Evening star., 1902-08-05
BUILDING A RAILROAD
Difficulties Encountered in
Ecuador.
THE FINEST CLIMATE
WHY THERE IS NOT MORE TRADE
WITH US.
Mr. Perry Allen Talks Interestingly OF
the People and Their Customs and
of the Country's Resources.

for eN-PreSIdert Harrison at Paris during
the argument in the Venezuela case, and is
now general counsel for the Guayaquil and
Quito Railway Company, New Jersey
corporation building a railroad in Ecuador,
and has just returned from that country.
Guayaquil is the Guayas river, forty
miles from the coast. The river is nayiga
BILE and the town is the principal port.
Ninety miles Of the railroad are laid and
125 miles graded. Seventy-five miles are
operated; two trains day are run. Lola, at
at the end of this run, is 200 feet above
the sea level, and 1t is often very cold
there. Il have slept under ten blankets,
with my riding boots on, at Alausi, the
famous town OF the Incas, and thought
would freeze TO DEATH said Mr.. Allen.
THE country is exposed to sharp winds
from Mount Chimborazo, which is 1900
feet above the sea. and at one time was
thought to be the highest mountain in the
world There is perpetual snow there. The
road crosses this mountain. and when COM
pleted will be 800 miles long. There are
three tunnels, and the Chan Chan river is
crossed thirty-two times in thirty miles.
The grade Is easy. the steepest grade being
5la per cent The railroad passes many
volcanoes. and at one place crosses era
ter extinct for over 100 years.
Finest Climate in the World.
81 think Lola has the finest climate in
the world said Mr.. Allen. 'It is about
Is all the year round, and there are no sud
den changes. The soil is fine for wheat,
though it is nothing more nor less than vol
canic dust. 1t is very rich, and 1 have
seen a palm. a banana and a pine grow
ing in the same garden, something you see
nowhere else in the world. This dust is
said to be a mile deep, so that there is no
danger of 1t wearing out. Volcanic dust
and rocks found distance of 100 miles
from any crater, showing great volcanic
action in the past. All is quiet now. The
plain on the level above is covered with
long grass and the cattle grown there are
the largest and finest l have ever seen.
There are no insects, and the hides are
without blemish. Quito hides are quoted
at the highest figure in the markets of the
world. The climate. too. Is healthful.
never had sick day. The only diseases
prevalent are dysentery and smallpox. We
had 800 people with US and lost only three
In three years, and one of those was by ac
cdent- There are no mosquitoes, no ma
larta and no yellow fever.
Snakes and Spiders.
''As you go up the hills the climate be-
comes temperate so suddenly that you can
feel the change. There are spiders and
snakes in abundance, and l saw one day
tarantula which measured eight inches
across from tip 10 tip, which is a pretty big
spider. The most dangerous snake is called
the 'equis, which is Spanish for Y 1t gets
It's name from an Y on its head. II will
not bite unless stepped upon and never
makes an attack unless disturbed. 1t grows
to a length of eight feet, and singular fact
IS that the smaller and younger the snake
the more deadly the poison. There is a.
great abundance Of hard woods, but it is
not possible now to get them out. We used
some Egnum vitae sleepers, but most of
them are of Oregon pine. brought from San
Francisco. There is a strata of coal nine
teen feet thick which may be followed for
1sT- ha rfn,-S
unworked, as are also the oil wells along
the seacOast, where the oil seeps through
the earth about a hundred yards from the
waters edge The president offered me a
concession on this, but l had not time to
attend to it. The great wealth of the coun-
try Is derived from the cultivation of cacao,
the chocolate of commerce. One-third of
the total crop Of the world comes from Ec-
uador- The soil, being deep, is peculiarly
fitted for It,
81 would like very much TO see more trade
with the United States. but we are serious
ly handicapped at present Freight rates
from Hamburg are 30 per cent cheaper than
from New York. and every commercial
house there has German clerk. Besides
Americans refuse long credits, which the
people are accustomed to. There Is consid-
eraole enterprise displayed. At LOLA which
Is long distance from Quito, with no COM
munication except by means of mules there
IS fine electric light plant, the material
Tor which was brought several hundred
500 gold for carriage for one day from
Ambato to Quito. eighty-slx miles We
went on a gallop, and had nine changes of
mules suggested 10 the president that
an automobile service would pay over this
route. and he asked me to apply for a con-
cession- / could not give 1t attention and
understand the consul for Ecuador in New
York has since secured this concession.
People and Their Customs.
The people" said Mr.. Allen, "are native
Indians, with occasionally some Spanish
blood in their veins. Their customs and
habits are interesting. They drink a great
deal the most popular drink being the
asuadiente. made from sugar cane 1t is a
white rum as they make IT. / saw a haci-
endaro. small farmer. one day invite eight
friends 10 have a drink. He went into a
grocery store and bought a quart of this
rum for reals, 10 cents IN our money.
Going across the street to a cantina or bar,
he borrowed nine glasses and treated his
friends. He thanked the bartender and de-
parted with his bottle, having enough left
Tor his own use for Il week. French wines
are very expensive. and for this reason
Chilean wines are used. There is a reci-
procTy arrangement with Chile, and great
many canned goods are used under this
agreement Imported beer sells for rs cents
per quart. gold. Although there are two
oreweries doing good business, much for
eign beer is used by the wealthier classes
1t is 10 them the greatest of luxuries and
beer is set out as a special mark Of honor
much as champagne is in this country
The natives also drink much cognac OF a
poor quality, an imitation made there
There is also whisky on the market known
as John Dewar's genuine Scotch whisky
which is sold for less than the freiglst on
II would cost. Apollinaris water also has
Its limitations. The most advertised whis
kies are those OF favortte United States
brands OF which L never heard in the United
States. One Of these Is the 'Celebra ted
Washington Club Whisky and another Is
the San Francisco Club
THE people as a rule have no idea o.
business Wanting to buy some burros one
day. asked the price of one and 1t wa,
offered me for 81. / said / would take
hundred at that figure and my haciendart
shook his head and said no; for so many
he must have IS each We could seldom
Get food at our camp by stopping the poems