The Republican journal., 1904-01-14
COAST TOWNS OF CHILL.
THE AGRICULTURAL SECTION OF THIS
LONG AND MARROW COUNTRY.
Special Correspondence of The Journal

returning from CruSoe'S Island to Tai
cdluano, about midway down the coast
II this long and narrow country, stretch
ed rlbbon-lke along the southern Pa
elite, | find SO much of novelty and in
terest here the impulse is strong to
stop for a time. Though the northern
9af of the republic is richer in miner
ais and large cities, the central and
southern portions comprise nearly all
Tie agricultural area, which will insure
ornament prosperity after the gold
and silver and nitrate and guano of the
deserts in the north are exhausted In
scenical point of view the south is
rtdinly to be preferred, with its lofty
fountains. great rivers, green valleys,
d dark forests, where dwell the yet
conquered Araucanlans-the bravest
Indians III South America. All the coal
Chilli is found in the south, (Which
from S25 to $50 per tom, and all
timber; and though it has neither Il
~.atiago nor a Valparaiso, the city of
INCEPTION is not a great way behind,
.,ue reckoned third in size in the re-
.uDllc, while Naldivia, Linaries, Coro-
r Imperial and other growing towns
ly already of considerable Importance.
short, its southern half is to Chilli
lat the great west is to the United
STA eS and is a comparatively new pos
-e-sIon, having been part of Patagonia
tt a recent period, when that terri
-Cy was divided between Chilli and the
}r5entine Republic.
he bay of Conception is about six
.es long by four miles wide, and is
All odds the best and safest for large
.e>Sels on the coast of Chilli. The port
Talcahuano occupies its southwest
gle. with the villages of Pone, Liri-
..ru and Tenco on the east, the island
Quiriguina at the entrance, and the
portant city of Conception only
euty miles inland, reached by rail
say in a few moments. The name of
is port, by the way, is pronounced as
the third syllable. Viewed from the
tcE Of steamer the village presents
leautiful appearance: but, like other
south American coast towns, It's dis
l-re lends enchantment. It's pictur-
5ue church spire forms a conspicuous
dik toward which ships steer to all
and u yynnHat, ntc 70
INTO the bay. There is a large
..e an arsenal, seamen's hospital, a
nal station on a lookout hill; and at
western end of the village, close
sl to the sea is d handsome railway
un, from which trains run both
and south, thus bringing the port
direct communication with the in
.ar There are government works in
tepcIon where repairing to the ma
Dry of vessels can be effected, and |
JlG that the yearly shipping in the
I averages thousand vessels. A bout
-ry wears ago Yalcahuano was entire
tstfoyed by an earthquake. After
ately for themselves, fled EN-
to the low hills behind the town:
nom that vantage ground, with
lrlh trembling so violently be
$3.50 them that it was impossible to
upright, they beheld an awful
The ocean receded a long dis
.7r. and then advanced in three sue
Fr waves-each an unbroken wall
water thirty feet in height, dragging
from their anchors and dashing
of them far inland; then the sub
ace of the pillows swept houses
their foundations and bore away
ruins, together with h0cks and
u.s. leaving the town site desolate
empty, the citizens homeless and
rty-Stricken. Talcahuano has now
i"iulation of 5000 or so, and, like
flyer CHILEAN villages, is mostly built
a10be, though there are few brick
cd rame houses in the place belonging
German and English residents. Its
NHops oplCCeo uiC
'rueutless, and there is one plaza,
if you share the native fond
Tor that kind of amusement-you
8 wander about among poems, dogs,
RVS and tleas, and behold froWZy
Hen sitting in their doorWays strum-
lug upon guitars.
aIng the summertime which is
winter of our latitude you know
port is a great resort for whale
rs though they are now much less
berouS than formerly; and then the
t-ts abound with drunken sailors,
i F+" are sure to be found in some sort
disturbance. Here, as at Valparaiso,
outstanding the long pier, ships are
''e' and unaden by means of launches
4r 'oatmen are distinctive class of
Ems who follow no other business
't 4vneration to generation. A launch
q Ntd near the beach and then forced
y 1t stern foremost, as far as the
81 of water will permit; and then
Nfn, naked, except for piece of
81 about the loins and sometimes a
ID '' shirt, wade through the surf car