Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-03-02
PATIO OF THE PRErECTURA, IQUrTos

people Delng very generous In tne sup
port of their schools. The citizens be-
longing to the upper class of native
PeruvianS are very well educated,
many of them having Travelled exten-
sively in Europe.
Lively Place Socially.
When everyone is home, during the
worst of the rainy season (there are
two dry seasons of from two to four
weeks each, and the rainy season lasts
pretty much over the rest of the year),
with the prefect and his staff, numer-
Gus army officers, merchants and for
eigners, the place is quite lively. There
are public banquets, and private din
ners and dances, and as Iquitenos are
very hospitable, a person soon be-
comes acquainted, especially if he
speaks Spanish, and loses entirely the
feeling of isolation.
The principal product of this part
of South America is rubber, which is
gathered from the vast tropical for
ests, and many thousand tons of it are
shipped from Iquitos every year.
Next in importance, in the matter of
exports, is the tagua nut, or vegetable
ivory, and the number Of tons Of this
product sent out Is increasing. Third
come cedar logs IN the ROUND. which
are now being supplied for pencil
wood, cigar boxes. etc.. A. few hides.
skins Of boas. deer, and other wild
animals complete the list Of articles
which reach the outside in any guam
tity from this port.
Very few agricultural products are
obtainable. The soil, loose sand un-
derlaid by stiff blue joint clay, which
is close to the surface. is not conducive
to farming; and the few chacras. or
small farms, are some distance from
the city.
Four years ago q very powerful
wireless, station was erected by the
government to replace one less pow
erful; and now the town is in direct
radio connection with Lima, clear
across the Andes, without any relay
Of messages. Indeed, the operator fire.
quently told me he had "picked up"
Washington the night before and
heard messages going from there. But
treaties for exchanging commercial
messages even with Manaos had not
yet been arranged. There is also wire
communication with many points near
er than Lima, and telephones in the
town, though their use is not general.
At least two newspapers are pub
lished here regularly, also a small
magazine; and three theaters, two
used for moving pictures, furnish
plenty Of entertainment.
Burn Coal From Norfolk.
All the coal is brought from Nor
folk, Va. and although very high in
price, is used by the ice factory, bot
Ting works, electric-light plant and
various machine shops. both govern
ment and private. Even the little
street railroad, which runs from the
customhouse along the principal
streets to deliver freight, burns coal.
This road also runs passenger trains,
and operates line out to a resort
in the suburbs, called Lake Marona
COcha. To be sure, there Is plenty of
wood near by that is used to q certain
extent; but it has not sufficient heat
units to maintain steam well.
Four days up the Nanay river,
which empties into the Amazon II
miles below 1qNftos. are found out
crops of very good Ignite that could
be utilized under boilers, as has been
proved in small way, but so far no
one has seen fit to exploit it. In the
same vicinity are very good indica.
tons of petroleum.
Twenty-Five or thirty steamers, OF
from four TO eight feet draft. and call
ing this their home port. ply the upper
Amazon and numerous rivers that flow
into II, though they never go below
the Javary, which is the boundry be-
tween Brazil and Peru along its line
of flow. They belong to the many
large stores and trading companies 10
Gated in Iquitos, that carry very com
plete stocks of goods, mostly Euro
pean, and in ordinary times when rub.
Der is "up" do an immense business.
The Right Word.