Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1896-01-16

Nesting lE the neafC OF tne AnQeS,
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
grand as it's consummation appeared
visionary and impossible. With his
usual energy, however, Meiggs
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 pretty valley
which is now used as 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 an
altitude of $4,000 feet-the h CHEST spot
in the world where piston rod is pro-
PEELED by steam-and reaches the town
of Oroyo, 10000 feet above The level of
the sea. The track has been forced
through the mountains by series Of
G5 tunnels, aggregating six miles in
length. The tunnel of Galera. at the
top of the Andes, is 1000 feet long,
and it is the highest tunnel upon the
surface of the earth. AS tho canyons
were too narrow for a curve, the system
of reverse tangents had to b. adopted,
and the track zig-zags up the mountain
sides on the switch and pack-up p1inci-
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 Garth 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. At
onc'time he had contracts with the gov
eminent in his own name amounting
to $SO.OOO,OO0. He employed the best
American engineers obtainable, and
paid them salaries of $4,000 year
each, besides large bonuses in addition.
When the Arequipa road was COM
I.ieted, 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
he his guests at the celebration of the
oEening of the road. 10 relieve the
Elonotony of the sea voyage, he took
along an Italian circus company. For
two weeks the distinguished company
enjoyed themselves in grand spree.
Rare wines and costly champagnes
flowed freely as water. ALeiggs caused
beautiful medals of gold, silver and
bronze to be struck Off in commemora-
ton of the event, which he distributed
by thousands. The cost of this mag
nificent entertainment was not less
than $35O,0OO.
In Peru the people follow the Span
ish proverb: He who pays COM
n'nds'-and Meiggs was an I'M
crowned king. With The magic wand
Of gold he virtually controlled the Pc
ruvian minister of finance, the SUI
preme court justices, and the inhuen-
tial members of congress. He lived in
marble-fronted palace in the aristo-
cratic part of Lima, and kept open
house like prince. No vicerov of
the golden days of Spanish rule lived
SO royalty OF dispensed favors with
snch 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 a diamond necklace that
cost $4,000. He was the personifica-
ton of lavish liberality, and the de-
scendants of the lncas-the Cholos of
tO-day-almost deified him.
Meiggs could not, however, forget the
shadow which hung over his earlier life
in the United States, and the fact that
he was criminal and 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 life, 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
Francisco Argonaut.
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