Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-12-22
PLAN TO DEVELOP VALLEY
EUROPEAN CAPITAL SEES
PROSPECTS ALONG AMAZON
'hEh Engineers Are Invcstirntin.
Possibilities for Producing NcEc-
tnblc Oils in South tmVricn.
[ny Aasncintcd Prossl

tBy Associated Prcssl
pARA MOUTH OF AMAZON RIN-
Elk, Dec. 2l.-'rhc industrial develop
ncnt OF the Amazon Valley is attru +
ms the attention Of European conn
tries. British. German. Italian, Nor
weSIan, Swedish and Dutch capital
lists. engineers and Importers are
making Investigations of the mineral
ana forest resources Of the valley, or
r ,,a!, obtained concessions to .estab-
iish industries here. SO far. Ameri
can participation in this development
work is conspicuous by its absence.
English engineers u"e up river n:
tnu present time investigating the
possibilities Of vegetable oils; English
experts are here studying the practic
DIZZY OF extracting starch and indus
trial alcohol from the root OF mandi-
oca, AN English engineer has returned
TO this city from iquitos for further
equipment with which to extend the
"%aiHination he is making in the min
cral area Of tho Peruvian Amazon,
on behalf Of a british syndicate.
Italians Organize Syndicate.
The Italian syndicate, which has
boon operating a small experimental
vegetable OIL factory at the town Of
cancta. on the TocantinS River, about
100 miles from Para, has applied for
Il concession to open Il large factory
ia Para for the extraction OF lubricat-
ing, Illuminating and edible oils from
the nuts OF palms and trees which
abound in the forests. X similar con
ccssIon has been given TO a group OF
local capitalists for the establishment
OF oil factories In certain muniCipalI-
ties throughout the state.
tonccss ions have been granted re-
Gently by the State Congress for va
'Io"s factories to manufacture glass.
hAnmockS and thread. salt and its
products. paper of all grades, rubber
goods. vegetable dyes and ink and
nutions from vegetable ivory nut.
These so-cailed concessions" are not
20 be confoundcd with the exclusive
Inonopoies SO popular in other Latin
American countries. which in tho past
nave proved TO be hamper instead
of an aid to Industrial development.
In Brazil a concession" to establish
:. factory or industry Is moro In the
nature OF charter" with. in some
cases. special tax exemptions for y
number OF years or privileges IN the
matter OF import dues on machincr:
ana equipment.
hsntian, Enter Para.
Tho Alsatian Plantation Company. a
German syndicate. has reopcncd its
plantation near Para. which was a ban
on the side OF the allies. This com
pany has zoo 600 banana trees and
lNGoOp abacaNis pineapplcs) under
cultivation. Bananas thrive cNcep-
tonaliy we'll in this region; they are
subject TO none OF the diseases prev
alcnt In other banana. growing coun-
tries. and owing 10 the extraordinarily
even climate OF Para. require little
attention when growing. The Para
and Amazonas bananas arc sai 20 be
IN" best Brazil produces. and are IN
great demand in Rio and Buenos
Aires; they are said TO stand ship
Tcut unusually wei.
Norwegians are operating large
sawmil on tho llha das oncas. an
siand In the Gualara River, opposite
10 the city OF Pa-a. Although there
arc immense forests fun Of woods OF
many varieties, some OF them or the
greatest commercial value. il is sur
pr!sInG how few FIRST class Sawm. J :
there are Ia tho region, and thcrc arc
none which might he said TO coIpa re
In efficiency with those OF our own
northwest
Mn>e of Waterways.
Owing to the maze OF waterways
which covers the entire surface OF the
valley, there can never be any large
railroad parallclinS tho main Amazon
iiiver, and all railroads Viii therefor
be constructed 10 act as feeders" only
To- the main rivcr and its principal
aiNucnts, opening up the interior back
81 the river banks. Concessions hnv.
recently been granted by the State
ror gross for various short lines, one
~ which Is Intended TO link the ANA
2on. from the town o. Macapa near i;s
mouth, Win the Oyapock River, when
separates Rrazil from French Guiana.
rms Inc WI open UP vast areas suit
able for cattle raising, as also gold
bearing lands which were abandoned
Whcn the French coded the northern
part Of the state OF Para 10 Brazil
twenty years ago.
Another line IS 10 be constructed be-
tween the town OF Ohidos, COO miles
up river, and Dutch Guiana y line
~ uni.r construction on tn. bank Of
;hc Tocantius River from the FIRST
rapids, at Alcohaca. 10 The nivira bic
water or the upper river, ana about
ninety miles OF the lower end is nov
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