The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-07-24
MORGAN IN SOUTH AMERICA.

The acts or j. Plerpont Morgan are sup
posed to be cold business propositions,
III mixed with sentiment or imagination.
i'll these vast enterprises. although senti-
ment may be wanting, the imagination
plays a very important and vital part.
In fact it is the gigantic imagination of
the man that most impresses us. The
imagination which pre-arranges all the
details of the vast combinations which
he launches is the secret of the mans sac
cess
One of his latest schemes, while bearing
the stamp of that daring Imagination, also
carries with it an aroma of the pictur-
esque.
The dispatches few days since an
rounced that J. Pierpont Morgan, through
his London banking house, has bought
the uncompleted trans Andean railroad
which, when finished, will unite valparai-
so, Chile. with Buenos Ayres. Argentine.
Something more than twenty years ago
the Chilean government granted a fran
chise to two British Chileans to con-
struet railroad over the Andes to con-
meet the Chilean state railroad line with
that Ct Argentine, thus forming ! trans
continental line through two of the most
prosperous South American republics.
The road was to begin at Santo Rosa.
the terminus of the Chilean state line, and
extend over the Andes to the boundary
line between Chile and her eastern neigh
Dor, at which point the Argentine road
was to complete the link. The engineer
ing feat was somewhat difficult but by
no means impracticable The highest
point to be overcome was 10000 feet above
sea level. The altitude of Santa Rosa
being $500, there was $500 feet to over
come in the fifty miles to the Argentine
boundary. This would necessitate using a
cog drive wheel and third rail. The
work was pushed by the grantees until
the Barring failure eight years ago, when
they were compelled to abandon it.
This concession, with the partly COM
pltlSQ WOIhJ- MI IOISdH mas secured
at what the press says is an exhorbltant
figure Be that as it may. this move
on the commercial checkerboard is sig
nificant in the extreme. 1t demonstrates
the fact that the Morgan combine not
only intend to leave no stone unturned
to monopolize the iron and steel trade
of the world, but that they will enter
into active competitor for the passenger
and freight carrying trade.
One of the best markets now held by
European nations is that of South Ameri-
ca, the choice of which is found in Ar
genuine and Chile To open this UP to
American iron, steel and general mer-
chandise Morgan plants himself in their
very midst and seizes the key to the
whole transcontinental business. The
fifty miles of road is all he needs to be
able to dictate teri-s to both ends. In
case of commercial war he holds an
impregnable "kopje.
Outside of the question of South Amer
lean trade, this position will give to
Morgan decided advantage in the con-
test for the passenger and mail business
between Europe and Australia and the
East Indies. Passengers and mail from
Paris, Berlin, and London can be landed
at Buenos Ayres, transported over a
most delightful country and through the
grandest scenery on the globe to Val
paraiso and there sent direct to points
in the Orient. Besides saving many days
the dangerous trip around Cape Horn will
be avoided. The route will be scarcely
longer than that across the fever invest
| ed isthmus of Panama.
This investment in conjunction with
the Leyland steamship line will open up,
the south part of Latin-America to
Yankee products. South America holds
more possibilities than any other part
of the globe now subject to exploitation.
It's agricultural and mineral wealth are
unrivaled and the climate in the south
erh part-1eaves nothing to be desired
1t will be happy day for both Chile
and Argentine when their railroad sys-
TENS are Americanized if not Morgan
lied.