The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-03-19
THE HAsKIN LETTER
TRAVEL IN LATIN AMERICA.
By Frederic : ]. H "a 4 q.

1NAsV FL In La
il By Frede
AS American manufacturers are
paying particular attention to the
Latin American market this year, SO
I!Amerfcan travellers OF all classes are
turning their steps toward the south
tern republics more than ever before.
Not only the curious traveller and the
wealthy pleasure seeker who are cut
OFF from Europe, but statesmen.
writer's, students and naturalfsts are
going into this new field, and none
OF them will be disappointed. For
Latin America is unique above all
! things In the variety OF interest It
offers. Its great cities contain some
of the finest products OF civilization
and its interiors are frontiers Of the
widest, where men are struggling to
conquer nature. Here are civiliza-
ton in the making and the striking
ruins of civilizations that we're be-
fore history. Here are every veriety
of climate and natural scenery from
1.-THE frozen plains OF Patagonia to the
Amazon jungIes. from hot fertile val
E1eys to the highest mountainous in
the world.
We have been accustomed to think
of our own country as containing the
greatest natural wonders in the
world. In point OF fact, we have lit
| tie advant age over South America IN
THAT regard, except that we have
tbeen better advertised. Everyone
knows that Niagara Falls is the
greatest cataract in the western hem
tisphere, but few have heard OF the
Il { Lrn1I ~ Trr,,. II oh
miles long, just trifle lower than
Ma CARA and a hundred times more
beautiful. For Niagara has been
tanned and harnessed, but Iguassu.
set IN a semi-tropical forest with
hocks OF wild parrots bathing in its
lsunlit spray, is a thing Of Well-night
perfect beauty.
Situated on the boundary between
brazil and Paraguay. through both of
these countries railroads are being
built toward this great fall of the
IIguassu river. and it will soon be-
|easily reached from either direction.
Beyond doubt, there are more
great peaks In the Andes mountains
than in all the other mountains OF
1.-THE world put together. Mt. Misti in
Peru. with its crest 10 900 feet above
jsea level, is one of the better known,
Though by no means one of the high
lest Harvard University has an OBJ
servatory half way to the summit OF
this peak, and by a rude trail, these
who are hardy enough to endure tho
lrarified atmosphere. can reach the
summit and enjoy what is undoubt-
eddy one of the most splendid views
lin the world. Through the clear air
of that altitude one can look across
loo miles of the most spectacular
| n $iT, ff7a upstarn hpnliS-
phere.
Our great American desert, So
called. is really waste of grease
wood and cactus. AS desert itscan
mot compare with the Desert Of Islay
lin southern Chile, a sheet OF pure
sand, wrinkled by the wind into in
Vulnerable ever-moving, crescent
shaped dunes.
J The archaeologist, in search Of the
relics OF prehistoric peoples, finds
rich field in various parts of Latin
America. for before the Incas. whom
y Pizarro conquered. there was a
mighty race in South America whose
walls and aqueducts Of massive ma
sonry were so perfectly built that i'm
posing fragments OF them are still
Standing today. Perhaps the most
s perfect OF these are the ruins of III
ihuanaco in Bolivia.
4 But the people Of Latin America
today are far more interesting than
Il either It's natural wonders or its
relies of the past The Latin Ameri-
icon countries are Inhabited by cul-
I tivated people. descended from some
/ OF the best stock in Eurc1s. who are
striving mighty to build up a civili-
cation that accords with their tradi-
lions and ideals. Nowhere in the
world is civilized men more directly
in confetti with primitive nature;
nowhere are such great problems. in
sanitation, engineering and agricul-
iture being met and solved.
The conversion OF the great South
American cities from veritable plague
i.spots. where ships often lost half
their crews from yellow fever. into
lsome or the most wholesome and
beautiful cities In the world. is one.
OF the great triumphs of modern san
iftation. Now that they have made
American people are turning to the
development Of their natural re-.
sources. The wild rubber forests Of
Brazil, to mention but one Of these
are perhaps the greatest natural
source OF wealth In the world that is.
waiting to be developed. It Is esti-
mated that there are now fifty mill
lion rubber trees IN the Brazilian,
forests ready to be- tapped. and the
whole world is in need of rubber.
In addition to the cultivated peo-
pie who are the dominant class in
Latin America. there are numerous
native tribes that are full OF interest
for the student. and have great pos
sibilities OF Development. In North
America the aboriRines have been
corralled on reservations, and are but
an inconsiderable fraction of the pop
ulation. But IN South America they.
thrive and multiply. The Aracanians.
lof southern Chile are d tribe who