The Columbus journal. (Columbus, Neb.) 1874-1911, 1909-05-12

Of about nine days in Its connection
with Europe, and the journey to the
eastern ports Of the United States will
be materially shortened. while Argen-
tina will have an equal advantage in
rapidly reaching the west coast Of
South America
The history of the Transandine rail-
way may be said to date back to 1860
when the North American captain OF
industry, William Wheelwright. for
warded to the Royal Geographical So
ciety of London a paper prepared by
him showing the practicability of a
transandean railway from the port of
Rosario. Argentina, on the Parana
river, lS9 miles above BuenOs Ayres
The route proposed by Mr.. Wheel
wright, from Rosario to the Chilean
port of Caldera, was about 800 miles
long, and extended in q northwesterly
direction across the Argentine Repub
lie and over the pass of San Francis
co into Chile. II the railway had been
built. the western or Pacific terminus
would have been placed about ten de-
grees north of Valparaiso
II was not until 13 years later. or In
1873. that the first practical steps for
connecting BuenOs Ayres and Valpa-
raise by rail were taken. Two broth
ers, Messrs. John and Matthew Clark.
obtained in that year a concession
from the Argentine government to
construct q railway from BuenOs
Ayres across the republic as far as
the western or Argentine Chilean frOE-
tier. in the COrdillera OF the Andes.
In selecting the route for the pro-
jected trans-cOntinental railway trunk
line SSS miles across South America
from the Atlantic to the Pacific. senti-
ment and patriotism have played as
large a share as unitarian ard prac-
teal reasons. The transandiRe region
in the heart Of the COrdillera presents
mountain scenery of a grandeur and
beauty beyond description. From the
summit of the Cumbre pass. on the
natural international frontier of two
great Latin-American republics. a
wonderful panorama can be seen
Across the Chilo-Argentine dividing
line. Mount Aconcagua, a weird mass
of black basaltic rock and of dazzling
snow is sharply outlined against the
blue of the Andean sky. The height
of this peak has been estimated by
the German savant, Guessfeldt. to be
22,S67 feet Even in what is known
as the open season, from November
1 to April 80 (the spring and sum-
mer Of the south temperate zOne), the
journey on foot or mule back over the
100 miles of the Coriillera. from one
republic into the other. is attended
with much discomfort and difficulty.
The undertaking becomes well nigh
impossible in the depth 0f the austrai
midwinter, in August and September.
when terrific storms rage throughout
the Cordillera and the passes are
blocked by tremendous snowdrifts and
avalanches.
Historically this entire ChilO-Argen-
tine Cordilleran wilderness is replete
with dramatic and human interest II
was from Mendoza, during the latter
half of January, 1917, that two great
South American commanders. Gen
San Martin. an Argentine. and Gen
O'Higgins, Chilean. conducted
and armed expedition.
composed Of 5000 Argentines and
Chileans, westward across the Cor
dillera, over the SUBMITS OF the Cum
bre and Los Patos passes into Chile.
effecting the transit within three
weeks, and on the 10Th of February
surprised and routed Spanish royal
ist army at the crest of .Chacabucn
After little more than a years cam
the two liberators won the
brilliant battle OF Maipu, April 8. 1918
and emancipated Chile from the rule
of Spain. Eighty-five years later, in
March, 1904. at the summit Of the
Pass, nearly $4,000 feet above
sea level. Chile and Argentina partici-
pated In the imposing unwilling of
the bronze statue of The Christ OF
the Andes" erected as q solemn
pledge of perpetual peace between the
republics and as memorial of hay-
ing happily terminated threefourths
of century OF vexatious boundary
disputes by submitting their differ
ences to impartial international arbi.
tration instead Of to the dread ar
bitrament of war.