The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-08-09
by FRANK &. CARPENTER.

B1 FRANK &. CARPENTER
la Pa2. Bolivia
II He iron horse of transp ortation
and commerce climbed over the
the Andes, and is now forcing
his way through the wilds of Bolivia.
Fifteen years AGO all the railways OF
this country did not cover 500 miles.
To-day moro than 1900 miles are in
operation. more than 500 miles are be-
inp constructed and something like
500 miles have been surveyed or pro
1ected. When | last came TO La Paz |
rode over the Peruvian Southern Rail
way froa Molendo TO AreQuipa and
theuc. on To Puno on Lake Titicaca.
crossed that lake on a steamer TO
Chl.ilaya. Bolivia. and came with the
malls on a stage across the plateau 10
Ia pa This year | have come by the
same route rs far as the lake, and
thence TO GuaQui where an express
train Brought me in comfort right into
the near; Of the Bolivian capital
In leaving La Paz to return to the
SCI. coast, l was hauled by mules on
long thvee-day gallop down TO Oruro.
Where I got the narrow gauge lire
that crosses the mountains and desert
10 tae port OF Antofagasta. have
gone over the Same road this year. but
II has now boeG extended from Oruro
20 La P3z ana there are branch lines
thai will soon connect with the Argcn-
tine Railway system and give trans
continental line across Southern Bolivia
10 the Atlantic Ocean at Bucnos Aires.
Then Bolivia had no through railway
20 the sea. She has now three. the
tl.rl bciu. The short cat to the Pacific
~ africa. The africa Road was com
pleteG only about year ago, and the
trains are just now beginning TO run
safely over K. During my stay In La
!'az have had talks with the man
ayers OF the several roads; and at
...cqu!pa and Lima gathered the latest
Information as 20 tho Peruvian South
c:u, which. with it's extension from
Lake TiiiCdca TO Ia pa@. forms one OF
,he most important outlets to the trade
- This country.
These Audcan railways are the only
ladders Up which one can climb TO the
golden roof OF the South American CON
tiHcaL ana thcy are the only down
scouts Through which mineral and other
uiuoUrts ot the plateau can be sen: to
t.e coast From here 10 the Isth,nus
@. -'1a-na there arc now FIVE sucn lad
de.s The first is in Ecuador II runs
q on! Guayaquii to Quito. passing IN
t,!! view os Chimbora2o and COtopaNi.
1Aa second is thc Central Railroad OF
Peru II climbs over the coastal range
10 Tia great COPPER mines OF Cerro de
Pasco, reaching an altitude which is
lar above that OF any other railroad
po.Ht Of the world. The third is the
Peruvian southern, 1t climbs over =
pass OF more than $4,000 feet to Lake
Titicaca; and the fourth and rfth are
the ..llcu-La Pax and the AutOia@asta-
Ia Iaa toAdS. which cross tn" Chilea"
Desert -Hu 'hd at the Bolivian capital.
The h.shes' az these roads IS the Cen
TIA. Railway Of Peru. | crossed il II.
q. 2it!lUd" which is more than three
a. les above the sea, and on one OF its
branch lines assembled to a height of
l5,So5 feet which is the highest place
now reached by rail The Peruvian
Central crosses the Andes through the
Galera Tunnel, and then goes down
into the fertile Valley of Huancayo.
ana i, viii some day be extended To the
ravis Bile tributaries of the Amazon
River
The Southern Railway Of Peru crosses
the Andes at an altitude of li.iOO feet.
Is highest point is about that OF Pixies
Peak, which is lili1 feet above the
see. ~ then desccnds 20 Lake Tjlicaca.
and from there drops down To lie Fax.
which lies .r o hollow almost two miles
ard quartz! above the sea The cen
tral Railroad goes up three miles IN
altitude over about 100 miles Of track.
and ita total mileage not including the
Cerro de Pasco extension, is less than
The Southern Road from Molcudo to
Ia Pa2. Including The "trip ucross the
l. -, covers q distance of more than
500 miles. IL is 222 miles from the sea.
where Il crosses tac Andes and there
u IS 1000 feet lowcr than tho altitude
o: ;ae pass al the Peruvian Central
The la aa-Antolagasta line has
mileage ~ more ran 700 m!At ms
its highest point ou the maze ,.n- Is
over l5H0r feet above the sea rho
highest point ON the africa line is just
Lule. .sD.l feet. hut tho Anto!acnsta
Lac Is ul-ldiug branches that are al
most as nigh as tAe highest roin, on
the No.lcoo liza branch ~ the Central