The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-19
CROSSING YHE HIGH ANDES.
TRANSCONTINENTAL ROAD PUSB.
NO TO THE PACIFIC.

Argentina Has Completed the Railroad
| 10 Her western Frontier-Chiie Has
| About Forty Miles TO Build Before
Through Trains WIN he Able 10 NUN
From Buenos Ayrcs to Valparaiso.
| Elmer L. Corthell, who has recently
returned from Argentina, where he was
consulting engineer Of the Ministry Of
Public Works, gave an interesting piece OF
news In his address before the American
Geographical Society at Msndelssohn Hall
, last Tuesday evening
He said he had just received q letter
announcing that Argentina completed last
month the trans-andean railroad to Its
western frontier among the Cordilleras.
1t now remains for Chile to complete Its
part Of the line and then South America
will have its first transoontinental railroad.
Argentina has been more energetic than
Chile in pushing this great enterprise. Four
years ago Argentina had still seventy-Ave
| miles to build up into the mountains before
| reaching the frontier. At that time Chile
| had forty-four miles to complete and that
republic has made very little progress
| since.
! Tho Chilean part of the line. however,
| is more difficult to construct than any por-
| ton of the road which Argentina has just
| completed 1t involves a tunnel under
! the Cumbre Pass, the summit Of which Is
| 70 ,795 feet above the sea. The gauge OF
the line il one metre and It has rack and
pinion for the sleeper grades, being built
; much on the same principle as the railroad
! from visp to Zermatt in the Swiss Alps.
! When the road is completed, Buenos
; Ayres will be connected by rail with VAL
paraiso the chief port .of South America
on the Pacific Ocean The stretch Of noun
tain road which Argentina has completed
extends only about thirty miles to the south
Of Aconcagua, 23.0s0 feet high. which is
supposed to be the eliminating point Of
the Western world.
! We do not yet know whether this pre-
dominant summit can be seen from any
part Of the railroad line but it Is doubtful.
1t certainly cannot he seen from the station
Of Punta de les vicas. one OF the hating
places on the Argentine part Of the line
from which extends valley to the north
west that leads to the slopes Of Aconcagua,
This station will always be the starting
point by pack train for visitors approach
ing Aconcagua from the south.
Some readers will recall that Theodore
Child wrote that Of all the lands he
4 NlSiltu hIktutnd WoS bhc Hiooe hiltA-
picturesque and the most monotonous.'
! Mr. Child could feel no enthusiasm for
the almost limitless and unvarying pampas,
and the mountains were still. to great
extent, inaccessible to ordinary travellers.
! II will b. easy now for tourists TO escape
! from the dreary and boundless grazing
lands TO the western mountains through
which the railroad traverses one Of the
I RI ,ft hsa IL
leras They have more Of the grand than
picturesque in their scenery; but along the
line are many views Of snow-capped noun
tains and prospects stretching scores OF
miles away. The one drawback is that
there is very little verdure to relieve and
soften the outlines of these towering sum
mits and awful precipices.
The mountain section of the Argentine
road begins at Mendoza, among the foot
hills, with magnificent views Of the noun
! tains near at hand. 1t Is one Of the few
! towns Of the Argentine Republic which pro-
| duce at once a favorable impression upon
| the visitor and leave in his mind souvenirs
| that remain satisfactory from the pictur-
| esque point OF view.
The 20 600 people living there are sur
rounded by shady avenues In the centre OF
an immense park or garden; for the en-
| virons. covered with brilliant green vege-
tation, are kept fresh by the abundant
waters Of the Mendoza River. II is along
the valley of this river that the trains start
ing westward push up into the Andes.
1t is a curious fact that the growth OF
railroad enterprise in Argentina now enables
its railroad system to rival that OF several
European states. Compared with their
respective populations it even exceeds
them ALL Belgium not excepted. But COM
pared with the extent Of territory. the oom-
parison is less favorable TO Argentina,
where the population is thnly scattered
over a vast region.
Twenty-four years ago the railroads Of
Argentina had a mileage Of only l,4oo;
to-day over II 900 miles are open to traffic.
The improved facilities Of transport have
greatly increased the area Of land devoted
TO agricultural purposes and have thus
directly served to attract increased immi-
grafton from Europe.
The railroads also promote internal
peace. The history Of Argentina tells Of
refractory provinces that were In revolt
for months before the Federal Govern
ment could convey troops to the scene OF
disturbance. To-day. however. telegraph
and railroad conveniences extend to all
parts of the republic and should any Sc
ditious movement arise it could promptly
be dealt with before it had an opportunity
to spread far.