The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-08-21
LOST OPPORTUNITY
TRADE WITH SOUTH AMERICAN
STATES ATTRACTS ATTENTION.
United States Merchants Living in
Hope that Work on the Nicaraguan
Canal Will BE Rushed.
Special to the indianapolis journal.

Special TO the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON. Aug. 2O.-A map of AMER
lea showing the transportation routes of
North, Central and South America. just
issued by the Treasury Bureau of Statistics.
gives some interesting data on the relative
I distance between the commercial centers
OF the United States and those Of other
parts of the world via the various exist
ing and proposed water routes. 1t shows
especially the routes followed by steamships
in the m between the Eastern and
Southern. ports of the United States and of
| Central and South America and the west
ern coast Of the United States. The con-
| trast between the distances now traversed
in commerce of Eastern United States with
western coasts of America and those which
would be made practicable by an isthmian
canal is interesting. The fact that the
! Isthmus Of Panama lies almost directly
south of the Atlantic coast ports and that
all for the western coasts Of
South America must now travel eastwardly
a distance Of over $500 miles and again
back to the west a like distance before
reaching the western coast Of South Amer
lea indicates in some degree the loss OF
distance and steam power which must be
utilized in reaching the western coast or
South America, contrasted with that which
will be practicable should a water route be
opened across the isthmus. From New York
TO Valparaiso, on the western coast of South
America, via the Straits Of Magellan. is
shown to be $3.50 miles. while via Colon and
Panama it is but 4,52 miles; while from
New York to San Francisco via the Straits
Of Magellan is 1900 miles, while via Mic
aragua it is 4,s6I.
The of the west coast of South
America, as shown by the publication of
the Bureau of Statistics which this map
accompanies, now amounts to over $780,
100000 annually. and of this sum but S15.-
100000 is with the United States. The i'm
ports of Chile, Peru. Ecuador and Bolivia
amounted in 1897 to over $50, DOC, 900. and of
this amount less than 100000 was from
the United States. Thus in that part of
the m in which the United States
producers and manufacturers are most in
tereSted, the export trade, the United states
now obtains less than 10 per cent. Of the
trade of the Pacific coast of South America.
Regarding the details of the trade of the
western coast of South America, the special
publication of the Bureau of Statistics rela-
tive to the of Central and South
America has the following: Chile; which
coast of South America, about equals In size
the States of California. Oregon and Wash
and the population 3,049, S52, or about two
thirds that of New England. Lying largely
within the temperate zone, 1t has developed
a greater variety Of industries and with
nearer to the equator. About one-half of It's
Wheat product alone being about 10000
bushels, other cereals amounting to about
s,5O0.000 bushels, besides fruits and vegeta-
bles. Sheep and cattle are largely grown,
and wool, hides and leather form the i'm
portant features of her exports. The most
trate, the expectation of which is rapidly
increasing. The imports in 1897 are given
at 2 .sos.524 of which $40 Ga rs was from
many, $l,624, ASS from the United States, $751;
4S from Spain, and S~5,4l4,6o6 from other
countries. thus indicating that the United
States has less than z per cent. of the i'm
ports of Chile. The Statesman's Year Book
gives the value of the imports into Chile in
20.OsO. 943 from Germany, 6,s07, 165 from the
United States. Value of peso, 361a cents.l
The imports of 1897 included sugar. valued
at 5,sSS.659 pesos; coal; Az, slS; cotton and
cotton goods. 1887, 900; sacks, empty. q
44o. 2Oe; illuminating oil. LASS. O9O;
1,221,91S: tea, 1,046,256, and galvanized iron.
1892 76 pesos. Chile was the first State of
South America in the construction, of rail
ways. In 1897 the total length of her lines
open for traffic was 2,661 miles, of which 1888
belong TO the State. The Transandino line,
which is expected to connect the Pacific
Buenos Ayres. Argentine, lacks but forty
six miles of completion. Recent appropria-
tons for completing the tunnels required for
soon be completed and through land trans
portation thus given between the Pacific
and the Atlantic at this point.
Peru, which stretches northwardly from
Chile, has also an area equivalent 10 that
of California, Oregon and Washington COM
ulation slightly greater than that of the
State of Texas being z,621,oo. The imports
of Peru in 1897 are given at ss.oS5 1872. of
which amount S737. $50, or 9.15 per cent, was
from the United States, while 5000. 1856 was
from the United Kingdom, $3.50 $50 from
Germany and 1855. 5S6 from France. The
| chief nrO0nctiOnd are cotton. coffee and Sill
gar. Cinchona, India rubber, dyes and me-
dicinal plants are also features of the prod
with Great Britain and Germany, is carried
on from several ports. of which the princi-
pal are Caliao and Mollondo. The 1897 i'm
sol, 434 cents.) The chief exports are SUI
gar, silver ore, copper ore, coffee. wool, rub
third of the imports into Peru are from
Great Britain. one-sixth from Germany and
one-ninth from France. The chief exports
woolens, cottons, iron wrought and un-
wrought and machinery.
Peru. has an area of 10000 square miles,
about equal. to that of Ohio, Indiana and
Illinois combined, and a population of l.
81. 1000. Although lying directly under the
equator. the great elevation of it's table
lands gives very considerable variety to its
productions. Coffee, cacao. rice, sugar, rub
Der, cabinet woods, chemicals and minerals
are its chief products and exports. It's chief
imports are cotton and other tissues. provi-
4 S1OnS, manufactures Oh IRON ana steel. CLOTH
ing and mineral oil. Fronting as it does
only on the Pacific, its distance by water
from the Eastern part of the United States
Is very great, and as a consequence its pur-
chases are largely from European countries.
The exports of the United States TO Ecuador
have never reached 81 100000 annually. the
nearest approach being in 1891, when the
total was 1903, 159. though that of 1898 was
1856, 1913. According TO the message of the
President of Ecuador delivered in 1898, the
imports of 1897 amounted to 1S.0o4. 04S sucres.
Value of sucre in 1897. 4L4 cents: present
value, 434 cents.) British exports to Ecua-
dor in 1897 amounted to s2.000.000. the chief
articles being cotton goods, 1850, 900; wool
ems. 100000. and iron, wrought and un-
wrought. $3.50. 0Oo.
Bolivia. beirg entirely an interior coun-
try and having no seaport, the official sta
tistics are fragmentary and largely esti-
mates. Imports and exports pass chiefly
through Autofagasta. Africa. and Mollondo,
on the Pacific coast. and in smaller quanti-
ties through the eastern river ports, Porto
Suraz and Villa Bella. The total imports
I'm 1897 are estimated at "a. 467. 100 bolivianos.
Value of boliviano. 43.4 cents.) The chief
imports are provisions, hardware. spirits.
%cottons. woolens. silks and clothing. and
the chief exports are silver, tin. copper,
coffee and rubber. Bolivia has an area of
561 $50 square miles. or considerably greater
than that of the entire group of Southern
States east of the Mississippi river. with a
population of 2.019, $40. or considerably less
/ than that Of North and South Carolina con-