Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-07-22

ciety, washington, ID. C.)
IKE kamchatka and Timbuktu,
Patagonia, at the southern end
of South America, has long
- stood as a symbol for the ends
a., tba earth: and along with this con-
coption has gone the idea that it is a
fricid waste land Magellan must have
mad such an opinion of the region
wbpn ne sailed through 1t along the
,ortuous passage that bears his name;
and the whalers ard traders who
rounded South America after him
came away with similar views. OAR
win studying the sandy wastes Of Ar
eentinian Patagonia on the Atlantic
side. thought the whole country a
worthless desert.
The bad name which 1t got may
have held Patagonia back for a time.
But man will go anywhere that for
tune beckons. II became known that
behind It's unlovely exterior Patagonia
hid excellent pasture lands, and ex-
perlments proved that sheep flourished
there Since 1914 when wool prices
showed a sharp advance there has
been great boom in Patagonia and
Il Is now one Of the worlds greatest
sheep regions.
Chile broadens out at its southern
extremity and includes the greater
part Of the sheep lands on TERRA Del
Fuego, the large southern Islands, and
on the mainland just north Of the
Strait Of Magellan. On the mainland
side of the strait Is situated Punta
Arenas, the metropolis of the Pata-
gonan sheep country and the south
ernm0st city of any consequence in
the world.
Today, as In early days, the trav-
eler entering the strait from the Pa
cifc receives poor impression of the
land At its entrance the passage Is
about twenty miles wide, but 1t soon
narrows to seven or eight miles, and
at one place is only two miles in
width. The shores are made up now
Of low, featureless hills on which
scarcely a tree or bush can be made
out and again Of great masses of rock.
A close view shows, however, that
much Of the ground supports a short,
sparse growth Of grass.
Coming upon Punta Arenas Is great
surprise because of the contrast be-
tween the apparently worthless land
and this bustling modern city. For
Its population, which is about $4,000,
Punta Arenas is the most CONNER
cially successful Of all Chilean cities.
It owes It's recent prosperity entirely
to the growth of the sheep industry.
Exports to the United States in a re-
cent year totaled $12,OOO,0O0 There
was also a considerable export of
frozen mutton to Great Britain.
Growth of Punta Arenas.
The earliest navigators passed this
point, and Sarmiento's band, settling
here In the Sixteenth century, died of
starvation. On the site of old Port
Famine the Chilean flag was planted
IN 1913 Yankee sailors and whalers
dubbed the forlorn penal colony
Sandy point" (Punta Arenas), and
uIe name survived.
In the sixties the first steamship
line between Valparaiso and Liver
pool was inaugurated, and Punta Are
mas, the most isolated port in South
America, came into Importance. 1t is
LOO miles from Bahia Blanca, the
nearest big port on the Atlantic, and
LOO miles from Talcahuano, on the
west coast.
Twenty years ago Punta Arenas was
an unpretentiOus little town of gal
yanlzed-iron roofs intent on its ship
ping and the news Of the world that
only ships could bring. Whenever the
)ell at the end OF the long pier tolled,
there was great excitement. 1t her.
aided the coming Of a steamer. Out
rushed the cosmopolitan Inhabitants
OF this "tail-end" city, eager for news
from home.
Telegraph and wireless finally
brought this region, so long cut off by
sea and impossible tracts of unculti-
waited country, in touch with the rest
or Chile. Now 1t has four excellent
daily newspapers.
The Panama canal struck Punta
Arenas a hard blow. Trade was di-
Verted. But, in spite of its waning
Importance as port Of call, the city
continued to thrive.
Turning its eyes from sea to earth,
II grew to value its surrounding graz
nag lands. Sheep ranches multiplied.
Motor roads stretched out toward the
argentine pampa; a steadily increas-
ing heet of small vessels sailed into
the Fuegian channels. The metropolis
OF Magellanes has taken on a pleas
ing, prosperous air.
The city has half a dozen reason
7oly good hotels which, after the man.
per Of the country, serve exceedingly
uctrty meals. There is practically no
Inference in heavlness of viands be-
tween luncheon and dinner, and NUT
ION OF course, is the standby as a