The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-04-21
THE TRIP Up THE ORINOCO
IFrom the New York SUM-

TFrom the New York SUM-
Mr.. Frank B. Loomis, minister to
Venezuela, who recently made trip up
the Orinoco and along part of the north
coast of that country in the United
States gunbOat Wilmington, has sent
an interesting account of the voyage to
the state department. He says in part:
The OrinocO river is about 20 miles
wide at it's mouth and flows over an i'm
mense bar. which it took US an hour
to clear. The muddy waters of the riv
er project many miles seward and are
noticeable about the time land is sight
ed. There are no steering marks or
lights or lighthouses on the coast of
Venezuela. The river loses half its
width about 80 miles above the BOca
Grande and the banks on either side.
very low throughout the delta region,
are thickly covered with trees and
plants. The tropical vegetation is
SumptuOuSly beautiful.
4 made point of stopping wherever
there were any considerable American
interests near the OrinOcO. The first
place of this character was ManOa, the
seat of the Imataca mines. These come
out almost to the waters edge at
ManOa. which is situated on the Ina
taca river, about five miles above it's
confluence with the oflnocO- The mines
are rich in iron ore OF very desirable
quality. and there is at this time fight
over their possession IN the Venezuelan
courts.
santa Catalina. an ancient hamlet
on the Santa Catalina river, three miles
from it's junction with the Orinoco, is
the headquarters of the Orinoco COM
pany, Limited. American company
which has a concession from the Vene-
zuelan government authorizing il to
exploit some 1000 square miles of terri
tory in the OrinocO valley. The COM
pany has erected a large frame building
at Santa Catalina. which it uses as Of
fees and living rooms for its officers.
Much work in the way of research and
exploration has been accomplished. but
no organized efforts at COLOMBIA ton
have been made. The main product
from the lands of the Orinoco company
at present is balata, a substitute for
rubber. There are great possibilities
for work and wealth on the concession
of the Orinoco company, and there is
every reason to think that the mineral
deposits are varied and rich. The soil is
extremely fertile and the climate as
agreeable as it is anywhere in this part
of the country. The Orinoco company
has a capital stock of 100000 600.
The first town of consequence at
which we stopped was Barrancas. about
half way between the mouth of the Or
inOcO and Ciudad Bolivar. 1t is also
near the mouth of the Ma.careO, a delta
stream which enters the Gulf of Paria
not a great distance from Port of
Spain, and which furnishes the only
practicable inland route for river steam
ers from Port of Spain to the Orinoco.
Barrancas is OF some commercial inter
est. for the reason that it is an as
sembling and shipping point for cattle.
most of which are sent to Cuba. This
trade has come into being since the
war.
The Wilmington also stopped at ST.
Felix. a town of some 1000 inha bitants,
six eight hours from Barrancas. in
the directions of Ciudad Bolivar. This is
the point of departure from the river
for persons bound for the Ell Callao
gold mining district. 1t is stated that
more than $40 .00e 900 in gold has been
shipped from st. Felix in recent years.
There has been for several years little
activity in this region, but there are in
dicationS that revival of interest is at
hand. and American capitalists are
trying to get from the Venezuelan gov
eminent a concession giving them au-
thOrity to build a railroad from St
Felix to the gold fields. some 10 miles
distant. When this road is built it will
be one of the most profitable in South
America. for all the traffic to and from
the mines will have to pass over it and
the region will develop rapidly when it