Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-11-21
AMAZON VALLEY
IS RECOVERING
Shocks to Business Caused by
War Are Being Healed
Over

Para, Mouth of Amazon River
Nov. 21.-Business conditions in the
Amazon Valley are beginning to re-
cover from the disturbance OF COM
merce caused by the war, Rubber
estate owners, and businessmen
generally, realize that the compe-
tition of Oriental plantation" rub
ber which has forced the market
price of that article down to about
TIE actual cost of gathering wild
Amazon rubber is really a blessing
I in disguise, since it is bringing about
the development of the other ma
tural resources left untouched so
long as rubber monopolized all at
| tention in the valley. Foodstuils
} that used to be imported from
abroad, or from other parts OF Bra
zil, are now being raised locally:
A party headed by Henry ). Flem-
! ing, of New York, which has been
investigating the commercial posi-
bilities of the Amazon Valley has re-
turned to the city after tWo-montE
tour of the Amazon and some OF lts
principal affluents, nearly S,ooo
miles of rivers being covered III tne
course of the trip. Mr.. FLEMING IS
receiver of an American company
with extensive docking, shipyard, ana
navigation property at Para.
Much Data Gat1cfeU
The main river was ascended Tor
over $500 miles, as far as lqultos,
Peru, and also the Javary, Purus,
. Negro, Xingu, Moju, Tocantiins and
other rivers for varying distances.
A vast amount of valuable informa-
ton and data has been gathered as
81 result, which is being placed free
of charge at the disposal of Ameri-
can manufacturers, importers, eX-
porters and others interested in the
development of the Amazon Valley.
Many inquiries have recently been
made by Americans seeking informa-
tion regarding lands available for
cattle raising, grain growing, and
minerals which indicates an awaken
ing interest in the United States in
regard to TIE Amazon country.
According to Mr.. Fleming the
most encouraging sign noted on the
trip was the increase in the produc-
tion of foodstuffs of all kinds
Mandioca corn, sugarcane, rice,
beans, bananas, melons, fruits of
many species, and occasionally to-
bacco and cotton, have been plant
ed in small patches along the river
banks near the towns and settle
ments. Before the war practically
all foodstuffs had to be imported as
the wages paid rubber SathererS was
so high as to make labor unavail
able for agricultural work, and at
least two crops of corn, beans.
mandioca, etc. are gathered between
floods.
Labor Problem Better
One of the staple products most
affected by the rubber boom was
Cacao. Wien labor was attracted
by the lure of high wages, most of
the large Cacao plantations had TO
be abandoned; to-day they are be-
ing cleaned and restored and new
trees are being planted.
Local cotton men are optimistic as
to the future of Amazon cotton,
which is said to be Of excellent quail
ity and long staple. There are large,
immense areas of the Amazon VAL
ley suitable for cotton growing, and
in many places, notably Iquitos
(Peru), Santarem, Monte Algere,
this is now being produced i'll in
creasing 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.