the greater
part of population of nearly $4,000.
Hammerfest is on the Qual-oe (Whale
island), of which it is the chief port,
and is sixty miles southwest of North
Cape. Its houses are of wood and are
painted on the outside. Communica-
ton between it's quarters is kept up by
boats. Its harbor is defended by a
fort.
Although situated in latitude 70 deg.
DO min. sec. north, the summer heat
at times is oppressive, and even
throughout the winter the temperature
is mild enough for fishing to be car
ried on. The sun stays two months
Ii
stockfish, whale. seal and fish oil, skins,
walrus hides, teeth, copper and feath-
erS.
It's population is about 2,1OO In it's
trade Norwegian, Danish, English
and German vessels are engaged.
Thirty small vessels are sent out early
in the spring to Spitzbergen to take
part in the fisheries and Walrus hunt
ing. Train and cod liver oil are man
ufactured in Hammerfest. Sailed fish
is the principal export.
On Fuglenaes, or Birds Cape, which
protects the harbOr on the north,
stands a column with an inscription in
Morse and Latin stating that the town
was the destination of the expedition
for the measurement of the arc of
meridian. 1t was also the place chosen
by Capt. Sabine for the scene of his
pendulum experiments
Punta Arenas is Spanish for Sandy
Point 1t is situated upon a level
plain in the CHILEAN colony of Magel-
lanes and on the east coast of the
Brunswick peninsula. Back of the
town snowcappa mountains rise to
the height of 1,O0O feet.
Its houses are almost all one-stOrv
and built irreguIarly. just outside
the settlement are fields of moss and
low hills whose timber has been
burned. Opposite the point, on the
other side of the Straits of Magellan,
is the Island of Terra del Fuego, the
Land Of Fire, 50 styled by Magalhaens,
its Portuguese discoyerer, because of
the great number of fires which he
+ Ia L
preached its shores.
Punta Arenas was founded in 1843
as a penal settlement and has ever
since been known only as such to
those who have read or heard of it. Its
unenViable reputation led to its de-
cline in population until the European
steamship lines adopted the route
through the strait to the west coast of
South America.
Then the town was used as a station
of call and supply, and in 1868 Chill
sent out 800 immigrants with COVER
nor to take possession of it. The i'm
migrants brought along with them
wood for building purposes, and sup
plies to last until the land granted
chem had been cleared and cultivated.
Then the sending of conyicts there
was stopped. The military guard was
Withdrawn during the war with Peru,
and all the prisoners who consented to
join the army got ticket of leave.
From 1868 to 1888 the population of
the town increased from 30 to 1000.
The soil is good, coal mines abound,
and gold and silver are found. The
coal mines are worked by a company
which pays the CHILEAN government Il
small tax for the privilege A tram
way brings to town the coal. which is
considered a good steam" article.
Formerly steamers had to 90 to the
Falkland Islands, 500 miles distant, to
get their supplies. Now they find
them at Punta Arenas. The crop of
potatoes is cOnsidera BILE, cattle thrive,
good mushrooms are obtainable in
large quantities, and in the various
seasons parrots, geese, ducks, snipe,
woodpeckers, ibis, and other birds are
found.
Punta Arenas is the largest town in
southernmOst Chill and the only one
in the strait. From the nearest settle
ment on the CHILEAN coast to the first
one on the eastern side is a distance of
about 1000 miles, and the voyage
lasts from fifteen to sixteen days, and
Punta Arenas is the only stopping
place.
The population is of the most varied
kind, including eX-convicts, fugitives
of all sorts, cast-away sailors, deserters
from the navies of all countries, Chi
namen, negroes, PolanderS, Irish, Eng
lish, Italians, Germans, Russians, Por-
tuguese, Spaniards, Hebrews-men
from all chimes, types of all humanity.
Every tongue seems to be spoken and
each language seems to have its inter-
prefer. English largely predominates.
1t is market for queer relies. shells,
fying-fsh, sealions' tusks, serpents'
skins Cape Horn agates, turtle shells,
armadillo tails, in which the Patago-
mans carry their war paint; guanaco,
seal and ostrich skins, and ostrich
rugs. The last-named are made from
the breasts of young ostriches. and
are of the softest down and loveliest
plumage. The plumes are plucked
from the birds tails and wings while
alive. but to obtain the rugs the little
ostriches are killed and skinned. Then
the breasts are sewed together. Diff
ferent colors are artistically blended.
The rugs are used as carriage robes,
for the backs of touches or chairs, for
panels in front of dress skirts and for
opera cloaks.-N Y. Herald.
A Thrifty Man.
"Here, young man." said Russell