The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-12-03
AMAZON VALLEY
RECEIVERS FROM
EFFECTS Of WAR
Cotton and Rubber Men Are
Optimistic Over Situation
Which Promises to Let in
Trade to Valley.

PARA, Mouth Of Amazon River. Dec.
3. tBy Associated Press )-Busincss
conditions IN the Amazon valley are be-
ginning to recover from the disturbance
Of commerce caused by the war Rub
Der estate owners, and business men
generally. realize that the competition
Of Oriental plantation" rubber which
has forced the market price of that
article down to about the actual cost
Of gathering wild" Amazon rubber is
really a blessing in disguise, since II
Is bringing about the development Of
the other natural resources left I'M
toucf ed so long as rubber imported
from abroad, or from other parts OF
Brazil, are now being raised locally.
\ party hea led by Henry s. Flem-
ing, Of New York, which has been in
vestiRating The commercial possbil-
ties Of the Amazon valley has returned
10 this city after a two-month tour of
the Amazon and some OF its principal
affluents nearly 5000 miles of rivers
being covered in tho course Of the trip
Mr., Fleming Is receiver OF an American
company with extensive docking, ship
yard, and navigation property at Para
The main river was assembled for
over 1900 miles, as far AS lqutos.
Peru, and also the Javary, Purus
Negro, Xingu, Moju, Tocantiins and
other rivers for. varying. distances A
vast amount OF valuable Information
and data has been gathered az re-
suit, which is being placed free of
charge at the disposal Of American
manufacturers, importers, exporters and
others interested In the development OF
the Amazon valley, Many Inquiries
have recently been made by Americans
seeking Information regarding lands
available for cattle raising grain grow
ing, and minerals, which indicates an
awakening interest IN the United
States in regard to the Amazon coun-
try.
More Foodstuffs.
According to Mr.. Fleming the most
encouraging sign noted on the trip was
the increase In the production OF food
stuffs of all kinds. Mandioca corn.
sugar corn, rice. beans, bananas, mel
onS, fruits Of many species, and oC-
casinnally tobacco and cotton, have
been planted In small patches along
the river banks near the town and set
Elements Before the war practically
all foodstuffs had TO be imported as the
wages paid rubber gatherers was 80
high as to make labor unavailable for
agricultural work Most OF this plant
ing is done on the low lying banks OF
rivers, and AT least two crops Of corn,
beans, mandioca, etc, are gathered be-
tween floods,
One of the staple products most ar
footed by the rubber boom was cacao
W iltH ldHVl was HlNlHNNtu ~ ilif luit
OF high wages, most Of the large cacaO
plantations had to be abandoned; to-
day they are being cleaned and restored
and new trees are being planted,
Local cotton men are optimistic as
20 the future of Amazon cotton, which
II said to be Of excellent quality and
long staple, There Rre large, immense
areas Of the Amazon valley suitable
for cotton growing, and In many plnces,
notably lquitos tPerul, Santarem,
Monte Allegro, this Is now being pro-
diced in increasing quantities, Last
year was the first that any concerted
effort was made to grow cotton. but
the idea seems TO have taken on with
many landowners.
The Amazon valley Is said to he the
greatest undcveloped region In the
world today, on every side there are
natural resources, Of immense value
with commercial possibilities, which are
as yet untouched The soil Is said to
be extraordinarily fertile The forests
offer woods IN inoxhaustlhle variety
many OF them cabinet woods OF rare
value, OF vegetable oil nuts, n tenth
part only Is known to the outside world.
Resins. gums, spices, medicinal plants,
flhres abound In Infinite variety.
kapok grows along the banks Of most
Of main rivers, but not a pound of II
Is exported to the United States, al
though America imported 1000 900
pounds last year from far away Java,
There are mineralizad areas said to con-
tain coal, iron, gold. silver, and precious
metal Of many kinds They have not
vet been proSpectcd,