The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-05-15

Stuse L. S. A, in the Pan-American Union.
But it is impossible do I hear you say? Just
a moment, while l quote you a few, a very few,
facts and figures. The Oroya railway Gel Fer
rocarril Central del PERU is monument to the
genius of Henry Meiggs, American, or, rather,
! should say, United States of North-American,
for in the southern hemisphere the term "Ameri-
cano' is very definite. and usually find
ourselves indexed under M to distinguish
from the United States of Colombia, United Mex
lean States. etc. Callao, the Pacific terminus of
the Oroya railway, and of the principal ports
of Peru is six days by boat south Of Panama.
Lima, the City Of Kings" Perus capital is
six miles from Callao and is located a broad
tableland about five hundred feet above the sea-
The opening of the Panama canal will undoubt-
edly stimulate travel to South America and of
all parts of the continent Peru is wonderfully
rich in natural wonders historical back
ground.
The Oroya railway begun in 1869. Begin
nlng at Callao 1T climbs steadily to elevation
of 1855 feet above level, where the divide
is crossed through the Galera tunnel at mile
log. The Morococha branch rises to elevation
10,S65-the highest point reached by any railroad
IN 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
south to Huancayo with a projected extension
to Cuzco. the old Inca capital which has had
rail connection with the at MolIendo 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
tributaries of the Amazon
The Oroya road is not only the highest in the
world but there is other which lifts its breath
less passengers to any ouch altitude in such an
appallingly short distance. To climb the
Oroya climbs Hudson river train leaving New
York city would have to ascend half hour be-
fore it reached Albany. q distance 1000 feet
greater that that from level to the summit
OF Pixies Peak. The daily passenger train leaves
Callao in the forenoon and reaches Oroya late in
the afternoon AS there night trains on
in the track, the round trip ordinarily requires
grade from the Galera tunnel to the sea, an op-
portunity is offered for the most unique hand
ride in the world.
Through tho courtesy of the general manager
of the lineowe afforded exceptional facilities
for making the trip. His private car was at
tached to the evening train for Chosica a fash
onable resort about thirty-five miles out of Lima
elevation of about two thousand eight hun
dred feet For hour so wound through
a wide irrigated valley fat and prosperous look
ing. with plantations of sugar and cotton
fenced in by mud walls, the roofs of hacienda
showing and then over the green. Beyond
that the bare brown mountains-high enough it
seemed, yet really than foothiIIs-shut
in and shouldered upward tier on tier behind
each other, yellow and terra Gotta and tawny
brown occasionally flashing through a slit in
their TANKS the snowy shoulders of peaks miles
and miles away, to which to climb. At
Chosica our car was sidetracked for the night,
dinner was served aboard, and turned in to
be ready for an early start the next morning.
About a m 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.