Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-09-04
IN Brazil
Secretary Dawson Of the American
Legation at Rio Janerio Makes
a Report.
Much Valuable Information For
Business Men Who Engage in
Foreign Trade.
First Publication Of a Document on
the subject-A Laborions
Task.
Special to Republican.

Special to Times Republican.
Des Moines Sept. 4.-One of the most
important duties of the American dip
to secure information that Will be valu-5 /
able to American business men contem-
plating foreign trade. Mr.. Thomas G.
Dawson, secretary of the Brazilian lega-
ton, has made a contribution of this
character that is of the greatest value |
to the United States, and in fact TO the
world. 1t is the result of an exhaustive |
original investigation and brings to-
gether information concerning the rail-
ways in Brazil which has hitherto never
been published 1t forms a document
of about forty printed pages in the con-
sular reports. Considering the fact that
there is almost a total lack of statistical
information in Brazil concerning these
railways. MIR. DaWa0n'9 Undertaking
was an enormous one. and he has re-
ceived many compliments forit. The
gist of 1t all. contained in the intrcduc-
tory pages. is assfollows.
u
l.ernmental or private devoted TO Bra
izilian railroads. General statistics are
| not gathered. Until last year there was
no guide attempting to g ve time tables
and tariff schedules The one that has
appeared being new, is, necessarily inn
perfect. Reports are made by the gov
ernment railroads. and certain roads
(which are fscalized by the government
Iare required TO rnak,- reports 10 the min
lister of public works. These reports are.
however. made according 10 no uniform
lsystem. No two of them are alike, and
"details given in one are lacking in oth-
EeIs. | have attempted TO ccllate the in.
+. formation given in them, adding What
sIcoud be gathered from the annual re-
sIporta to stockholders made by the man
iagement of individually operated roads
A and the data appearing in the published
reports of the different states. The last
Epublicetion attempting to treat t8compen-
4 lf,iously of the railroads of Brazil is a
sketch which appeared in 1883. written
y by Fernando Pinheirio. This and the
summary of the railroads of San Paue
made by Consul Hill. of Santos tCom
! i.nercia! Relations. 1897, page So5), have
Z lproved of value. Most of he statistics
lnesein given are for the year ending De
Ecen,ber 81. 1897. In tha case of d few
Enf the more important roads those fp1
1855 have beer obtainable and are
81 given.
There are now in Brazil slxty-three
Z lssepaiately operated linesso steam rail-
Z, iWas. The length Of lire under traffic is
I 5El4SG1 kilometers t9.l91 riilsso. OF which
-Il.4e2 kilometera zoos milesf are hroad
Ieauee ll.6 natursls7 Sarasp, 1e.45!
Z kilemeters q. .I142 milesl are meter 40!
yards) gauge. and sSI kiionleisrs t551
: E!nilesl are three-faurths IF 4 meter
: ffour-tifthssef a yaidl T'he government
2 Eopsrates five lines with a length of 2.oI
kilonleters d,2sI milss): ti,e states four
-iwith n length of III klhMeters tilt
d irailea}. guaranteed con- panies. l,3s
n lkilometers Ci.5S nliles9, and non guar
g l.anteed companies 5,i91 kiloinatera (S,2l
The latter TWO items are oni.
il Approximately correct. owing 10 tn
Z complicated nature of the various ma
q Gtional and state guarantees and III
!. flapse Of sana Of them The nationa
ii guarantee. aggregate 42si kilnnetsr
!, q $50 miles) under traffic. The unia
II and the statsa have constructed 3.43
4 kilemeters Obj miles>. F9us govern
"a nent lines With a total length Of lis
kilometers II34 miles, We're leased I
y. Econpa within the last Two years
u Propositions for similar leases of thie
4 government lines are now undei ns'iG
Z I.e,rttion. One state line has just bee
s sold tothe Union. Prop0sitionsst ~ leas
h lsanother 10 u company are non beiil
J. Econsia4Ned by the administration OF II
6 STATE. which owns it.
The population of Brazil is scattere
ie along ths coast The large cities al.
ioris mountainous Inland ccmmunics
6 tion between the ports is difficult. al,
s. leach has its tributary territory Gepent
II sr,t Tor rftercourse with the outsic
!, world upon8tt alone. The railroads a
y. therefore divided iistn separate system
1, each having its terminus at a ditfarel
&, port and except in two instances, n,
3 Ieonnected with each other:
Beginning a the most northerlS pa
!, and following around the coast, the sy
-. -. tens may be enumerated as follows:
- Para With a single short line;
u Maranhao. with one short line basil
~ ining a considerable distance UP Il
nayigable river Itapicuru. which tloS
~ ~ into aths sea at the port Of Maranhao.
ms G,amocim. small seaport in the sta
~ OF ceara With one line:
" Fprtale2a. the principal seaport of Il
- same state. With one line
~ Natal the capital and port of f
pe Grande de Norte. with ore line.
os Parahiba, the capital of the state
the same name. With one line,
Recife. or Pernambuco which is 7
- Icenter from which six lines radia
), covering pretty we'll the eastern part
y - the state The most southern of the
connects With the next system.
Maceio, the capital and port of al
- goas With one line.
-, Piranhas. IA river port at the head
: navigation on the Lower San Francis
1t has a line, the PaGlo Alfonso viii
runs around the great cataracts a
NJ. connects the navigable upper and low
rs. waters of the river.
I,y Bahia. or rather the great bay viii
tha lis that city's harbor. is the center
,ur four lines
~ Caravellas. the southern port of
e state Of Bahia, has one line.
Victoria. the capital of Espiritu San
has one line now under construct
ou- which it is intended to connect with
grt Rio system.
1893 Cachoeiro da Itape1im, an unimpo
ant port at the head Of small boat na
--s-t t.-'--.ss ,ss-
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