The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-09

and commerce has climbed over EgrSwlSSl the Andes and is now forcing his way through the wlds of Bolivia. Fifteen years ago all the rail- ways of this country did not cover 300 miles. Today more than 1900 miles are in operation, more than 800 miles are be- ing constructed, and something like $500 miles have been surveyed or projected. When l last came to La Paz I rode over the Peruvian Southern railway from Mol lendo to Areouipa, and thence on to Puno on Lake Ttticaca.
 crossed that lake on a steamer to Chil- li1aya Bolivia, and came with the mails on a stage across the plateau to La Paz. This year l have come by the same route as far as the lake. and thence to Guayui, where an express train brought me in comfort right into the heart of the Be- livian capital
 In leaving La Paz to return to the sea coast I was hauled by mules on long three days gallop down to Oruro, where l got the narrow gauge line that crosses the mountains and desert to the port of Antofagasta. l have gone over the same road this year, but 10 has now been ex- tended from Oruro to La Paz and there are branch lines that will soon connect with the Argentine railway system and give transcontinental line across south- ern Bolivia to the Atlantic ocean at Bue- nos Aires. Then Bolivia had no through railway to the sea. She has three, the third being the short cut to the Pa cific at Africa. The Africa road was com- trains are just now beginning to run safely over It. During my stay in La Paz l have had talks with the managers of the several roads, and at Arequipa and Lima l gathered the latest information as to the Peruvian Southern, which, with its extension from Lake Titicaca to La Paz. forms one of the most important outlets to the trade of this country.
 These Andean railways are the only ladders up which one can climb to the golden roof of the South American con- tinent, and they are the only downspouts through which mineral and other products of the plateau can be sent to'athe sea- coast. From here to the Isthmus of Pan anna there are now five such ladders. The first Is in Ecuador. It runs from Guaya- quil to Quito, passing in full view of Chimborazo and Cotopaxi. The second is the Central Railroad of Peru. It climbs over the coastal range to the great copper mines of Cerro de Pasco, reaching an altitude which is far above that of any other railroad point of He world. The !, ind ;t, D over pass of more than Il, GOO feet to Lake Titicaca; and the fourth and fifth are the Arica-La Paz and the'Antofagas- ta-La Paz roads, which cross the Chilean desert and end at the Bolivian capital
 The highest of these roads is the Gen. tral railway of Peru. 1 crossed it at an altitude which is more than three miles above the sea, and on one of its branch lines l ascended to a height of 15 S05 feet which is the highest place now reached by rail. Y The Peruvian Central crosses the Andes through, the Galera tunnel, and then goes down into the fertile valley of Huaneayo, and it will some day be extended to the navigable tributaries of the Amazon river.
 The Southern railway of Peru crosses the Andes at an altitude of 14,400 feet. Its highest point is about that of Pikes Peak, which is 14147 feet above the sea. It then descends to Lake Titicaca, and from there drops down to La Paz. which lies in a hollow almost two miles and a quarter above the sea. The Gen. tral railroad goes up three miles in altitude over about 100 miles of track, and it's total mileage, not including the Cerro de Pasco extension, is less than 250 miles.
 The Southern road from Mollendo to La Paz, including the trip across the lake, covers distance of more than 300 miles It is 22S miles from the sea, where it crosses the Andes, and there