The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-12-22
CHILE READY TO BUILD
PART OF TRANS-ANDINE
RAILWAY OF SO. AMERICA

Valparaiso, Chile, Dec, 22-The De.
partment Of Public Works has agair
taken, under consideration the propo-
sition of constructing the Chilean end
pr a new Trans-Andine Railway. The
line, which official reports say will be
built at the earliest possible moment
will connect the Argentine port OF
Bahia Blanca with Lebu and will cross
the Andes I'M the foreign regions of
Lonquimay. The Argentine end of
the new trans-cOntinenta1 has been
completed to within thirty kilometers
of the Chilean frontier where work
was halted ito, await a like develop
neht on theswestern slope of the An
des.
That Chile has not as yet rebuilt
her section is due to a Indifference of
opinion among government engineers
as to the most available route. Two
counter projects have been urged in
the Chamber of Deputies. These
cali for: lines across the, mountains of
central and northern Chile. but the
exhaustive. report Of Senior Domingo
Duran, government expert, which has
just been submitted, seems to have
settled the matter in favor of the
southern pass. The bleak nature of
the Andes in the northern and CEN
trail parts, with the liability Of avail
anches which might block the line for
months, has apparently determined
the government to commence work in
the south where the forests of the
high plateaus will hold the sliding
SHOWS. ~
A. Il fvos 40
running regularly between Buenos
Aires and Valparaiso over the exist
ing trans Andine. road which crosses
the great plateau through the Uspal-
lata Pass, $4,000 feet above the lev
ell of the sea. The twice-a-week ser
vice, which was maintained before
the great war, was discontinued I'M
til fortnight ago, when it was re-
sumed because traffic across the Pan
anna Canal has created a profitable
passenger service for the South
American trans-continental. Many
Americans are now experiencing the
thrill Of crossing the highest noun
tain range in the world, and Of see
ing from car windows those majestic
peaks, the close hand view of which
has heretofore been reserved for ex-
perienced and adventurous mountain
climbers.
The boundary line between the Ar
gentine and Chile consists of 1000
miles of Andean peaks, most of which
are over $1,000 feet high and some
which rise to 1000 feet This mas
sive barrier can be crossed in but a
few places even by men ON foot, and
the building of the new transconti-
mental will be a notable engineering
feat. 1t is expected that by the time
it has been completed the war in Eu-
rope will have terminated and suffi-
cient traffic for both lines will be
available.
At present the crossing from ocean
to ocean, Buenos Aires to Valparaiso,
consumes only 80 hours less time
than on any other trans-continental
line if the isthmian roads at Tehuan-
tepec and Panama be executed. At
$3.50 in the morning the train leaves
Buenos Airs. Reaching the noun
eogwheel road is made. When, the
summit is gained the train is putting
1900 feet above the level Of the sea
apd the international tunnel, nearly
three miles in length, is entered. Ten
minutes of darkness ensues and the
train bursts out into the binding
light of the high plateau which is
Chile. The: descent is made more
rapidly, still by cogwheel road.