The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-02-03

les OIL CIlc w OIlU.
Spanish, SO that Carl takes his die
tionary to the table to order his
meals.
h Huallaga has just about 5000
tons. 1t is Il new boat made IN
France about two years ago. 1t burns
oil as fuel. and it can make sixteen
an hour. 1t is very steady and
is exceedingly comfortable.
Just now we are moving rapidly
down the west a Of Colombia, but
so far out that thel and cannot be
seen. 1t is only the small steamers
like the Mauave that call at the ports
on that coast, and this will be the case
until the Panama Canal is opened.
There are a half dozen Colombian
ports or the Pacific, the largest OF
which are B~uenaventura and Tenn
ucO. Neither OF these has over $500
population. Most OF the other ports
hav no good landing places, and at
some you have to be carried on shore
on the backs Of negroes. Neverthe-
less, ] am told that the harbOrs are
good, and hat they will be improved
as soOn as the canal is in use.
Buenaventura will probably be the
chief port on the west Goa of Co
lOmbia. Tint town is built on an ISL
and, which lies at the head of the bay
about eight miles from the sea, and at
the mouth Of the Dagua river. BY
dredging, the harbor can easily be
made an excellent one; and the firm
of S. Pearson & Son, of London, has
just made a contract with the Co
lOmbian government for surveys with
a view to its Improvement. In this
contract they are to get $4,000 for
the plans and estimates Of the cost of
construction. The proposed improve
mentS include a clearing and anchor
e ground of more than a mile long
and about half a mile wide, and also
a new city, including it's w~aterworks
n a system of sanitation and paw
ing. All of the plans are based upon
a city OF $4,000 inhabitants, n by
the contract they have to be ready on
or before August 10, 1914.
; The B~uenaventura of the present
has only 1000 people, SO that this will
give you some idea of what is ex
, pected in the way of growth from tn
; opening of the canal.
Buenaventura has already a rail
road which is being built over tn.
t mountains into the great valleys o
e the Cauca river This road is ownet
I by Americans. It begins at the har
n Dor and will go over a pass abou
0 5000 feet high from where there i
s an easy grade down into the valley
n The valley of the Cauca Is one of tn
n paradise spots OF the South America,
continent. 1t is several hundred mile
e long and twenty or more miles i
width. 1t begins near Ecuador an
q runs north through a great part 9
Colombia. Altogether it is almost a
n large as California and equally ricf
n l NJ - --l l.
n the soil is fitted for coffee, cacaO an
all sorts of semi-tropical fruits. Their
% are some Americans who have a
10 ready lands there. Labor Is plentif,
he and the chances for development al
d good. Parts OF h valley are undel
to laid with coal. some Of which is of
lie good steaming variety, and one Of tn
he objects Of the railroad will be to ca
ry this coal down to the Pacific Ocea
where it will command a high pric
IN The oad will eventually connect wit
OF the other railroads Of the couUr
and will probably some day be so e.
tended as to reach BogOta.
he You people Of North America ha,
,rs no idea of the possibilities right u,
1T der your noses. Colombia is yo
We next-door South American neighbe
nv and 1t will pay you to cultivate
n It's people now have strained rel
a tons with the United States. becau
Of they think Uncle Sam took advanta
90 OF them In regard to the PanaE
DIS Canal 1t is very much a Questi
ne whether they have been eQuitat
,as treated and it will pay the Unit
yas States to make a treaty with su
terms as will satisfy them. The Ho
els orable James T. Du BoiA our l.
Minister to Colombia, had such I
= r gotiations we'll under way before t
of present administration came in, q
of il they can still be contaminated
will be OF great benefit to the two
no. publics. It would also improve {
a standing with all Of the other So,
ION American countries.
zzo =
ist- But before I go farther let me
,gs, you Just where Colombia Is and son
the thing Of what 1t contains. 1t is ]
in across the Caribbean Sea and
lote Gulf of Mexico. The shortest I
and lance between 1t and our country
are not al Tar ~ from Philadelphia