The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-08-17
EXPLORERS WILL
START UP AMAZON
Brazil Offers Great inducements Now
For Development of Wealthy
Section

Para, Brazil July 25.-(Correspondenc
of the Associated Press 1.-THE ending of
the world war has gwen new impetus
to the work of opening up the great
reservoirs of natural wealth, from gold
to fruits and valuable woods, which
lie in the valley of the Amazon Sew
/, eral expeditions of exploration are be-
ing organized here, one of the most i'm
portant of which is under the direction
of Henry S. Fleming of New York, Unit
ed States customs receiver at Para. who
will shortly start on a three months trip
devoted to exploring the commercial pos
sbilities of the vast region watered by
the Amazon and it's maze of tributaries.
The advance guard of another import
ant expedition of scientists, headed by
DR.. Hamilton Rice of Boston and his
wife, has passed through here on it's
way to Manaos which will be headquar-
ters of the venture. A specially equipped
45-foot motor launch will accommodate
the party, which plans to navigate the
Rio Negro to it's JUNCTION with the
Orinoco in Venezuela
General Rondon, the we'll known Bra
lillian explorer who accompanied Colonel
Roosevelt on his famous trip down the
River of Doubt, now named the Rio
Teodoro by the Brazilian government in
honor of the former American President.
has returned here after spending almost
two years in surveying the wilds Of
the state of Matte Crosse on the Dor
ders of Bolivia. The territory explored
by him lies to the southwest of the
Perecis range, northeast of which lies
the Rio Teodoro. General Dondon re-
ported the discovery of three new noun
tains and several new rivers. He also
reported finding much evidence of rub
Der. caoutchoucipecac, cacao and other
valuable forest products and said that
he traversed large areas of gold-bearins
country, especially in the region of tho
headwaters of the Sac Miguel river
President Pessoa, the newly-elected
head of the Brazilian republic, is re-
ported TO intend devoting considera BILE
attention to the work of sanitation in
the Amazon valley and has expressed
his intention of affording every govern
mental protection to investors who help
to develop Brazil's natural resources and
to encourage desirable colonists. The
region comprises an area of 1000 900
square miles, almost five-sixths the ex-
tent of all Europe, and it's climatic con
ditions are almost identical to those of
southern Europe.
The only industry which has been de-
NeiOptu " any tAtcnL up 10 Inc present
has been the production of rubber and
this is now in an unsatisfactory condi-
ton owing to the competition of the
orient which has reduced the price of
the product below a profitable margin
In consequence attention is being paid
to the other resources of the valley
which include gold, platinum, oil titan
ium, vanadium, aluminium, tin, rare cab
met woods, nuts and apparently mex
haustible supplies of cacao, fibres and
kapok.
The banks of the Amazon are mum
dated for three or four months each
year and are said to afford splendid OPP
portunities for the cultivation of sugar
cane, mandioca, rice, maize, beans and
other agricultural products. Back of the
rivers and behind the forest walls there
are vast tracts of savannah suitable for
cattle raising. An excessive rainfall at
certain seasons of the year which is fol-
lowed by a prevalence of fever is the
chief drawback to the climatic condi-
tions and the hospital accommodations in
the region are very scanty. The reported
intention of the government to tackle this
problem in a comprehensive manner is
expected to remove one of the principal
obstacles to successful colonization.
President Pessoa has frequently spoken
of the United States in most enthusiastic
and friendly terms since his return home
ard comment in the newspapers through
out the republic shows that Brazilians
are looking to the United States moro
than to any other country for financial
and other aid which they need in the
development of their national resources