The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-08-26
TIP ENDS OF CREATION.
TWO TOWNS THAT ARE VERY fan
APART ON THE EARTH.

IRENE eouthsrn Point--Once . Penal
ssttIsmsnt, wow an Important Town.
Do you know the names Of the two
towns that respectively are the northern
most and most southerly in the worfdf
They are Hammerfest, Norway, and Punta
Arenas, Chill. The former IL the capital
of Finmark, the extensive province or am
mex OF Norway, which forms the extreme
northern portion OF Continental Europe,
and IL situated between the Arctic Sea
and Russian Lapland. Finmark has an
area OF Is, 800 square miles, includes Nor
wegian Lapland and comprises numerous
islands, on the northernmost Of which is
North Cape. It has important fisheries,
which give employment to the greater
part Of population Of nearly 5000.
Hammerfest Is the Qual-oe (Whale ISL
and), OF which 1t Is the chief port, and Is
sixty miles southwest Of North Cape. Its
houses are OF wood, and are painted on
the outside. Communication between its
quarters Is kept up by boats. Its harbor
II defended by fort.
Although situated In latitude 10 deg.
20 min. sec. north, the summer heat at
times is oppressive, and even throughout
the winter the temperature is mild
enough for fishing to be carried on. The
sun stays two months above the horizon.
The town exports stockfish, whale, seal
and fish oil, skins, walrus hides, teeth,
copper and feathers.
Its population Is about 200. In its
trade Norwegian, English, German and
Russian vessels are engaged. Thirty small
vessels are sent out early in the spring to
Bpitzbergen to take part In the fisheries
and walrus hunting. Train and codliver
oil are manufactured in Hammerfest.
Sailed fish Is the principal export.
On Funginass, or Birds Cape, which
protects the harbor on the north, stands
= 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 the meridian.
It was also the place chosen by Capt.
Sabine for the scene Of his pendulum ex-
periments.
Punta Arenas Is Spanish for Sandy
Point. 1t is situated upon . level plain
In the CHILEAN colony Of Magellanes, and
on the east coast Of the Brunswick PENN
snla. Back OF the town snow-capped
mountains rise to the height OF one thou
sand feet.
It's houses are almost all one story, and
built irregularly. Just outside the settle
mont are fields of moss and low hills
Whose timber has been burned. Opposite
the point, on the other side OF the Straits
Of Magellan, q the Island OF Terra del
Fuego, the Land Of Fire, so styled by
Magalhaens, It's Portuguese discovercr, be-
cause Of the great number Of fires which
hs noticed upon IL the first night he APP
QIrnached ita shores
Punta Arenas was founded In 1S43 as
penal settlement, and has over since been
known only ~ such to those who have
road or heard OF 1t. Its unenviable repu-
eation led to it, decline In population UNI
~ the European steamship lines adopted
Che route through the strait to the west
coast Of South America.
Then the town was used rs q station Of
call and supply, and in 1868 Chilli sent out
100 immigrants, with governor, to take
possession Of 1t. The immigrants brought
elong with them wood for building pur-
poses, and supplies to last until the land
granted them had been cleared and Guilt
waited.
Then the sending Of the convicts there
was stopped. The military guard was
withdrawn during the war with Peru, and
the prisoners who consented to join the
army got ticket Of leave. From 1868 to
1883 the populationof the town increased
from 200 to 1000.
The soil is good, coal mines abound, and
gold and silver are found. The coal
mines are worked by company, which
pays the CHILEAN government a small tax
for the privilege. A tramway brings to
town the coal, which is considered a good
q steam article.
Formerly steamers had to go to the
Falkland Islands, 500 miles distant, to get
their supplies. Now they find them at
Punta Arenas. The crop Of potatoes is
considerable, cattle thrive, mushrooms
are obtainable in large quantities. and in
tho 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 settlement
on the CHILEAN coast to the first one on the
eastern side is distance of about four
thousand miles, and the voyage lasts from
fifteen to sixteen DAYS, and Punta Arenas
Fhe population OF the most varied kind,