The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-09-25
PUNTA ARENAS

child Of the klOndike, in the Canadian
territory Of Yukon, is probably the
northernmost town Of consequence in
America; Punta Arenas, on the main
land side Of the Strait Of Magellan, is
and miles lie between the two. Daw-
son, in the days of its highest pros
perity, had about 5000 inhabitants; its
population, owing TO a continuous exo-
dus Of gold hunters, has dwindled TO
less than 5000 But it is, nevertheless,
years to come, since its foundations are
stronger now than they were in the
days Of the long trail Punta Arenas
had an earlier start. 1t was founded
by the Chileans in 1S4O. Today it has
a population Of about 1900, composed
Of Spanish.Americans natives and de
scendants Of natives Of the United
Kingdom, and Of Australians, French,
Germans and Russians. IL IS worthy
of remark that while the numerically
speaking inhabitants practically control
the business interests Moreover, sea
faring people, regardless of the name
on their charts or maps, almost inva-
riably speak Of the port as SANDY
Point which is the English equivalent
Of the softer Latin name of the city.
At all events, away down there, in
the sub-Antarctic region Of the Ameri-
cas- is a city quite as busy and bustling
and quite as up-todate as places Of
similar size on the coasts of the United
States and Canada Punta Arenas has
its churches and its schools. its public
buildings, its electric lights It's notion
picture shows, its automobiles "all the
modern cOnveniences," and. Of course,
all the modern impediments and disad-
yantages. Great steel steamships call
there regularly, en- route from one hemi-
sphere to another for the Panama canal
has not destroyed the commerce Of the
strait and much tonnage still goes
that way. But in the environs Of the
modern city may be found primitive
dugouts. swarming with nearly naked
sayages from the forests Of TERRA del
Iuego, "a land in sight across the Ma.
leIlan's tide. Nowhere are the ex.
tremes of modern civilization more
sharply contrasted with sayages than
in Punta Arenas.
Formerly, and especially up 90 the
opening Of the Panama canal. Punta
Arenas was one Of the most important
coalng stations Of the lower continent.
for il supplied with fuel vessels CON.
stantly moving between Europe and the
West Coast Australia New Zealand
and Asiauc ports. The canal has not
deprived it altogether Of Importance I'm
this particular, but the chief CONNER
cial interest Of the city at present DE.
| in wool and mutton To is the ocean
outlet Of the great grazing plains OF
southern Patagonia. Chilean and Chill
can and Argentinian capital has gone.
and is constantly going extensively i'm.
O. irrigation projects and the develop.
meut of the sheep industry Figures
that would hardly be- long remembered
hy tue average reader tell of immense
expectations of sheep mutton. wool and
general hyproducts OF this industry. 10
European points. and 90 ports i'm the
United States. This business contrib.
utes toward making Punta Arenas q
noiut of reldymoney distribution. Tor
the employees of the meat packers and
exporters are numerous and well paid
Punta Arenas had O. natural site for
.a coallnE station. but il could never
have been much more than "a coaIinr
station had 90 not been for the devel.
opment nf the agricultural region bon its
ne.ghbUrholI The Chilean vovernmen,
played ID large and lar.sighted part iu
this work. 10 established settlements of
It's people n the wild region. gave them
financial ail annually until they could
do for themselves. and then it did ev
ert thing possible tl establish market.
and obtain custom for the producers
The territory of MageIanes. together
with the territories OF Llanquihuo am,
Chloe. were thrown opeu for preemp
ton and immigrants flocked I'm from
the north For q long time. and up Q,
1912. runu Arenas enjoyed the ad
vanuges oI free port. Tn the veal
named @ custom house was establlshe,
there.
The early settlers have. iu many I'm
stances become wealthy. owing to IN,
great market for thar products. ms vel
as to thc immense enhancement I'm Ian,
values. With the rise In the price an.
demand for mutton. increased facilitie
. for shipping it have had 10 be provided
and the frozen meat industry OF punt,
Arenas is yearly assuming greater an,
greater proportions Already there ar
four large trozenmtat plants I'm TN
. city, and it is limited that the packin.
industry OF the place is not entirely ou
of touch with the packing interests O
the United States.
/ Punta Arenas, for some time afte
the introduction sof the meat industr,
was disposed TO boom" II is growint
rapidly now but along conservative an.
enduring lines. II is taking on an ai
of permanency. There is Observable i
the city growing civic pride. which (
expressing itself In demand for bette
streets and better buildings, as well a
for drivewoys ana parks. The cit
has three comfortable hotels four bank,
as many newspapers, and several club,
which are invariably volunteer fir
companies.
! When the ideal intercontinental higi
way shall have been constructed. Il
not impossible that auto communicate