Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-11-04
AMERICAN CASH IN CHILE.

Big business interests Of the Uni
ted States have for some time been
making large investments in various
Latin American countries. particularly
mining enterprises in South America,
The huge scale upon which some Of
these ventures have been projected is
brought out in an article in the August
number Of the bulletin OF the Pan
American union, Washington, D. c.
contributed by John Paul Bushnell,
formerly of Washington but now To-
Gated at Chuquicamata, Chile.
among the enterprises enumerated
are the Armour packing plants in Ar
gentina; the Dupont nitrate mines in
Chile, the Bethlehem Steel company's
iron mines near Coquimbo, Chile; the
Morgan interests in the Cerraade
Paseo Copper company's mines in
Peru; the Braden Copper company
extensive copper plant at Rancagua,
near Santiago, Chile; and last but
perhaps greatest Of all, the Guggen-
helm corporation, known as the Chile
Exploration company, now completing
the gigantic copper industry at Chu-
quieamata, near the town Of Calama
on the Antofagasta railway
The mineral region Of Chuquicamata
lis situated in the barren Chilean pam
pa" $50 miles from the port of An
tofagasta. at an altitude Of $500 feet
and 40 miles from the snow-capped
peaks of the Andes. The existence OF
the ore body has long been known, and
in fact has been worked On the surface
for many generations by the natives
also to a small extent by English com
panies it is large body Of dissem-
mated ore Of considerable length and
breadth and unknown depth. Samples
taken at 1900 feet below the surface
show copper in great quantities than
near the surface. The actual super
fetal area showing copper cover more
than $50 acres.
Numerous mining and engineering
problems presented themselves, somt
on account Of the character Of the ore
and others on account Of the location
The eiecuolytic process for obtaining
the copper being decided upon, ire
mendous amount Of electrical power
was required Owing to the scarcity
of rivers or water from any source il
this immediate section ii was foun'
necessary TO build power plant OF
/ the coast OF TocopiIla and 70 carry
the power Of 10000 volts by a trans
mission line Of 100 miles in length Il
the mill site Of ChuQuicamata. Incl
dentally new types Of towers and in
sulators were devised by the com
pany's experts. who also oyercame tht
problems attendant on the quick TEN
! perature rises and The high altitude
Water for general as we'll as for do
nestle use was made available By th,
building or many pipe lines from TIT
mountain streams OF the Andes anl
pumping It long distances 10 the stor
age tanks on the property The wat
ers OF these streams, however, are no
/ portable, because Of the great amour
4 Of nitrate III the soil through whicl
/ they pass, and consequently the drink
ing water has TO be brought by tanl
cars from springs at Raniri and Tat,
/ III Bolivia The mill IS three-quarter
/ Of mile from the mine proper and i
connected Herewith by a railroad O
standard guage which use large loco
motives of the latest type, imporlet
from the United States.
/ According to Mr. Bushnell, the min
I ing camp is q model Of its kind. Care
ful attention has been given TO III
living conditions and Accommodations O
the employees. There are now abou
$50 North Americans and European
and more than 5000 natives housed o.
the property. To meet the question
of sanitation efficiency the compan
/ secured the services of one Of Genera
Gorgas's staff at Panama Policing j
done by a company Of carbiDeros, tn
mounted police Of Chile, who hay
quarters at the camp Many plan
have been laid for the betterment Q
camp life Spacious club houses 70
both North Americans and natives ar
to be provided with billiard rooms
/ swimming pools. etc; schoolhouse
and churches are being erected; tree
and gardens are TO be supplied; street
and roads ar to be improved, and a
extensive farm where fresh vegetables
fruits, etc, will be raised for the III
rect consumption Of the employees IS t
be added. The cost Of the great uu
dertaking has been enormous. and thu
before pound OF commercial cope
could be produced 1t has been q dar
ing enterprise, but the plant stand
today complete success. q new de
parture in the production OF copper.
model mining camp, and one or III
greatest copper producing industrie
Of the world.
II Like tiie Bee.