The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-08-11

are often OunU, LIN lhat |
fishes are in evidence. Some or the
way is past volcanoes, and you see
beds and mountains of lava OF the
most wonderful ~characted. Inc ROAD
taps the treasure vaults or the Anues
and its freight largely tin and copper
ore, which is shipped from Anto1agas-
ia to the smelters Of Europe and the
United States.
The reconstruction Of this Bolivian
railway and its extension was financed
and built by Americans. Only q lew
years ago Bolivia and Brazil entered
into a treaty by which Bolivia con-
ceded to Brazil a rubber region ABOUT
twice as large as the state or ino1ana
for the sum of $40, 900, 900. n
money was used to build certain rail
roads for the development of Bolivia:
MeSSrS. Speyer & Co., and the National
City Bank Of New York got the con-
tract for the completion and extern
sion of the Antofagasta road. Their
scheme involved an expenditure of
more thai SGT, 900, 900. the capital to
be made up of $4,000, 600 advanced
by the Americans, and of Sl2, 500. 900
by the Bolivian government. Inc
American loan was secured by bonds
and the guarantee Of the government.
One of the extensions to be made was
the standard gauge from Oruro to La
Paz, another was from Oruro to Coch-
abamba, and a third a line to TuplZa
to onnec with the Argentine system.
The potOsi extension was also a part
of the contract. This was in 1906,
shortly after which time the work
was begun. American engineers were
brought in and by 1908 the line from
Oruro to Viacha above La Paz was
almost completed. Other constructions
were we'll under way when the con-
trolling interest in the undertaking
was sold to the English A~ntofagasta
and Bolivia Railway Company, n
that at a big profit.
In this way the A~ntofagasta and Bo-
via railroad passed out Of the con-
troll of the Americans and into that
Of the English. The Americans may
still own some Of the stock, but the
railroad belongs to and is managed by
English capitalists. It has been com
pleted to La Paz ana is now advanc-
ing toward Cochabamba, a thriving
town on the eastern side Of the Andes.
The same company is building a line
from Uyuni to TupiZa, the total length
of which will be about 120 miles. A
short extension will nne that line
with the Argentine railways, n then
one can travel across country from
Bolivia to Argentina. l understand
that the Bolivian government has al
ready contracted a loan for the build
ing Of the break from Tupiza to the
Argentine frontier.
The Antofagasta road is one Of the
most profitable roads of all South
America. It is the great down-the-
mountain chute for the tin and COP
per ores of the Bolivian plateau. and
as it has a monopoly, it can charge all
that the traffic will bear. The freight
rates are enormous, and that on coal
from AntOfagaSta to La Paz is some
thing like $40 or SIS a ton. Suppose
you had to pay $25 for getting a tor
of coal from Washington to Detroit
/ venture you would object. even as
the La PaZ people 10.
By the extension of the lines the
freight Of the road will be greatly in.
creased. Cochabamba is in a thriv.
ing agricultural district, with no out
; let for it's products. Postosi is on thu
: slope of a mountain that was once
a great mass of silver, and is now be
ing worked for it's tin. It is expected
E that many 1ow-grade tin and silver
mines which cannot be operated be
cause of the high cost of transporta
ton Will be opened up as soon as tn,
! road is completed.
: AS to Tupiza, in southern Bolivia
e that town is of no great importance
f but al along the road from Uyun
S there are rich tin mines and many loy
grade propositions will be opened u
t when the railroad goes through. A
k it is now, the chief trouble Of this svs
e tenn is it's two different gauges. Som
Of the racks are of a forty-inc]
e gauge, while others are of only thirt
e inches. The latter is the case wit
the road from Antotagasta to Orure
e but arrangements are being made t
8 alter it to forty inches, thus standard
iZing the system.
A great deaf Of the Bolivian rolIin
stock comes from the United State:
a On the Antofagasta line the locomo
e tives are chiefly Baldwins. A grea
e many Rogers are used on the Peru
q Wan roads, and on the africa line tn
IS engines are American, English an
German. During the construction {
IF that road there were fifteen locome
II ives and 140 fiat cars in service. TIL
IS heaviest engine weighed seventy ton
n Our civil engineers have had muc
le to do in laying out the road of Boliyi