Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1915-05-19

Stuse, u.s. 8. "a, In the V Pan-Amer1can Union.
But It Is impossible, do I hear you say? Just
: moment while j quote you a few, q very few,
4 facts and figures The Oroya railway Gel Fer
rocarrI Central del PERU is q monument to the
genius Of Henry Metggs, an American, or rather,
III should say,a United Statesof-N orth-American,
for in the southern hemisphere the term "Ameri-
I cano''s is not very definite, and we usually find
ourselves indexed under IN" to distinguish us
from the United States Of Colombia, United Mex
4 lean States etc. Callao, the Pacific terminus OF
the Oroya railway, and one OF the principal ports
OF Peru, Ii six days by boat south OF Panama.
Lima, the Getty Of Kings Peru's capital is
six miles. from Callao, and Is located on q broad
tableland about hFe hundred feet above the sea.
The opening Of the Panama canal will undoubt-
eddy stimulate travel to South America, and OF
!, all parts OF the continent Peru IL wonderfully
rich in natural wonders and historical back
ground. AM III M ~ % /, :4- .ss
$3S The Oroya railway was begun in 1859. Begin
ming ut CallaO It climbs steadily to an elevation
Of 1866 feet above sea level. where the divide
{ ds crossed through the Galera tunnel. at mile
JOG. The Morococha branch rises to elevation
1856 highest point reached by any railroad
IL the world At Oroya, mile 1873, the road di.
vides, one branch going north to the famous
Cerro de Pasco copper mines, the other 80 miles
I south to- Huancayo, with Z projected extension
ITO Cuxco, the old Inca capital which has had
rail connection with the sea, at Mollendo for sew
\ eral years. Another branch, about three hundred
miles long. is under construction down the east
ern slope OF the Andes to the head Of navigation
( On the Ucayali river, one Of the important upper
tributaries of the Amazon IA ,4 =
II The Oroya road liz not only the highest in the
world but there is other which lifts its breath
less passengers to any such altitude in such an
appallinglyg short distance. TO climb as the
gOroya climbs q Hudson river train leaving New
York city would have to ascend half an hour be-
fore it reached Albany, distance 1000 feet
greater that that from sea level to the summit
of Pixies Peak The daily passenger train leaves
,Callao in the forenoon and reaches Oroya late in
5lthe afternoon. AS there are no night trains on
account Of the great danger or rocks falling down
jim the track the round trip ordinarily requires
1.-TWO days. Since there is continuous down.
grade from the Galera tunnel to the sea, an OPP
'portunity is offered for the most unique hand
car ride in the world a. ii >
81 Through the courtesy of the general manager
OF the line we were afforded exceptional facilities
flor making the trip. His private car was at
itached to the evening train for Chosica, fash
fonable resort about thirtyfve miles out OF Lima,
lat an elevation Of about two Thousand eight hun
!; dred feet For an hour or. SO we wound through
"a wide irrigated valley, fat and prosperous look:
ling, with plantations of sugar cane and cotton
fenced in by mud walls, the roofs Of a hacienda
showing now and then over the green. Beyond
that the bare brown mountans-high enough, 1t
seemed yet really no more than foothills-shut
lin and shouldered upward tier on tier behind
leach other, yellow and terra Gotta and tawny
brown occasionally flashing through slit in
their tanks the snowy shoulders of peaks miles
and miles away, to which we were to climb At
Chosica our car was sidetracked, for the night.
dinner was served aboard. and we turned in to i
be ready for an early start the next morning. =
"a About 4 a. m. we! were awakened by our car
being picked up by the morning freight, whose
schedule had been advanced several hours for
our special benefit. The real climb now began.