Evening star., 1934-06-18
SOUTH AMERICAN
WINTER IS SEVERE
Hundreds Made Homeless
in Northern Argentina
Property Is Lost. R


of our recent severe Winter weather
with an earthquake thrown in for
good measure. In North Central Ar
gentina hundreds have been made
homeless and property of great value
has been destroyed by severe earth
tremors, which followed two weeks
of the worst storms in years. Hard
est hit were the two provinces of
Cordoba and San Luis. The town of
Sampacho is in ruins, and the city
of Cordoba, capital Of the province
of the same name, was threatened.
THE earthquake zone of some A.
900 square miles lies in the border
region between the rich pampas Of
the eastern plains and the arid des-
ert which slopes westward and up
ward to the Andes" says bulletin
from the headquarters of the Ma
tional Geographic Society.
THE Argentine province Of Cor
doba marks the transition between
eastern and western climates - re-
sembling our own State Of Colorado
in this respect. North and south
through the middle of the province
rise the peaks of the Sierra de Cor
doba-mountains of an older forma-
ton than the Andes.
Desert Scattered With Gases.
Westward stretches the great Ar
gentine Desert, scattered with oases
of irrigated lands. These oases Of
Western Argentina were first irri-
gated by the Incas, whose example
has been followed by modern agri-
culture. On the slopes Of the Cordoba
Mountains Craze innumerable goats
Merino sheep are also raised, rather
than the mutton sheep of the PAM
pas. Merino wool brings In higher
returns and does not cost as much
to ship out from the interior.
I'm the eastern foothills OF the
Sierra de Cordoba is the ancient
Spanish city of that name, founded
in 1878. It is one of the oldest towns
in the republic, and is still regarded
as the center Of scholastic and re-
ligious influence. The University of
Cordoba, established before the Pill
grims landed on Plymouth Rock, was
for years the chief seat of learning
in South America. Summer brings
crowds Of tourists to Cordoba. It is
conveniently reached by an overnight
express from Buenos Aires. and the
surrounding hills are full OF delight
full resorts.
The San Rogue Dam above Cor
doba. supplies the water for Argen-
tina's most extensive irrigation prof.
ect. Thousands of acres have been
transformed from desert into vege-
table gardens, orchards. and green
alfalfa meadows.
The eastern part of Cordoba Prov
ince belongs in the great pampas
region-the heart Of Argentina. Level
plains of grass and grain slope i'm
perceptible to the Atlantic. The PAM
pas were once covered by the sea,
and their soil Is the silt of ages.
Adequate rainfall and an even climate
mean that no irrigation is necessary
Here in the vast fields Of wheat, corr
and fax; in the huge herds of cattle
sheep and hogs. lies the secret OF
Argentine wealth.
No Small Farms.
"Ranching is done on a scale SUITED
to interminable plains. There are M
small farms. A thousand acre field O!
wheat Is as common as a market gar.
den in New Jersey. No wonder thai
the pampaS holds two-thirds Of Ar.
gentina's population, and all hel
principal cities.
Although grain has grown to bt
an important export, cattle raising i.
still the ancient and honorable in
dustry Of the pampas. Huge herds
Craze the level plains where gauchos
wild-riding cowboys Of Argentina
West, keep the customs of colonia
| days.
The horse holds his own in tht
pampas. There are no rocks, stones
or material for building roads, sc
automobiles are few. Ancient high,
wheeled wagons are still to be seen
and long distance transportation Is b,
rail Argentina has the most highl,
developed railway system in South
America. A network Of lines from al
over the republic converges at RoSari,
and Buenos Aires, as our Western
roads do at Chicago and st. Louis.
The province of San Luis lies ives
of Cordoba, in a region of arid pam
pas and rough mountains. Lack Of
water makes agriculture and ever
grazing Improbable. Consequently
the population Is only one-sixth tina
of its more prosperous neighbor, Cor.
doba. The barren mountains, how.
ever, are rich in minerals, and numer
Gus gold mines. recently opened
promise a brighter future for Sar
Luis"