The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-06-24
n I MI 4 WORLDS ENDS.
MsETE s4E3iME 4%WST A EsMWy #@FF ~ SS@a# sag.7NM NNfGs38
natnsnsrfst and Punta Arenas,
ths NorthsrnIaost and South
srnmost Towns.
Th0 Former u tho Capital or Fln-
mark, = province Of
Norway.

rho Latter Il In ths Chiiian Colony .
Massllanes-Only stopping Point
N Losg Trip.
Do you know the Names Of the two town
chat respectively are the no~rthsrnmost and
rnuat southerly Id tho world?
They ars Hammerfsst, Norway. and Punts
Arenas., Chill.
The former 10 the capital of Finmark, the
extensive province or n OF Norway
which forms ths extreme northern portion
81 sentimental Europe. and il situated be.
tween the Arctic sea mi Russian Lapland
Finmark has an area Of Is, 3O6 square miles
includes Norwegian Lapland and comprise,
4 numerous islands on the northernmost Of
which 10 North Cape. II has importan,
as Aahsrisa, which give employment TO the
greater part OF . population Of nearly
N twenty-five thousand.
Hammerfest 10 on the Qual-os whale
island). OF which IL il the chief port, and 10
sixty miles southwest Of North Caps. Its
houses are Of wood and are painted ON the
outside. Communication between ito quak-
ters if kept up BY boats. Its harbor 10 de-
Tended BY = fort.
" Although situated in latitude seventy de-
Aress. forty minutes, seven seoonds north,
che ummsr heat at times is oppressive,
and even throughout the winter the tenn
p~sratnre Il mild enough for fishing to be
carried on. The sun stays two months
above its horizon. The town exports
stockfish, whale, seal and fish oil, skins,
walrus hides, teeth. copper and feathers.
Its population il about 2, 100. In its trade
Norwegian, Danish. English, German and
Russian vessels are engaged. Thirty small
vessels are sent ont in early spring to Spitz-
bergen TO take part in the fshsries and
wAlrus hunting. Train and cod liver oil
are manufactured in Ham msrfest. sailed
fish u the principal export.
On Fuglsnaes, or Birds cape, which rro-
tects the hsrbor on the north. stands q COL |
umn with an inscription in Morse and
Latin stating that the Town was the desti-
nation Of ths expedition for the measure
ment OF the arc Of meridian. II was also
the place chosen BY Captain Sabine for the
scene OF his pendulum experiments.
Punta Arenas 10 Spanish for Sandy Point.
u is situated upon . level plain in the
Chilian colony of Lagellanea and on the
east coast Of the Brnnswick peninsula.
Back of the town snowcapped mountains
y1S0 70 the 0lG0b OF l.UUU Feet. |
It's houses are almost all one story and
buiis irrsgularly. Just outside of the set-
tlemsnt are fields Of moss and low hills
whose timber has bsen burned. Opposite
the point. oil the other side Of the Straits Of
Magellan. IL the island of Terra del Fuego, |
ths Land Of Fire. so styled BY Maealhaens,
its Portuguese diseoverer. because of the
great nlmber Of fires which he noticed
it the first night he approached it,.
shores.
Punta Arenas Was founded in 1913 az a
penal settlement. and has ever since been
known only as such to those who have read
or heard of it. Ito unenyiable reputation
led 70 Its decline 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 "a a station of
Gall tho supply, and in 1868 Chilli sent out
100 immigrants with q governor to take pos
session Of it. The immigrants brought
along 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 c~onvicts there was
stopped. TIL military guard was with
drawn during the war with Peru. and all the
prisoners who consented to JOIN the army
got a ticket of leave. From 1865 to 1883 the
10 1000.
~ - . kVO0t CUAA lAluSb dUOUuu ana
gold and silver are found. The coal mines
are worked by a company which pays the
Chllian government q small tax fer the
privilege. A tramway brings to town the
coal, which is considered a good "stsam"
Formerly steamers had to 90 to the Falk-
land island, 600 miles distant, to get their
supplies. Now they find them at Punta
Arenas. The crop of potatoes is consider !
able, cattle thrive, good mushrooms are OBJ
talnable IN large Quantities, and in the var
1ous seasons parrots, geese, ducks. snipe.
Punta Arenas is the largest town in south ,
Chilli and the only one in the strait. 4.
From the nearest settlement on the CHILEAN s
BOAST 10 the first one on the eastern side ia
2 distance OF about 1000 miles, and the voy-
lasts from fifteen to sixteen DAYS. and
Pnnta Arenas is the only stopping place.
The population is of the most varied
kind, including e~x-convicts, fupitivsy OF all
sorts, castaway sailors. deserters from the I
nayles OF all countries. Cinnamon. negroes.
folande.s Irish. English, Italians, Cor J
Russians, Portuguese, Spaniards. ]
hebrews-men from all chimes. types of ali
humanity. Every tongue seems to be 6
spoken ana each language seems to have its
interpreter. English largely predomi-
Mates.
1t is a natkst for queer relics. shell. dv-
ing nah: sea lions tusks, serpents' skins, !
Cape Horn agntes. turtle shells, armadillo !
Tails. In which the P~ataRonlans carry their
war paint; guanaco, seal and ostrich skins
ostrich rugs. The last named are
made from the breasts Of young ostriohes. I
and are OF softest down and ~lovelisst plum- &
age. The plumss are plucked from the
tails and wings while alive, but to G
optain the Jugs the little ostriches are killed
md skinned. Then the breasts are sewed ]
Different colors are artisticsllv
biende The rugs are used as carriage =
robes, for the backs of couches or chairs. 7
Tor panels in front of dress skirts and for
opera cloaks. =
THE NATIONAL GUN FACTORY,