San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-04-11
MO I ORS DEFY
RUGGED ROADS
OF AN DES
Motoring in Peru Is Severe
Test for Driver and
Car.

Motoring over the rough, marrow
roads Of the Andes mountains in PERI
is severe test for driver and vehicle
but the use of cars is steadily gain
ing.
In this country little known to thu
average person, improved roads are al
most entirely absent. In their steat
there are mostly rocky, narrow trail
which wind sharply around the noun
tains with treacherous declivitiei
yawning on all sides.
1t was of this section that Franci!
]. Day, of the Peruvian Autos Ltda.
Lima, dealer in Dodge Brothers vehi
cles, who recently visited Detroit, TOLD
of the hazards with which drivers hav,
to contend, reports the Wroten-Hund
ley Motor Company.
The sturdiness of Dodge Brothers
motor cars and Graham Brother;
trucks, which is necessary to negotiate
these hazardous trails, has won fol
them the admiration of all business
men and motorists of the country, sait
Mr.. Day.
14,OOO.FOOT ALTITUDE.
Mr.. Day told of one road which
rises to an altitude of IA 600 feet above
sea level and then drops to 1000 feet
in the course of so miles. Over this
road, he said, 95 per cent of the yehi'
Giles used are Dodge Brothers motor
cars and Graham Brothers trucks.
One asks how the Peruvians con
troll travel over these narrow trails
when traffic might wish to go in both
directions at the same time. They have
devised a quaint system of rules to
prevent collisions. Traffic original
ing in the upper reaches of the Andes,
say Lima, is permitted to move down
only on Tuesday, Thursday and Sat
urday Of each week. Traffic from the
lower reaches is allowed to move up
ward only On Monday, Wednesday and
Friday.
"The Peruvian government is alive
TO the need of improved roads," said
Mr.. Day, "but instead Of spending
vast sums OF money in intricate engi-
neering feats to cut such roads through
and around the Andes range, the Off
Gals have been content with opening
such trails as will permit easier and
more frequent motor vehicle traffic.
CUT TRAILS.
"As an example Of this road, or trail
building" Mr.. Day said, lat the head
water of the Amazon river, high in
the Andes range, the government has
begun the cutting Of trails from the
old town Of Iquitos, formerly famed as
one of the big plantation rubber CEN
tiers Of the country. At this point
where the road engineers and natives
are at work there is but one motor
vehicle in use in the entire section,
and that is a Graham Brothers truck. I"
Iquitos. related Mr.. Day, is now a
village of but 5000 inhabitants, but
through revival OF the rubber industry
due to increased selling prices, it is
becoming a factor again in the COM
mercial life of the country.
A limitation of all weight that may
cross the suspension bridges. the only
type used, is placed on all vehicles.
For this reason the Dodge Brothers
vehicles have been found most suit
able for the transportation of the ma
tives.
"Peru is rapidly showing the ef-
fects Of increased capital from the
United States. The North Americans
are exhibiting more energy than the
Europeans who formerly occupied
dominant financial control of Peru
and other South American countries.
United States products are supplant-
ing British made goods in a large
measure" said Mr.. Day.
VARIETY OF CLIMATE.
United States capital controls the
largest vanadium mines in the world
which are located high in the Andes
range of Peru. This valuable ore en-
tiers widely into the manufacture Of
high grade steel Of which Dodge
Brothers, Inc, is a large consumer.
The vanadium is mined 10000 feet
above sea level. 1t is brought out of
the shafts in small bags which are
placed on the backs of Ilamas which
tread slowly down the narrow noun
tain trails to a lake where the bags
are placed on barge and ferried
across to the opposite shore. The
bags then are loaded on freight cars
of a fine standard gague railroad
which carries it down to tide water
at Callao, from whence it is shipped
aboard vessels northward to United
States ports.
"Peru has wide variety Of climate.
In the tropical sections the finest
long staple cotton in the world is pro-
duced. This cotton is exported to the
United States for the manufacture Of
fiber cord automobile tires. Other
agricultural products include coffee
and sugar cane. Mining is the prin-
cipal industry of the country, gold,
silver and copper being produced in
large quantities.
Mr.. Day who is an electrical engi-
ncer, was born in London, England.
Seven years ago he went out to Peru
with his wife and family TO engage
at his profession. Two years ago he
saw the increasing demand for motor
vehicles in that country and obtained
a franchise for handling Dodge Broth
ers vehicles. Results to date indicate
the wisdom Of bis selection, for there
are now in operation hundreds of
these cars.