The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-12-15
RussER IN SOUTH AMERICA.
Vast Wealth II the Valley ef the A1sssa
River.


Vast Wealth ef the vari.y Of the Anssse
River.
Courtenay de Kalb, the South Amexi.
can traveller. tells his experience II -
valley of the Amazon as follows.
From the sery day in Isls. when
Pinzon, who had followed Columbus in
his first daring leap into the xnknown
west entered the Amazon . glamor Of
romance began 10 gather about the
mighty forsst-coyered valley OF that
river. In 1sso francesca de orelianz
came across the Andes and sailed down
the Amazon TO the sea. bringing won-
gold and the Kingdoms of warrior
women. Padre Cristeval de Acuna.
after his journey across the baain OF tho
river boldly affirmed. Il sste. that
there was situated the fausnus FL Do
rado, that there abode The Amasons in
the richest spiender that the world had
known, that the river Tocantius was
shaIne with golden sands and precious
stones AID that she glory of the Astecs
and the lncas was as nothing compared
with the land u the omaguas. These
ideas. which we now smile at power
fully inAamed the minds of those dir
tant epoehs
''Such were the incentives that ear
ried the first white men into tae Ana.
zon valley The hopes Of the fathers
became the food OF the sons This ur-
reasoning expectancy. this unreal ex-
istenec, was the inheritance each
genera ton left to the nexs.
The speople Of the Amazon slow
spirit Of Incidence. the life ui
penury enuchea in the luxury o.
gilded dreams is still their hsr,hrighi
from the past New forces are working
also. and the Amazonisns have found
their El Dorado At last surrounding
and overhanging their very homes in
that wonderful gum from their forests
of rubber trees, whose uses in the arts
of civilization seem 10 have no end.
The steam whistle stsrtle. the wilder.
ness, the hum of saw mills rises from
the river banks. cities are growing IN
many parts, new faces crowd among
the old, and the jingle OF gold sounds
in unaccustomed ears
''The valley of the Amazon is a irrrs
incogn;to To the great bulk OF our peo
pie, IN spite OF lis wonderful CONNER
cial advantages Yet there have been
many works written by studious and
careful travellers which give the amplesf
information about life and scenery ir
the remarkable valley, Among these
travellers may be mentioned a k Wall
a "A
Orton, Cresaux and chiefly Lieut. Hern.
don, who was sent under orders by
the state department. of the United
States and who submitted report
which stands to-day a. an aekpowl-
edged classic on the resources Of the
Amazon
The principal city and port of the
Amazon is Para, situated eighty miles
from the sea on the estuary of the To-
cautius II is city Of between 90. oeo
and 90, 900 Inhabitants, and is one ot
the most beautiful cities of the western
hemisphere. The climate is one OF the
most charming In the world for equals
" OF temperature, and the eons,ana
sea breeze and daily thunder shower.
keep the air sweet aud pure. IL WAS
always regarded ss an exceptionally
healthy city until is5o. when yellow
fever was imported there. This dread
disease is now epidemic in Para. aud
keeps away thousa nds a tourists who
would otherwise visit there.
''The exports Of rubber from rara
exceed 10000. 600 per yannum, and es-
ports of Brazil nnts and deer skins
bring this up 20 s25 600 900 One line
of steamships from New York sails
monthly 10 Para. and thence .ss5 milrs
up tho Amazon 20 the city Of msnaos
The Amazon Steam Navigation Co at
Para has feet Of forty-eignt steamers
which run up the Amazon and every
one of the rivers navigse!c tributaries
This company pays dividends OF nearly
$500, 0oo per snnum, and is Increasing
them rapidly.
The valley OF .he Amazon IL nos
generally regarded as being snitabie
for colonization by people from temper
ate climates This may be true and IL
may not There sre, of course. dam
gers frora the 81 Innate for foreigners
in the beginning. but with proper
precautions risk 60 life may be- avoided
There may bc danger for new conner ,
to work ensrgeticaliy, exposed % tho
sun and the rains. bat through the d.
reetion If native labor thsre Is chance
for foreigners settling there 90 es.ab-
Iish highly reruunerafiye plantations OF
ru bber trocs-
At present there are no cuit'va. -
rubber orchards in Brazil. bnt the d.<
ssructioB of the wild supply by O. 50
rubber gathercrz and the rapid increase
in the demand for rubber are making
imperative the necessity Of establishing
large plantations OF these trees rub
Der tree requires twelve years ~ ma
tHre. Short crops may De obtained
after the stxth year. when In full
bearing the yield 10 an average OF
three pounds 20 tree The value of
the rubber on ths spo, wtIi probably
never b. less thsG fifty 5ve cents
pound Two hundred trees can h-s
plated 90 81 acre of lzad witboat uu
due eroadinz and when once IL b~ar-
ing they vii essn;ians IN yield for Pc
rods Of from ssvszty y.gse - eE- haz-
ared Tsars
n he trees require - b. planted Ia
ali0Yihl bottom lands sstfert % en-
nuaI isundatioB. Easrmoas sss&s II
sach bottom lands. saabsssbas slusflar
n character - the TszDo ssd Tsa.a<
basins a. tse sisssss.pGA eKis. IA The
valley ~ sbe Amazon. sn<i san bs OBJ
i@ined fsofn tfe ForornSosas as nom
ina rstee for @e1aal oce,spa ney.--& y.
STofld