El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-12-19

NJ
plans for colonizing and devel-
opiue the Territory Of the Magellans
1t has sold at auction several million
acres and has leased large tracts fol-
cattle breeding and sheep raising. II
putting in, public improvements al
Punta Arenas, the capital Of the straits
and elsewhere; and there are now
something like 1000 miles of road in
the territory. Some lands have been
given over to two private colonization
companies, and special inducements are
offered to native Chileans who Will go
there to settle.
The Territory Of the Magellans is
one Of the least known parts of South
America It consists Of the southern
end Of the range Of the Andes, 1nclud-
ing a long strip Of country that runs
from a little below Valdivia to the
Strait of Magellan. It has also the
islands at the western end Of the strait,
and the most Of TERRA del FuegO. 1t
comprises more than one-fifth OF all
Chile and it has a land area almost as
great as the state Of Missouri. About
one half Of IT 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 it in a two wheeled
cart. There are now about 1000 miles
of wagon roads in the territory, and
these are being improved.
Supposed to Be Worthless.
Until within the last few years the
Territory of the Magellans was sup
posed to be worth nothing. 1t was so
near the south pole that many thought
unna
famous character was such that no one
imagined the lands could ever be Of
great value.
Today this territory has developed a
live stock raising industry that bulks
large in the assets Of Chile. It has one
sheep growing company capitalized at
more than S7,000,OOO, which is now pro-
ducing nine or ten million pounds of
wool every year. This company owns
100000 acres Of land, and its sheep
number more than 100000. It has
also $4,000 cattle, and more than 5000
horses. 1t sheared more than 100000
sheep last year. and the average fleece
weighed almost eight pounds. 1t had
more than a half million lambs, and 1t
shipped vast quantities Of frozen nut
ton to England.
Owns 100000 Head of Cattle.
La Sociedad EXplotadora de TERRA
del FuegO or the TERRA del Fuego EX-
ploration society, owns 10000 sheep
and also cattle and horses. 1t has its
own meat canning factory and a plant
for producing tallow by boiling down
sheep. A freezing establishment has
recently been installed there, and 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 400,-
600 carcasses, and the tallOw works
connected with them have marketed
more than three quarters OF million
pounds Of that article.
During my stay at the Strait of Ma
gellan in 1898 the era of sheep raising
was at its beginning. The value Of 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 Falklands are and have long
been famous for their fine sheep. The
first expectations to the Strait Of Ma
gellan occurred in 1873. Seven years
later the flOcks had increased to 10000,
and when 1 first visited TERRA del
Fuego they were considerably over a
million. At that time one of the larg-
est sheep owners was the American
consul a Russian by birth, who had
spent r'ost Of his life in the Magellans.
He hSd $4,000 acres Of land in Ii
ezra del FuegO, and his house at Punta
Arenas was one of the finest Of Chile
II is of red brick covered with stucco.
and is so finished that it looks like
light brown stone. Every part Of the
building was brought in from abroad,