Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-18

connects with the tracks OF the Belgian
company which has leased from the gov
eminent all the railways of that state It
has plan to build northeast into the state
OF Sac Paulo to connect with the Sac
Cobano railway of that state. The COM
pany also proposes to build west 10 tho
Parana river near the great falls OF the
1-guazu on the Paraguay Central railway q
III those plans are carried out there will
then be an almost direct rail route from
Asuncion, the capital OF Paraguay. nearly
due west to the port OF San Francisco.
And II will be one of the most important
ana best stragetic lines in South America.
1t Is not too much to predict that. this hav-
Ing been done, the next step will be tho
extension nearly due west TO connect with
the Argentine Northern system at Salto
or Jujuy, which would place the Brazil
Railway Companys system in direct con-
nectlon with the proposed railways in Bo-
iivia and thence to the Pacific coast.
Rich Agricultural State.
THE southernmost state of Brazil, Rio
Grande do Sul,'' continued Mr. Corthell,
Is one of the richest agricultural coun-
tries to be found. and the equable tenn
perate climate is unsurpassed. Its area Is
ABOUT twice the size of New York state
and Its present population a million and a
halr. Three enterprising cities are situated
upon the great Lake dos Patos-Rio Grande,
Pelotas and Porto Alegre-with 5000 TO =
600 and 1900 Inhabitants respectively.
This great lagoon is over 200 miles long,
twenty to thirty miles wide and. in places.
thirty feet deep. At times Its volume Of
dircharge is equal to the maximum dis
charge of the great southwest pass of the
mississippi River, about 100000 cubic feet
per second. The sedmentary matter
brought down by the tributary streams
Is deposited near their mouths so that
the waters passing to the sea are COM
paratively clear, thus simplifying greatly
N M ln a,,l,, 81. -
which lies outside the coast line and on
which the depth of water has varied from
eleven feet to sixteen feet I'm the course OF
the last twenty years. The problem OF
improving the channel through 1t and OBJ
tanning a permanent navigable depth is ono
of magnitude only.
TT has been the earnest desire and hope
or Brazil for half n century TO make
channel through this bar and thus remove
the obstacle to the commerce of one of the
best districts of the republic. His absorb
Ing interest in this project Is evidenced by
the fact that the Emperor Dom Pedro ii,
whose visit to the centennial exposition at
Philadelphia is well rememered made the
long journey to the mouth of the MISSISSIPPI
pi to examine the works then under con-
struction there He was the guest of Capt.
Eads and took the greatest interest in ex-
aiming the plans ard work. He endeav.
ored to persuade Capt Eads to go to Bra
iii and make plans for the Improvement of
the 'barra' of Rio Grande do Sui. Capt.
Eads' engagements did not permit his alb
sence from the country for SO long a time.
and he recommended Col. w. Minor Rob-
erts who went to Brazil and was immedi-
ate placed In charge of all the hydraulic
work of the empire. He began the study OF
the 'barra, but unfortunately died before
his plans We're completed The govern
ment officials and engineers still speak OF
him and his ability with the greatest re-
spect. They consider his untimely death
an irreparable loss to Brazil.
"No Cure-No Pay"
Several notable engineers have since
been called upon to give their opinions and
make plans for the improvement of this
bar, and the government has recently
granted a concession to an American engi-
neer, experienced in such works for pro-
ducing ten-meter channel on the same
basis that on which Capt. Eads built the
South Pass Jetties-'no cure, no pay The
government will pay for this enamel. as
the required depths are obtained, in five per
cent gold bonds OF the republic. 1t also
grants the privilege of port to be con-
structed and operated by the concessonaire
similar to those at Para, Pernambuco, Ba-
hia and Santos. The concession is for a
long term of years, up to 1898 The conces-
sionalre has entire liberty In design and
construction, his duty being only TO make
and maintain the channel. The concession
has been transferred to a company incor-
porated under the laws of the state of
Maine The port will accommodate the
largest ships afloat and the opening of the
channel VIII cause a commercial develop
ment of great Importance.
THE railway system of Rio Grande do
Sui is leased to a Belgian company and
now has in operation about go miles of
track. By the conditions of its lease il is
obliged to connect up several separate lines
and make certain extensions, so thai when
this is done there will be ,5J3 miles Of rail-
way, bringing the whole state into eonnec-
ton with the new port. The eXDortable
products are cattle. sheep, horses, meats
and fruits as well agricultural products
of various kinds raised In a mild. temper
ate climate and on rich soil. The seasons
are the reverse of those north of the equa-
tor, so that the fruits in cold storage steam
ers may reach Europe and the United
States markets in February and March. One
of the most important adjuncts to the port
will be a 'frigoritico,' cold storage
plant, for meats and fruits and a large
'embarcadoaro' for shipping live animals.
"A summary of Brazilian public improve
ments," said DR.. Corthell in conclusion,
would not be complete without referring
to the port of Manaos, 1000 miles up the
Amazon, and to Santos, the chief port OF
the coffee district which have already
been built and remarkably successful
Many other developments are going on but
those l have described are the most impor-
tant. Indeed, all kinds of modern improve
ments can be found wherever you go about
Brazil, from north to south. from the At
lantic ocean to the mountains. great
future lies before that enterprising and am
bilious people"