The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1925-04-22


ters its harbor and is the Stick ovel
the door" for misunderstanding invad
ers. The town is also the terminus
OF the old Inca highway to La Paz,
ana the modern railway to that city.
In the eastern part Of the province
IN the Andes there are rich areas
strewn with silver, copper, and tin.
Although irrigation on a small scale
can be practiced in some of the val
leys between the Andes and the Pa
enc throughout the northern part of
chile, Tacna is much more valuable
agrlculturally than the rest of the
arid region. There irrigation on
much larger scale is practicable, and
considerable quantities of food are
produced. Irrigation dates back to
pre-Spanish days. Then as now agri-
culture was dependent on the streams
moving seaward from the Andes In
irrigated valleys near the city of Tao
ma old irrigation customs have sur
Vlved from Inca days. Sunset is the
time nxed for transferring the water
from one section to another; but in
the valley, several hundred feet be-
low the inclosing hills. the instant of
sunset occurs earlier at the western
rim than in the other end of the val
ley. After the sun has set in the low
iands 1t continues for some time to
Illuminate the snowy slopes above
whlch glow with ruby light. then sud-
denly turn milky white and fade into
darkness.
Used Common Sense.
ITO avoid controversy, the ancient
Peruvians brought common sense TO
bear and agreed to consider it sunset
at that moment when the sun ceased
10 Illuminate the snOw-clad mountain
peaks. This method, known as "cal-
the sky view" Is still in
vogue In the province of Tacna.
AS TO the origin of the nitrate de- I
'oslts the discovery of which was the I
genesis OF the Tacna-Arica controver- r
~ scientists disagree. Some claim
hat 1t had its origin in seaweed of an
ncient period. p
The nitrate fields stretch for COW r
raj hundred miles along the pamnas,
'estern rim. which marks the edge Ii
the ancient flood waters. h
Inc process Of production is simple h
ne loose rock is carried by mule -
cams, or cars suspended to cables I,
the little railways which circulate r
trough the nitrate establishments ~
Id on to the crushing plant. where
Ter oeing broken into small pieces, *
Is thrown into iron watts and boiled
I'LL the dissolved saltpeter can be .,
tered. e'
When crystallized it is cleaned and -
hnlshed salitre, or nitrate of soda III
cked IN bags and sent TO the near. III
I port. The greater portion nov "a
mes to the United States to enrich pa
SOIL ana to be used in the manu-. en-
'ture Of explosives. aft
Iodine Production Limited. ori
iodine, precipitated from the nitrate ga
ution, Is the most important bv.
'duct of the caliche rock. By arrea
MT among the nitrate establish. 10
nts' its production is limited n fou
ry sixth year. that the parke, ma, the
be overstocked. n
operated for the most parf by Chu. ira
and British capital. I29 Of rhess tra'
ate establishments. or 0fcinas. nc loo;
are known locally are Scattered the
the pampa back Of Pjsapn. Pas
que, and Antofsgasta. their tall nos
nneys dominating the plain. Al and
H. from the train which runs from n,o,
ma south. the myriad twinklino 80
Is of these strange desert towns G.
IL or life and industry in a region 700
sether dependent for sustenance in I
he world of trees and pastures. MORT
! the coastal cities in the region
he disputed territory have great ''o''
lem in securing an adequate wa. ter
supply. The water used NV rho loan
lie of Mollendo. Peru. is broucb, p,
mo ao,s ,.r an eight-inch pipe. Rup,
l4S miles long, and at Antofagns. dnra
alter is piped $50 miles from ,hs 80
ian Andes. Obviously wafer 10 r
&c Is expensive. Nd I
cond