Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1914-12-20
MAGELLAN TERRITORY
DEVELOPING RAPIDLY
Countfy Is as Big as State Of Mis-.
souri,, and Has Millions of
Sheep.
FARMS OF TERRA DEL FUEGO
Sheep at 4 Cents a Head.
Something About the Indians-At
Southern End of Hemisphere.
SavaXeS Who Go Naked in Snow.
B,- FRANK G. CARPENTER.

Valdivia.
The Chilean government hns new
plans for colonizing and developing
tho Territory of the Magellans. 1t has
sold at auction several million acres
and has leased large tracts for cattle
breeding and sheep raising. 1t Is put
ting in public improvements ut Punta
Arenas. the capital of the straits. and
elsewhere; and there are now some
thing like 900 miles Of road in the
territory. Some lands have been given
over to two private colonization COM
panies. and special inducements are
offered TO native Chileans who will go
there to settle.
The Territory of the MaSellans is
one OF the least known parts OF South
America 1t conssts Of the southern
end of the range OF the Andes. includ-
Ing a long strip of country that runs
from little below Naldvia to the
Strait of Magellan. 1t has also the
islands at tho western end OF the strait.
and the most of TERRA del Fucgo. 1t
comprines more than one-flfth of all
Chile, and II has a land area almost as
great as the State Of Missouri. About
one-half OF 1t is on the mainland of the
continent and the rest is made up of
islands.
This region has fairly good climate.
The northern part Is temperate. and in
the summer season, or from November
till May. one can travel almost any
where through 1t in two-wheeled
cart There are now about 1000 miles
of wagon roads in the territory. and
these are being improved.
Until within the last few years the
Territory OF the Megallans was sup
posed to DO worth nothing. II was so
near the South Pole that many thought
it was all Ice and snow, and its noun
famous character was such tina, no one
imagined the lands could ever be of
great value. To-day this territory has
developed live stock raising industry
that bulks large In the assets Of Chile.
II has one sheep-growing company,
capitalized at more than ST,0opO0O.
which is now producing 100000 or
100000 pounds of wool every year,
This company owns 100000 acres Of
land. and It's sheep number more than
100000 1t has also $4,000 cattle, and
more than 5000 horses. 1t shcnred
more than 900, 900 sheep last year. and
the average fleece weighed almos.
eight pounds. 1t Ind more than 500
600 lambs, and it shipped vast quaint
ties of frozen mutton to England.
La Sociedad EXplotadora de TERRA
del Fuego or the TERRA del 1'eugo FIX
ploTat!on Society. owns 1850, 900 sheep
and also cattle and horses. 1t has its
own meat canning factory and plant
for producing tallow by boiling down
sheep. y freezing establishment has
IeCGHtiN Deen lHSlullcu there, anu an
other freezer exists at the Rio Seco.
to which 10000 sheep are annually
shipped. The annual output of these
two freezing establishments is almost
100000 carcasses. and the tallow works
connected with them have marketed
more than 10000 pounds, of that ar
ticle.
During my stay at the Strait of Ma
Eellan in 1898 the era Of sheep raising
the lands had just become known, and
stock farmers were coming in from
Australia and Europe. The first sheep
brought In came from the Falkland Is
lands. which lie in the same latitude
about 200 miles eastward. The Falk-
lands are and have long been famous
for their fine sheep. The first expor-
tations to the Strait of Magellan oc-
Cured in 1873. Seven years later the
fiocks had increased to so, 900. and when
were considerably over 100000. AZ
that time one of the largest sheep
owners was the American consul,
Russian by birth who had spent most
OF his life in the Magellans. He had
$4,000 acres of land in TERRA del
Fuego, and his house at Punta Arenas
was one Of the finest of Chile. 1t is
of red brick covered with stucco and
is SO finished that il looks like q light
brownstone. Every part of the build
ing vas brought In. from! IA broad and
all the laborers who worked on II were
imported from Buenos Aires or San
tiago. The house cost something like
100000, and is still the wonder OF
this part OF the world
The grazing farms Of the Strait of
Magellon are not only on the mainland
but also on Tierra del Fucgo They
number millions OF acres. and some OF
the best arc on TERRA del Fuego. tha
great island which belongs partly to
Chile and partly to Argentina.
Tierrn del Fuego is half as big as the
State OF Ohio, and the greater part of
1t is made UP Of plains and wide
stretches Of moorland covered with
grass. which is green in the summer
and reddish brown when winter comes
on. This grass furnishes good grazing
all the year round. In the winter the
sheep sometimes dig down through
the snow, and, as rule. the SHOWS melt
soon after falling. The grasses OF the
strait are noted for their richness and
sweetness. They are excellent for the
production of both mutton and wool!
and they would feed far moro stock
than they do were II not for the rats
AS II liz. this pest Is so great that il
now takes three or more acres to sup
port one sheep. The rats not only eat
the grass, but they burrow through the
earth to such an extent that II Is I'm
possible TO drive over the plains with
a wagon. and on horseback one has to
rfde very carefully. Cattle are used us
rat exterIninators. They are driven
over the ground and the rats in their
burrows are tranped TO death BY them
The sheep farms Of TERRA del Fuego
are much IKE those of Australia They
are fenced with wire. and the sheen
are Kept in large paddocks. some Of
Th!ch are as big as an average Amer
II township. The ordinary horks
ain about 1000 head, and each
has Its own shepherd. aided by
The dogs are Scotch coIlies so
q that they seem almost hu-
y VIII pick any sheep from a
" command of their ma ster.
~ them by motion .of his
10 go II he waves to
larg know they are to go
Il 1rows his hand to the
= back, and the holding
4 L. Ill L SI...--