The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-08-16

scattered along the route from the Peruvian
port of Mollendo to tho Lake Titcaca land
ing places for the lines that arc to be a
structed, and 1900 tons IL as much as can
be got up into the interior from the sea-
coast each year with the present facilities.
When Gen. Pando. who as President OF
Bolivia initiated the railway policy. began
his negotiations the manager OF the line
from Mollendo to Lake Titicaca told him
that 5000 tons was all that there would
ever be need of ~freighting up from the
coast. This railway manager was like some
others In Understanding the possibilities
Of traffic over his lines.
The material is laid down at Puno. the
| Peruvian port on Lake Titioaca, and 10
| steamers, the Coya, the Inca and the Yavari.
to Guaqui on the Bolivian side. One Of the
first things the American railway builders
did was to make extensive harbor improve
ments at the Guaqui landing. building a
new pier 90 that the material could DO I'M
loaded. Guaqui now Is tho busiest rail-
way and water terminal in Bolivia
The old fogies in the country have been
worried about the competition which the
railway is going 10 make for tho pack trains.
particularly the llan-as. They would have
these animals protected from steam rivalry.
However, the llama is in nc danger Of being
driven out Of business.
II has been the experience N Peru and
Ecuador that llama pack trains can oom-
pete along parallel routes with the railway.
They are the cheapest transport animals
In existence, for they feed a. they travel
and depend entirely upon the coarse grass
that lies below what often appears to be
entirely barren soil
Blu even with pretty complete systems
of railway the llamas will be necessary
to reach the mining regions that arc in
accessible not only for the railway but
also for ordinary pack trains. There 10
no place In the Andes where the m
cannot 60. and where they go their Indian
drivers can follow them
When the American railway builders
first vent to Bolivia some Of them were
%captivated by the stories Of tho buried
treasures Of the Inoas which might be
uncovered and they proposed to abandon
railway construction and organize treasure
hunting expeditions Some Of them even
got into disputes with English engineers as
to rights in the discoveries. and they were
going to call on the Bolivian Government
to adjudioate the controversy.
The treasure was somewhere among
the ruins along Lake Titicaoa. perhaps
at the foot Of some Of the obeliske which
can be seen from the train The Bolivian
Government has had 90 many n treasure
expeditions to deal with that It wal not
seriously perturbed by the new discoveries.
If the gold ever should be found the Govern
ment would take possession Of 1t.
None OF the American engineers was
compelled to follow up his intentions Of
appealing to the Government, and the
excitement quickly died out. All the rail-
way builders went bach to their work with
out having discovered the treasure.
In Ecuador the celebration OF the oom-
pletion of the railway was deferred some
thing like twenty years, but the LIZ at
last got to Quito from Guayaquil, or rather
from Duran. which Is across the river from
G~uayaquil. 1t was projected some thirty or
forty years ago and at least a dozen syndi-
Gates promised to construct II. But some
thing always 9 wrong, the trouble
usually being in the finances.
Ten years ago Archer Hartman. an Amer
lean, got hold Of tho concession and started
In to build the line. In doing 30 he ooa1ed
a good many dollars from Scotch and
English b~ondholders. and he persuaded tho
About 5000 tons Of material is now
Ecuadorian Government from time to time