The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-11-15
W. K. RUNYON HOME
DESCRIBES R. r. BUILDING
IN SOUTH AMERICA.
Newarker Tells of Difficulties Encoun-
tered in Bolivia-To Go to
Brazil Next.

After globe-trotting two years, during
which time he has visited China, Mexico
and Bolivia, and with a fixed determine
ton to go into the innermost recesses of
Brazil, William X. Runyon. of IS West
Kinney street, the son of emo Runyon,
president of the Essex County Board of
Elections. is enjoying a short rest at his
home.
MI. Runyon is engaged in the building
o. railroads in South America. His ex-
p~erience in this line is graphically told
by himself Though barely 30 years of
age. Mr.. Runyon has seen most of the
Orient.
In speaking CT these travels to an
EVENING STAR man Mr.. Runyon said:
The Bolivian climate didn't agree with
me. After something over a year OF ex-
posture in the widest sort of country, with
shelter as a luxury. l contracted one'l-
monia, and the doctor told me 10 get
AVA from Bolivia, and keep away. So
al went to South America for an Ameri-
can syndicate that Is criss-crossing Boz
livia with railroads for the benefit of its
mineral wealth. At that time TWO rail-
roads ran into Bolivia from adjacent
countries, but the repnpl,c mad no line of
its own. My headquarters at first were at
La Paz, the capital. but later was pushed
south some 200 miles, into as wild a coun-
try as probably ever existed. My orders
were to plan the right of way, and, l tell
you, it looked k an impossible task.
But day by day the land was surveyed
and the plans drawn and the path pre-
pared for the construction gang; so day
by day the difficulties disappeared.
seldom had trouble with the Indians,
although 1t was often hard TO discover VINO
owned the property we needed, for the Bo-
liyian Government has a remarkable way
of giving away whole tracts of land to VII
lagos and clans and corporations. 1t seemed
to belong to everybody, yet no one knew
to whom.
''Off the main roads II was hard to getany
kind of accommodation. The indians were
stubborn and surly, because the Bolivians,
whenever they wished shelter, turned them
out of their homes. So they cultivated an
unhealthy dislike for anything that walked
on two legs who wasn't red skinned.
In time our party learned that while
money has great persuasive powers, two
other things carried greater weight. One
of these Fas wood alcohol, the other coca.
the leaf from which cocaine is extracted.
With one or the other, or both, the Indians
were In a seventh heaven of eligh So,
very accommodatingly they got drugged
and drunk and vacated their houses for our
accommodation.
THE South American Indian Is apparently
of the same strain as our red men. He
is more peaceable, however, although dur
ing the revolutions the indian are a
power to be reckoned What least In
Bolivia. / was told that during the last
revolution the red men turned cannibals
and ate many of the Brazllians they killed.
THE country is extremely rich in min
erals. Gold and silver Is mined, but not in
nearly as large quantities as tin. In the
cities there are almost llmltless chances
for Americans-of a kind. For instance,
dentists could go there with every GER
tainty of profitable practise. Physicians,
too, are In great demand. The Bolivians
do not trust their own countrymen, and
turn to professional foreigners every time.
Americans do not seem to ave grasped
these possibilities to as great an extent
as the English. There are many British
in South America, and this is a fact, also.
In China"
Mr.. Runyon's next work will be the con-
struction of the Maderia -Mamore Railroad
In Brazil. He leaves in a month to start
on that.