Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1920-01-15
TRADE GAINS IN
AMAZON REGION
Recovering From Disturbance of
Commerce Caused by War.
MORE fOODSTUFFS RAISED

ness Bringing About Development
OF Other Natural Resources-See
Bright Future for Amazon Cotton.
Business conditions in the Amazon
valley are beginning to recover from
the disturbance of commerce caused
by the war.
Rubber estate owners and business
men generally realize that the COM
petition of oriental plantation" rub
Der, which has forced the market price
of that article down to about the ac-
tual cost of gathering wild" ANA
zOn rubber, is really blessing in
disguise, since it is bringing about the
development of the other natural re-
sources left untouched SO long as rub
Der mOnOpolized all attention in the
valley. FoOdstuffs that used to be i'm
ported from abroad, or from other
parts of Brazil, are now being raised
locally.
Long Trip by Americans.
A party headed by Henry S. Elem
ing of New York, which has been in
vestigating the commercial pOssibili-
ties of the Amazon valley, has return
ed to Para, Brazil, after a two months
tour of the Amazon and some of it's
principal aff1uents, nearly 5000 miles
of the rivers being covered in the
course of the trip. Mr.. Fleming is re-
ceiver of an American company with
extensive docking, shipyard and navi-
cation property at Para.
The main river was assembled for
over $500 miles, as far as IquitOS,
Peru, and also the Javary, Purus, Ne
gro, Xingu, Moju, Tocantins and 9TH
er rivers for varying distances. A vast
amount of valuable information and
data has been gathered as q result,
which is being placed, free of charge,
at the disposal of American manufac-
turers, importers, exporters and 9TH
ers interested in the development of
the Amazon valley.
Many inquiries have recently been
made by Americans seeking informa-
ton regarding lands available for cat
tie raising, grain growing and min
erals, which indicates an awakening
interest in the United States in re-
gard to the Amazon country.
According to Mr.. Fleming, the most
encouraging sign noted ON the trip
was the increase in the production Of
foodstuffs of all kinds. Mandioca,
corn, sugar cane, rice, beans, bananas,
melons, fruits of many species and Oc-
casiOnally tobacco and cotton have
been planted in small patches along
the river banks near the towns and
settlements.
Before the war practically all food
stuffs had to be imported, as the wages
paid rubber gatherers were so high as
to make labor unavailable for agri-
cultural work. Most of this planting
is done on the low-lying banks of riv-
ers, and at least two crops of corn,
beans, mandioca, etc., are gathered be-
tween floods.
One of the staple products most af-
fected by the rubber boom was cacaO.
When labor was attracted by the lure
of high wages most Of the large cacao
plantations had to be abandoned; to-
day they are being cleaned and re-
stored and new trees are being
planted.
Future for Cotton.
Local cotton men are optimistic as
to the future of Amazon cotton, which
is said to be of excellent quality and
long staple. There are immense areas
throughout the Amazon valley suitable
for cotton growing and in many places,
notably Iquitos (Peru), Santarem,
Monte Allegro, this is now being pro-
duced 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 land owners.
The Amazon valley is said to be the
greatest undeveloped 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 extraordinary fertile. The for
estS offer woods in ineXhauStible va
riety, many of them cabinet woods Of
rare value. OF vegetable oil nuts q
tenth part only is known to the out
side world.
Raisins, gums, spices, medicinal
plants and fibers abound in infinite
variety. Kapok grows along the
banks of most Of the main rivers.
but not a pound of it is exported to
the United States, although America
imported 100000 pounds last year
from faraway Java. There are min
eralized areas said to contain coal,
iron, gold, silver and precious metals
of many kinds. They have not yet
been prospected.