The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-01-10

scenery or engineering skill alone can
it goes nowhere. The money gave out
when it reached the town of Chicla.
nesting in the heart of the Andes,
Just 100 miles from it's first goal. To
connect the capital, Lima, with the
silver mines of Cerro del Pasco. and
thence to the head of the Amazon
river navigation, and so on TO the At
lantic, had long been the dream of
Peruvian statesmen. The idea was as
visionary and impossible. With his
usual energy, however, Meggs
at once took hold of the
work, and in 1870 the rail
road was begun. Commencing at Lima
it ascends the narrow valley of the
holy Rimac river, and rises 5000 feet
in the first As miles to a pretty valley
which is now used as a summer resort.
Then it follows giddy, serpentine
pathway along the edge of great preci-
pieces and over bridges tina; seem to
float in the air, tunnels the Andes at DIN
altitude of 10000 feet-the highest spot
in the world where piston rod is pro-
PEELED by steam-and reaches the town
of Oroyo, 10000 feet above he level of
the sea. The track has been forced
through the mountains by Il series of
IS tunnels, aggr .gating six miles in
length. The turnel of Galera, at the
top of the AndcG, is 1000 feet long,
and it is the highest tunnel upon the
81 ho orfh tho nan
were too narrow for a curve, the system
of reverse tangents had to be adopted.
and the track zig-zags up the mountain
sides on the switch and back up princi-
pie, until the summit is gained; hence.
there are often five or six lines of track
parallel to each other, one above an
other, on the mountain side. Nearly
the whole length of the road was made
by blasting. and there is no earth visi
BILE except what was carried there.
Grading was done with the drill and
hundreds of pounds of powder. During
the six years the road was under con-
struction, over 1000 lives were lost.
Human life is cheap, however, in Peru
Meiggs made millions in Peru. Al
one time he had contracts with the gov
eminent in his own name amounting
to $s0,0O0,0OO. He employed the best
American engineers obtainable, and
paid them salaries of $4,000 a year
each, besides large bonuses in addition.
When the Arequipa road was COM
l.leted, he chartered two ocean-going
steamers of the Pacific Steam Naviga-
ton company, fitted them with wines
and provisions, and invited the Peruvi-
an congress, all the national officials,
and the leading men of the country to
be his guests at the celebration of the
opening of the road. To relieve the
monotony of the sea voyage, he took
along an Italian circus company. For
two weeks the distinguished company
enjoyed themselves in a grand spree.
In Peru the people follow the Span
ish proverb: HE who pays COM
mands" Meiggs was an IN
crowned king. With the magic wand
Of gold he virtually controlled the Pc
1'uvian minister of finance, the SUI
preme court justices, and the infuen-
tial members of congress. He lived in
a marble-fronted palace in the aristo-
cratic part of Lima, and kept open
house like a prince. No viceroy of
the golden days of Spanish rule lived
SO royalty or dispensed favors with
such a prodigal hand. His wines were
the best money could buy, and his
cigars, made especially for him in
Cuba, were of the same brand used by
Emperor Napoleon III.
Meiggs' greatest ability was as a finan-
cier. While practically uneducated, he
possessed excellent common sense, and
he understood human nature as few do.
When building railroads in Peru, he was
paid, of course, in national bonds, and
he personally placed them, in England
and France, upon far better terms than
the Peruvians had ever been able to do.
Bolivia had reputation for never meet
ing her obligations, yet he succeeded in
disposing of Bolivian bonds to excellent
advantage in England. But as an or
ganizer and contractor of great works,
and as manager of men, Meiggs was
never equaled in South America, and
rarely surpassed anywhere.
Artists and writer's never sought his
assistance in vain. 1t was Meiggs' Gus
tom to educate young girls, claiming
their favors in early womanhood, aft
erward giving large dowry as an in
ducement to marry. Like the count of
Monte Cristo, he would pour pure gold
by the handful into the laps of women
who craved his aid. His wedding pres
ent to the daughter of the Peruvian
president was diamond necklace that
cost $125,000. He was the personifica-
ton of lavish liberality, and the de-
scendants of the Incas-the Cholos of
to-day-almost deifed him.
Meiggs could not, however, forget the
shadow which hung over his earlier life
in the United States, and the fact that
he was a criminal and a fugitive con-
tinually troubled him. Finally, by the
use of money and the help of friends,
the legislature of California was in
duced to grant him amnesty. He was
invited to return, but he never availed
himself of the privilege.
In October, 1877, in the 65th year of
his lie, stroke of paralysis carried
him off. The amount of the fortune he
left is not known, but along the west
coast of South America his name and
fame will never be forgotten.-San