The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1912-04-25

Atlantic side to water the land, the
clouds are unable to pass the high |
Andean mountains and consequent
ly the western slopes are dry and
barren. To the north and south,
beyond the zone of the trades, the
land is well watered and is very
fertile.
The Republic of Chill is known
as the longest country in the world.
1t has a continuous coast line of
1900 miles, while it's average width
is but ninety miles.
There are many active volcanoes
in the Andean mountain range
which forms the boundery line be-
tween Chill and Argentine and
earthquakes are continually altering
it's scenery. The last quake Of any
great importance was the one which
destroyed Valparaiso in September
1906, but there have been several
minor shakeups since then. In nearly
every port from Punta Arenas in
the straits to africa, evidences of
earthquakes are to be seen, and it
was but thirty years ago that'a large
portion of the now thriving city of
Iquique disappeared into the sea
during violent upheavel.
Chill is peculiarly separated by
nature into three distinct divisions:
To the north of Coquimbo is the
desert; to the far south the timber
and grazing lands, and in the inter
mediate center, the agricultural dis
tricts. The desert is valueless ex-
cept for it's mines. which as yet are
only partially developed. &c Id,
silver, copper and other metals have
been found in paying quantities,
but it is the famous nitrate, or salt
|petre, of which immense and it is
said almost inexhaustable beds have
been discovered, that are the most
valuable. The nitrate in many of
the mines is almost pure, and it is
| found in veins of from a few inches
to 8 or 4 feet in thickness. In
many places it is found close to the
surface, in which case mining it be-
comes a very simple process. A
| sheet of canvas twelve to sixteen
feet square is stretched from the
ends of four bamboo poles to form
a sunshade, and the miner taking a
pick, shovel and few gunnie sacks
steps underneath and goes to work.
! When the few feet of surface sand
and clay are removed, he merely
shovels the nitrate into the sacks
which, after undergoing a slight re
fining, are then loaded into cars and
sent to the coast, from whence they
are carried by ship to Europe and
America.
There are at present several short
railway lines penetrating to the in
land mines from ports on the desert
coast, and these ports are rapidly
becoming industrial centers. The
three most important are Antofagas-
ia, Iquique and Taltal, and regard
less of their dreary surroundings
are fast growing in size and wealth
An immense amount of shipping
, is done annually from them and a
one time | stood on the wharf a
Antofagasta and counted one hun
dred and sixty odd ships lying in
the harbor. All maratime nations
were represented there except the
|. United States, but fully three
fourths of the vessels flew the Brit
ish flag.
In the agricultural district, which
extends for about ! degrees to the
south of Coquimbo, large portion
r of the nations food supply is garn-
cred. Nearly all kinds OF fruit and
grain are raised in abundance
Hemp is also grown to large ex
tent and while some of it is made
/. into cloth and cordage for home
) use, the greater portion is exported
to Europe. 1t is in the agricultural
districts that the cities of Valipar
also and the capitol, Santiago, arr
situated. They are both prosper
Gus and enterprising and it would
: surprise one to find how up-to-datt
their citizens are. They enjo,
most of the conyeniences that W,
. are accustomed to, and clothing ant
food are cheaper there, on tn.
-lwhole, than here.