The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-05-14

Stuse ". S. A., In the Pan-American Union.
But it is impossible. do | hear you say? Just
a moment, while quote you few, very few.
facts and figures The Oroya railway (El Fer
rocarril Central del Peru is a monument to the
genius of Henry Meiggs, an American, or rather,
I should say a United States Of North-American
for In the southern hemisphere the term "Ameri-
cano" is not very definite, and we usually find
ourselves indexed under IN" to distinguish us
from the United States of Colombia United Mex
lean States etc Callao. the Pacific terminus OF
the Oroya railway, and one 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 on a broad
tableand about five hundred feet above the sea
The opening of the Panama canal will undoubt-
edy stimulate travel to South America and of
all parts of the continent Peru is wonderfully
rich in natural wonders ant historical back
ground
The Oroya railway was begun in 1869. Begin
ming at Callao it climbs steadily to an elevation
of 1865 feet above sea level, where the divide
is crossed through the Galera tunnel at mile
1O6 The Morococha branch rises to elevation
16.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 so miles
south to Huancayo with a projected extension
to Cuzco, the old Inca capital which has had
rail connection with the sea at Mollendo for
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
The Oroya road is not only the highest in the
world but there is no other which lifts its breath
less passengers to any such altitude in such an
appallngly short distance. To climb as the
Oroya climbs a Hudson river train leaving New
York city would have to ascend half an hour be-
fore 1t reached Albany distance 1000 feet
greater that that from level to the summit
of Pixies Peak. The daily passenger train leaves
Calao in the forenoon and reaches Oroya late I'm
the afternoon. AS there night trains on
account of the great danger or rocks falling down
in the track, the round trip ordinarily requires
two days. Since there is continuous down
grade from the Galera tunnel to the sea- an op-
portunty is offered for the most unique hand.
car ride in the world
Through tho courtesy of the general manager
of the line afforded exceptional facilities
for making the trip. His private car was at
tached to the evening train foi Chosica fash
ionable resort about thirty-hve miles out OF Lima.
at an elevation of about two thousand eight hun.
dred feet For an hour wound through
a wide irrigated valley fat and prosperous look
ing 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 mountains-high enough. II
seemed, yet really more than foothills-shut
in and shouldered upward tier on tier behind
each other, yellow and terra Gotta and tawuy
brown occasionally flashing through s.n in
their fanks the snowy shoulders of peaks piles
and miles away, to which were to climb At
Chosca was sidetracked for the night.
dinner was served aboard. and turned in 10
be ready for an early start the next morning.
About a. were awakened by our car
being picked up by the morning freight, whose
schedule had been advanced several hours fos
our special benefit The real climb now, sah.