The Washington herald., 1909-05-23

prog 6S> III llLe dlleS u liic Ai.ieAoi4
The Washington Herald is indebted 10 the
Bureau OF American Republics.
The Amazon River Is the largest in
the world We ali knew this in our
school days, but il may be doubted
whether the true meaning OF The state
ment was explained TO Us. The name
comes quantity 10 US from the stories OF
old Adventures who claim 20 have been
first attacked and then protected by q
mysterious band Of female warriors. like
the originals in the Old World. whom
they net in their wanGeyings eastward
from the Andes 10 the Atlantic Ocean,
These warriors lived on a wonderful
stream in America. and this was from
that time on called the Amazon
Wonderful il was then. and wonderful
It Is now IN area this basin Of the
Amazon is approximately 9.S5o.eo5 square
miles. equal 20 more than twO-thirds Of
the United States It's maximum dis
charge Of water IS practically 5.Soo.ooo
cubic feet a second. and the effect Of this
vast amount Of fresh water is noticeable
IN the Atlantic Ocean over 100 miles from
shore.
Father of Waters small
The Mississippi Is lie mightiest river
in the northern continent. yet the Miss
issippi has al the most a discharge OF
1.o000l0 cubic feet a second. its drainage
basin covers but I,3CeOo0 square miles.
and. although navigation is maintained
as far north as Minneapolis. 2l6I miles
from the mouth. ocean going vessels can
not carry a foreign cargo farther inland
than New Orieaos. The navigabie water
system Of TIE whole Mississippi basin is
stated 90 be lte0 miles.
TIE Amazon has d navigabl~ water
system of 3100 miles but over much Of
IL ocean-Eo-ng steamers ply with as great
ease ard regularity as among the islands
Cf the Gulf ~ Mexico These steamers
leave Liverpool. or Hamburg. OF New
York with freight for the Far interior Of
South America. and finally unload when
they have dropped anchor 100 miles from
the sea az the Peruvian port OF IQUitOS.
n going I'd the river they have passed
tVvo remarkable cities OF Brazil 1.001
miles apart. both intimately in touch with
the rest OF the world by ocean steamers,
both living altogether ard growing pros
porous or the natural products Of the
vegicn of the AmaZcn.
Two Big Brazilian Cities.
Tara and Msnaos are the names Of the
cities. but Brazilians prefer 20 call the
former Beler- which was the original
designation. reserv-ng Para for the legal
name OF the state IN which the city IS
situated. 8Ia1aos is the capital OF the
state Of Amazonas. The two are related.
ike New Orleans and s.. Louis. Mansos
is The newer city It's real life history
extending over scarcely more than fifty
years. but Para tBeieml began almost
as soon rs America was discovered. and
has had a contiaued existence ever since.
No one should imagine that on this
account the city IS Old-fashioned. There
are. 20 be sure. marks OF the early his
tory preserved. and a valuable literature
has grown around the events for which
this Part Of the Amazon has been ceie-
oTa1eL for 40 years. but as a seaport. a
rity OF commerce. trade. education. and
municipal development il IS one Of the
most modern in Brazil. and deserves
,arsfUl and particular attention.
Tara AdvantaEeOusIy Situated.
para has to-day 10000 inhabitants. and
has grown TO its present size from a
small population Of only 5000 forty years
seo. The city les eighty-six miles from
the Atlantic. al about the spot where
ocean tide and river current meet. and
Is thus peculiarly favored 10 receive the
commerce coming into the river from
abroad as well as that descending the
AnIazol from the immense inland region
that must pass through this river outlet.
D
able advantages in It's relation 70 the
rest Of the world.
From Para 10 New York the distance
Is 5.3s' miles, 20 Lisbon il IS 600 miles.
or 20 London and Hamburg. 4e03 miles:
up the Amazon 10 IquitOs. in Peru. il is
300 miles. and from there across the
Andes 10 the Pacific Il measures about
719 miles. Then from the mouth Of the
Amazon 10 the mouth Of the river Plate
L IS another Sof0 miles. Thus this radius
e 3.09c miles places the seaport within
touch Of Europe. North America. South
America. and the Pacific Ocean.
When the Panama Canal is finished
and the protected railway from some
point OF the Peruvian or Ecuadorean
coast finally scales the Andes 70 connect
by direct transportation the Pacific and
The Amazon. then PsA vii be able 70
distribute the products OF the tropics 10
al the different regions Of the temperate
zone with admirable impaTtiality.
II Is Modern CITY.
The city IS modern now-zo modern that
strangers who see Il for the first time
sXclaim in establishment that such a
marvellous city has developed without
heir knowledge The street railway Is
: substantial trolley line. with thirty
I've miles Of tracks. The park system is
7ne OF the finest in South America. and
cau boast a natural beauty and q per
fect;on Of design and maintenance ex-
,eiled by but few cities in Europe. In
fact Para is thoroughly a metropolis
and tie capital OF a mighty state which
viii surely in the near future come more
and more into the worlds eve as the
source OF many Of the necessities OF life
and the home OF many millions Of ener-
getlc people.
This must not be taken as an exagger-
alton As long ago as IS9 the great
traveller and scientist Humboldt asserted
that tbs section OF Brazil was bound 10
become inhabited by the European races.
The history Of the last century proves
that he was not far wrong in his
prophecy. but the results of the present
day elsewhere in the same attitudes dem
Onstrste that the wealth OF nature in the
animal and vegetable life need be no bar
q mans occupation OF the land. IN fact
exploration and exploitation are only the
frst-stage in the occupation OF any
country The succeeding and final step
IS the occupation OF the soil by permanent
settlers
Para has passed through the first stage
Splendid preparation has been made by
building tbs magnificent city. in which
material conditions have not been allowed
% overshadow the educational values OF
a community. Statistics show that very
small proportion OF native born Brazil
ians here are unable 20 read and write.
and. therefore in Para q sure foundation