Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-08-09
} Bolivia New Railways ~
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Americans, and of $l2,;OO,oOO by the b.
hvlan government. The 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 Cochabamba, and third line to Tupiza
to connect with the Argentine system The
Potosi extension was also part of the con-
tract. This was in 1906, shortly after which
time the work was begun. American engi-
neers were brought in and by 1908 the line
from Oruro to Viacha above La Paz was al
most completed. Other constructions were
well under way when the controlling inter
est IN the undertaking was sold to the Eng
lish Antofagasta and Bolivia Railway COM
pany, and that at big profit
In this way the Antofagasta and Bolivia
railroad passed out of the control 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. 1t has been
completed to La Paz, and is now advancing
toward Cochabamba, thriving town on the
eastern side of the Andes. The same com
Pany is building line from Uyuni to Tu-
piza, the total length Of which will be about
10 miles. short extension will connect
that line with the Argentine railways, and
then one can travel across country from Bo-
livia to Argentina. l understand that the
Bolivian government has already contracted
loan for the building of the break from
Tupiza to the Argentine frontier.
The Antofagasta road is one of the most
profitable roads of all South America. 1t is
the great down-the mountain chute for the
the tin and copper ores of the Bolivian pla.
teau, and as it has 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 something like
$40 or SIS ton. Suppose you had to pay
SIS for getting ton of coal from Washing
ton to Detroit. venture you would object
even as the La Paz people do.
By the extension of the lines the freight
OF the road will be greatly increased Co
chabamba is in thriving agricultural dis
trict, with no outlet for its products. Potos
is on the slope of mountain that was once
a great mass of silver, and is now being
worked for its tin. 1t is expected that many
low grade tin and silver mines which cannot
be operated because of the high cost Of
transportation, will be opened up as soon as
the road is completed.
AS to Tupiza, in southern Bolivia. that
town is of no great importance, but all along
the road from Uvuni there are rich tin mines
and many low grade propositions will be
opened up when the railroad goes through
AS it is now, the chief trouble of this system
is its two different gauges. Some of the
tracks are of a 40-inch gauge. while others
are of only 80 inches The latter is the case
with the road from Antofagasta to Oruro
but arrangements are being made to alter
it to 40 inches, thus standardizing the
system.
A great deal of the Bolivian rolling stock
comes from the United States. On the An
tofagasta line the locomotives are chiefly
Baldwins. A great many Rogers are used
on the Peruvian roads, and on the africa line
the engines are American, English and Ger
man. During the construction of that road
there were Is locomotives and 14O flat cars
in service The heaviest engine weighed 70
tons.
Our civil engineers have had much to dc
in laying out the roads of Bolivia, and
Americans are now taking contracts for the
new construction financed by the English.
The rough work is largely done by Aymara
Indians, who receive from 80 cents to dol
lar day. This is very high for Bolivia,