Omaha daily bee., 1914-09-06

HN2NSlEI from the TOP OF lne AnuSSs III
Gx&1 BOLIVIA, to the Pacific ocean,
in Chile, and am now writing in Antofa-
gasta, the chief port of one of the most
desert parts of the world. This town lies
half way down the great South American
desert. It is 2,4O0 miles from Panama,
and two days and more from Valparaiso,
the New York of Chile 1t belongs to
Chile, and it forms it's chief gateway to
Bolivia and the mighty treasure vaults
OF the Andes. 1t is also the gateway to
the nitrate fields and to other wonders
of this arid part of the world. Through
IL flows most of the borax used by man
kind, and out of 1t come vast quantities
Of copper and tin.
Within a few miles of Antofagasta is
Chuquicamata, where the Guggenheim
syndicate has some of the largest de-
posits of low-grade copper on earth.
They can be worked at a profit and will
soon be supplying the greater part of the
copper from the South American CONT
nent. Further north, at Uyani. are tin
mines, and down the same road comes
the tin of Potosi and Oruro. Indeed, a
river OF minerals is already flowing
through the port and the outlook Is that
the stream will increase with the devel-
opment of the enormous deposits of the
interior. AntofagastA is also the begin
ming OF the new Transandine road that
is to cross the continent by way of
Uyuni, Tupiza and the Argentine system.
Only about hundred miles of this rail-
road remains to be built, and when it is
completed travellers can go forth from
here to Buenos Ayres in three or four
days.
Hope of the Future.
The Antofagasta of the present shows
the hope OF the future 1t grows like the
thistles on the mountain farms of Vir-
Binia, and today looks more like an
American town of our arid southwest
than anything 1 have yet seen in South
America. The houses are mostly of
wood. rooted with galvanized iron. The
streets are wide and many of them IN
paved. The population reminds one OF
our frontier. The characteristic sights
of the Andes have disappeared There are
no blanketed Indians and no llamas
Wagons, carts and cabs have taken their
places. The town is cosmopolitan. You
hear every language spoken as you move
through the streets, and are jostled by
British and Germans, Austrlans and
French. There is also large proper
tcn OF Chiieans. The people are whites.
and the red and mixed races seem to be
confined to the Andes.
The harbor Of Antofagasta Is poor
but 1t is filled with shipping and the
wharves are piled high with goods. There
are stacks OF Oregon pine, piles OF bags
Of American flour and cords OF steel rails
and structural steel brought in by ouI
steel trust. The place Is the busiest OF
all the ports between Valparaiso and
Panama, and now that the canal is com
pleted it will send north the nitrate
boTaX. copper. tin and other minerals
now pouring into it from the regions be.
hind.
l came To Antofagasta from La Paz
Ny route was the one that I took fifteen
years ago. when / rode three days across
the plateau on the top Of the wagon that
rarried the Bolivian mails This was
from La Paz to Oruro, a railway station
about 600 miles from where I now am
Ne pelted the mules ears with stones
Snd kept them on the gallop from day.
light to dark. 1t was cold and we al.
most froze at the rude inns Of the high,
lands. From Oruro TO the sea / came or
the train.
Ny journey this year was all the way