The New York herald., 1922-12-17
The Iron Trail in South America

Ine United states mas peen so
deeply absorbed in the building and
development Of its own great rail-
way systems that It has devoted little
study to the progress which South
American countries. notably Argen-
tina, Uruguay. Paraguay, Brazil and
Chile, have made in the solution OF
their important problems OF inland
! transportation
Projects Of railroad building in
new and undeveloped lands are al
ways fascinating: In South Amer
lea they have had all the elements Of
romance and magnificent adventures.
In the history of these enterprises
there have appeared the names OF
many intrepid Americans. among
them those Of HENRY MEIaes, WILL
LIAM WHEELwRIeHr, JOHN and
MATHEW CLARK and Colonel GEoEGE
z. CHURCH.
The comparatively nat lands OF
Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay
have been inviting fields to foreign
capital. The railway development Of
Uruguay began as far back as 1855
through large investments Of British
money. AS a result this republic,
in proportion to It's area. stands
first in railway development IN South
America OF the 1900 m;.cs IN op-
Grafton, 1000 miles are uuder the
control of one company. The Para
quay Central railway, the princi-
pal system OF Paraguay, is also un-
der British control. IL furnishes a
through train service from Asuncion
| to Buenos Aires. The smaller roads
arc. In general, used In the exploita-
/ ticn OF the forest resources OF the
country and are constantly growing
in number. In both Uruguay and
Paraguay railroads have had an i'm
portant part In opening the interior
lands to settlement and In develop
ing the natural resources or the
countries.
In slxty-five years $4,000 miles OF
railway have been built in Argen-
tina. The main center OF the Argen-
tine eystem Is Buenos Aires. although
there are extensive freight terminals
for handling the great meat and
grain shipments at Rosario and Ba-
hia Blanca. Since much OF the rail-
way mileage is In rich agricultural
territory the freight tonnage In prod
ucts OF the soil is heavy. The pas
senger traffic on one line, the Great
Southern Railway, however. Is about
/ 10000. 900 passengers a year. The
most widely known Of the Argentine
railway projects Is the Buenos Aires
Pacific for the linking OF the Atlantic
and Pacific oceans. This task was
finally accomplished by the compile
tiou OF the Andes tunnel and the
Joining Of the railhesds OF the Ar
gentino roads with those Of the
Chilean Trsnsandean Railway.
The Brazilian railways with few
exceptions radiste from the princi-
pal coast cities and towns. Many Of
them have been especially successful
as financial enterprises: one, the Sac
Paulo Railway. has such heavy traf-
tic that the main line, according 10
G H. BURSuAM In tho Bulletin OF
the PcR American Union. normally
produces more revenue TO the mile
than any other railway In the West
ern Hemisphere. This road carries
two-thirds OF tho worlds supply OF
coffee. "It is one OF the best main.
tained railroad properties in the
Americas" says Mr.. BuRNHAM. "and
its roadbed. constructed in the face
Of enormous difficulties, stands as an
everlasting monument TO the engi-
neering profession"
Another interesting road is the
! Medeira- Mamore Railway, in the in
terror OF South America, and no
doubt the most isolated line In tho
world II was built TO route traffic
around a Chain OF dangerous rapids.
The line was surveyed by party Of
American engineers under Colonel
Grozor EAn CruRcu. Many OF these