The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-03-04

there except during the four winter
months, but dews always keep the at
mOsphere moist and pleasant. There is
no country more healthful than Chile,
the travellers say.
Chile has enormous natural wealth. In
the mineral belt gold, silver, copper, lead,
anthony, cobalt. zinc. nickel, bismuth,
iron, molybdenum, and nitrate are
found in great quantities and the mining
operations are extensive. The Germans
and English have flocked there with
capital to work the mines. Chileans
also engage in the work as principals,
but not to the same extent as foreigners.
| The country profits enormously by her
mines outside of the employment it
| gives her labOrng classes, through the
fees she eXacts of the mine owners for
| privileges and the export taxes which
she places upon the output. The silver
mines of Chile are among the richest
and most extensive in the world. The
stories told by travellers of the percent
age of pure metal found in the ores are
considered prepOsterOus sometimes, but
there is evidence to show that the ores
are wonderfully rich, surpassed, per
haps, only by few ancient and Cele-
bra, ed mines in Peru. The great miner.
al wealth of Chile, however, comes
from her nitrate of soda deposits, and
therein lies 4 story.
Before the war of 1873 between Chile
on one hand and Peru and Bolivia on the
other, the northern boundaries of Chile
were fixed indefinitely south of the
Bolivian desert of AtaCamaj North of
Atacama was the desert of Tarapaca,
which belonged to Peru. Chic never
questioned the rights of those countries
to her arid regions till it was ascertaIned
that they were stored with wealth. The
silver mines of Guantagua and Santa
Rosa, near Iquique in TarapaCa, had
been known before, but it was believed
that the deserts were of no value. But
when it was discovered that in TarapaCa
and Atacams there were lneXhauStible
beds of nitrate and bOraX; that in Alta
CANA were some of the richest silver
mines in the world, and that guano de-
poSits had accumulated. on the rocky
prOmontorieS of the coast, Chile disput-
ed the boundary lines. A pretence for
war was found upon the tlimsiest of
evidence. Bolivia and Peru united in
defence. But together they were no
match for Chile, and both provinces have
since paid their tribute into her Golfers
and form now her chief source of in
come.
The yearly output of nitrate of soda is
enormous, and hundreds of vessls are
engaged in the traffic of carrying it from
the deserts of Chile over the world.
British capital chiefly is employed in the
great industry. The nitrate is found
from one TO ten feet below the soil, mix
ed with eXtraneous m litter. In that form
it is called caichc. The beds of caliche
are four to six or eight feet in thickness,
and extend over vast areas of territory.
The Tarapaca desert is especially rich in
it. The caliChe is obtained by blasting,
the powder being packed in deep holes,
or tirOs, extending through the upper
soil and the caliche itself. 1t is then
loaded on cars and taken to the shore by
train, where it passes through purifying
processes of dissolution and recrystaliZa-
ton. The nitrate is then ready for the
market and is shipped in bags.
The deserts which hide the nitrate
beds are deSolate in the extreme. 1t is
probable that rain has nOttallen on them
for many years. Animals cannot exist
there. Rivers miles away are detected
from their courses to supply drinking
water for the laborers, and all supplies
are brought by railroad. The nitrate
DEUS dIG SlpDOSGl W he Tic DOJ-
toms of salt lakes of prehistoric times.
Many thousands of ChiIeans are employ
ed there. Thus Chile derives her largest
income from provinces stolen from weak
or neighOOrS.
The other minerals found in Chile pay
largely also. Her deserts and mountains
are full of wealth, and are making for
tunes for those who work them. Her
guano beds are large and profitable, al
though her nitrate has of late curtailed
the demand for guano, being itself
cheap fertilizer. 1t is believed that
Chile'S mountains are full of undiscOv-
cred fortunes. Coal of an excellent
quality and of unlimited quantities has
been discovered south of the mineral
belt, and is being mined extensively and
profitably. The agricultural belt south
of the mining region is delightful
country, covered with farms and dotted
with flourishing towns. 1t is crossed Oy
railroads in many directions, and is as
prosperous and delightful a country as
can be found. The greater cities are
there.
But in spite of the fertile soil and eli
mate only irrigation has made agricul-
ture possible throughout large part of
from the winds ana rain is light and in
frequent. But the Industrious ChIleans
defect the rushing rivers from their
courses and spread their waters in little
bitches over the country. The system,
which travellers describe as very similar
to that used in our Western States, is
carried to degree approaching perfec-
ton. The farmers of section combine
to tap river and ditch its water to their
acres, where it is distributed, the ex-
penses being borne in common. Under
that syst m the whole country blooms
like u garden. Oranges, lemons, and
figs abound toward the north Then
comes the region of flax, corn, grapes,
olives and peaches. Flu ther south,
where the climate is much like that OF
Great Britain, wheat, barley, rye, flax,
and corn are cultivated with immense
success i'll quantities sufficient to supply
the Nation and export largely. Peru
and Bolivia depend to a great extent on
Chile for their cereals. Travellers praise
that favored part of Chile in words
which seems excessive.
The timber and fisheries belt, cOmpris-
ing an enormous territory, is almost an
meXplOred wilderness. Its forest
wealth is declared to be unsurpassed, ex-
cept by the British possessions of North
America. The trees are of varieties un-
known to us, but just as satisfying to
the needs of man. Capital is attacking
the edges of the forests, and an export
business has been begun with Europe.