El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-11-21
German Colonies In Chile Prosper;
Provide Free Homes For Settlers
.Valdivia is the Metropolis,
and Has Banks, Stores
and Hotels.
BY FRANK G. CARPENTER.
Copyrighted 1914by Frank G. Carpenter

-ALDIVA, Chile. Nov. 21.-Should
NJ Germany succeed in the present
war and dominate the world
there are two parts OF South America
which may become German colonies
one is in southern Brazil. It consists
Of several states populated by Germans.
It has towns and cities governed by
officials who speak German. It has
German newspapers and there are Ger
man signs over the stores. There are
German factories and breweries, and
the best businesses Of the country are
owned by Germans. That region IS
sometimes called west Deutschland, and
it has more good land than Germany in
Europe
German Colony in Chile.
The other great region is situated
here in the lower part Of Chile, and it
might be called south Deutschland. It
IS far below Valparaiso and not far
from the strait Of Magellan.
The Germans began TO come here IS
years ago. and so many have immi-
grated that some Of the towns are now
more German than Spanish.
The first settlers were from Ham
burg. They arrived in 1850 and were
100 days on the way. They numbered
20 men, ten women and five children.
That colony was followed by others,
and by the close Of our civil war there
were more than 1,400 Germans who had
settled here. They came as pioneers
and had to cut their homes out of the
woods. They chopped down the forests
and built log cabins ana painted wheat
fields and orchards. They have now
cleared a large part OF the country, and
have many fine farms They are more
prosperous and thrifty than the ordi-
nary Chlenos, and many have become
rich.
Some OF them have great sawmills,
and are shipping lumber to all parts Of
Chile. Others raise wheat, potatoes
and apples. and not a few are engaged
in merchandising Owing to their en-
terprise the region promises to become
one OF the richest and most prosperous
parts Of the republic
Large Towns Grow Up
Already many large towns have
grown up, such as Osorno, Puerto
metropolis. Lying 500 miles south Of
Santiago, in the heart Of the woods, it
is surrounded by farms and clearings.
It's port is the principal one of
South Chile and at it machinery Of all
kinds, and especially agricultural i'm
plements, are landed. The city has now
20,0O people, and it Is rapidly grow
ing. 1t had fire a few years ago
which swept away the buildings OF
wood and tin which then existed and
In their places we now find a new city
built along modern lines and up-tO-
date in every particular.
Many Of the buildings are Of rein
FORCED concrete and Of two or three
stories. The shops have plate glass
windows, coming down to the pave
sments' and the window displays are
better than those Of our towns Of the
same size at home The streets are
wide and the pavements about twice
as broad as those Of Santiago. The
whole tone Of Valdivia is white, and
the concrete construction makes il look
Ike substantial municipality built Of
Berea sandstone.
Indeed. Valdivia is more German than
Chilean The signs over the stores are
IN German, and there are German cafes !
IN which you get excellent beer made !
by the Germans. This beer is famous
throughout the republic, and it is
shipped north and south on the steam /
ers.
The chief hotel here has a French
name, but it is run by a German, and |
Germans own the greater part Of the 4
IS the chief importing establishment. !
This is American. The store is filled
with American machinery, from wind 1
mills and reapers and threshers to /
mana sewing machines and notions. It I
mas also American canned goods
Night Life Gay.
men arrived in Valdivia at night