Omaha daily bee., 1914-11-15

the ocean, The seam Is about five feet
thick and the rock above Is so compact
that the water does not seep through.
Indeed, the submarine tunnels are so
clean that one could walk through them
in evening clothes without danger. The
mines are equipped with modern machin-
cry. They are lighted with electricity
and the coal is carried out on electric
cars. The amount now being mined is
about LOCO tons per day. and the total
output runs irto the hundreds of thou
sands of tons per year.
inadequate TO Needs,
The supply of coal furnished by the
Lota mines does not begin to fill Chile's
demands. The country is now using more
than twice as much coal as 1t produces
and 1t has been importing one-half OF It's
supply from Australia and England The
state railways now use 100000 tons per
annum and practically all of the smelt-
ing coal comes from Australia. under
stand there are other extensive deposits
in the province of Arauco. south of Con-
cepcion, and they have recently dis
covered coal near Punta Arenas. at the
Strait Of Magellan. Petroleum and nat
ural gas are known to exist 500 miles
region not far from the steel works at
Corral BY means OF the canal our coal
from the gulf and south Atlantic states
ought to have a great market here and
coal might form the return freight for
the nitrates and other minerals that from
now on viii be shipped north through the
canal to our country.
II was these Lots coal mines that
formed the foundation Of the great
Cousino fortune, still one OF the largest
Of Chile. For several generations 1t had
been known that coal existed not far from
Conception. and II was at the time that
Madison was president that an American
named Wheelwright, who put the first
steamers on the southern Pacific, tried TO
utilize these deposits for his ships. II
was not until 1855. however. that they
proved TO be of any value. when they
were boughet by Don Matias Cousino.
The coal IL not a very good steaming
coal, but II does well for smelling.
Cousno established smelling works near
the mines and began to develop the coal
properties. He did 20 well that in one
year his net receipts were more than
81, 100000. and in time he built up big
business. He established the town of
Lota, which has 10000 people. including
the most OF the 5000 men who are en-
ployed In the mines. The town has good
homes, a church, a hospital free doctors
and a plaza for recreation.
Leaves widow Fortune.
When Don 'CUusino died his widow was
said 10 be the richest woman in the
world, and her income was over s1.eOOO 900
a year. She had not only the coal mines,
but silver mines and copper mines. bonds
and stocks galore She had also a large
hacienda near Santiago and fine home
in that city. She gave to tho public the
coasino park. which is the chief pleas.
ure aground Of the Chilean capital, and
she made herself famous also for her
palace and park at Lota, not far from
her mines have visited both places.
They are wonders of landscape garden
ing. that at Lota having many picturesque
effects OF both land and sea.
The canal should also give an outlet TO
the lumber of our southern states into
all the Pacific coast countries. Chile
has a large forest region. but the woods
do not compare with ours and the country
IL now importing about so,0OO,O0o feet OF
lumber per Annum. The most OF this
comes from California. Oregon and Wash
ington. and Il has to go q long way far
Their to reach the canal Jhan would the
lumber Of our gulf states Indeed. the
increased distance would probably more
than offset the tolls charged TO the ruff
state lumber for passing through to
canal.
Good O1tIOOk for Americans.
Moreover. the outlook is that there viii
be an increased demand for lumber in
Ecuador, Peru and Chile. All OF the
ports and the most Of the cities will
grow and they will need building ma
terials This will be especially so In
Chile. where the government is under
taking public building operations which
are 70 run through q period OF ten years
and cost many millions Of dollars. The
buildings to he put up include admins
trstion offices at the state capitals, u
number OF penitentiaries and customs
houses. and many public school build
ings. new presidents palace Is siso
n be erected Al Santiago and the -ot-
eminent will remodel the repair shops on