Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-18

by hundreds and the same may be said
as to our people in Brazil.
The Italians do large part of the mer-
chandising in Buenos Ayres. They do much
of the manufacturing and they constitute
a big proportion Of the farming popula-
ton.
In Brazil there are almost as many
Italians as Germans and in the state Of
Sac Paulo alone they number $780, 600. Many
Of them are engaged in coffee raising and
some in general farming.
There is a large floating Italian popula-
ton in both Brazil and Argentina This
lantfc twice every year to help harvest
the wheat and coffee crops and re-
turn home year after year. The
seasons are just reversed south Of the
vacation, during which they can earn
money and be back in Italy for the sum-
mer. large part of this immigration
Is from Lombardy, which contains about
the best OF the Italian population.
The United States in South America.
Everywhere our Secretary of State goes
he will find American money and American
brains gradually making their way. The
rubber business at Para is controlled by
our rubber trust, and the offices of the
company there are managed by Americans
The street car line at Nanaos, thousand
miles further up the Amazon was put
in by New Workers., and the same is true
of the electric light plant there. The first
street car line Of Rio was built by an
american. and | understand that electrical
interests, including enormous water powers
In the state of Sac Paulo, have been bought
by New York capitalists. At Rio the chief
OF the conee exporters are Yankees, and
the same Is true of Santos. the great
coffee port further down the coast.
Rich Americans in Uruguay.
In Montevideo, two of the richest citi-
zens have Yankee blood in their veins
One Is man named Howard, who made
a fortune out Of hides and merchandising
and the other is an old sea captain named
Evans, who did a big lighterage business at
Montevideo, and who is now sad to be worth
millions. He has one of the finest suburban
estates on the outskirts of Montevideo
and he will probably entertain Secretary
Root during his stay.
In Buenos Ayres there are number OF
prominent Americans, and the same is true
Of Santiago and Valparaiso. One of the
chief Americans Of the latter city Is a
man named Mcclellan, who was formerly
a pay clerk In the United States navy, and
who now does the lighterage business OF
Chile's chief port.
Made Millions in Mines.
another American who has made a for
tune in Chile is George B. Chace, who
went there from California about forty
and for a time worked in the nitrate beds.
He gradually learned Spanish, and then
went out to prospect for mines. One day
while talking to an old priest he learned
of a wonderful silver property which had
been worked by the Spaniards years ago,
part of Its revenues being given to the
priest. Chace asked to look at the church
records, and there found the location of
the mine described. He took a pick and
followed the trail to the place. He dug
a 10 hrl a mr. ut pfQf nvyn
to the old tailings and found them rich
enough to work. They furnished him
enough capital to open up the old mine,
and out of it he has since taken millions.
1 met Mr.. Chace during my stay in Chile.
He is said to have all kinds of money and
to keep a million or so on deposit in Lon
don. in order to be sure Of steady in
come should anything happen in the way
common to South American republics.
Going northward to Peru, the Secretary of
State will there meet the firm of Grace Il
Co., which does large business along the
west coast, just as Flint, Eddy & Co. have
a large business along the Atlantic coast.
Both these firms are exporters and I'M
porters, and the Graces will do much
to entertain the Root party at Lima.
Back of Lima the Secretary will probably
go up the railroad that Henry Meiggs, the
Californian. built many years ago. This
road carries one almost straight up the
Andes to the top. 1t rises three miles In
one hundred miles, and leaves one at an
altitude of 1885 feet above the sea.
A branch road has recently been
built to the Cerro de Pasco silver mines.
which are now being worked for their
copper deposits. These are owned by Amer
lean capitalists. who are investing millions
in their development. A little below the
top Of the Andes on this same railroad, at
Casapalca, is big smelter which some
Americans built few years ago, and the
Secretary may stay over night there II
he will, on his way to and from Cerro de
Pasco.
Indeed, Secretary Root and his party will
find the tracks of Yankee enterprise all
along the west coast Of South America.
He will learn that the first railroads OF
Chile were built by Meiggs, and that the
road up the Andes to Lake Titicaca was
long managed by Americans. If he could
go inland he would find American engineers
now making new railroads for Bolivia, and
north Of Lima would find New York COM
pany which Is interested in building iron
tracks to some of the best coal mines. OF
the Andes. He might stop at Guayaquil
or go into Quito over a railroad laid out
by American engineers: and we all know
that (he will close his trip by an inspection
of our last and greatest piece of engineer
ing-that of the Panama canal. = =
FRANK G. CARPENTER.