Industrial and commercial South America

by Annie S. Peck

In the Provinces of Buenos Aires, Mesopotamia, and Santa Fé the average temperature in January is 72°, the maximum 97°-107°; the annual at the Capital city is 62.6°, farther south 42°. In Buenos Aires it may rain at any time, but the greatest precipitation is in the summer and fall. In summer there is a land breeze by day and a sea breeze at night. The north winds are hot and unhealthful, ending in violent storms. Southwest winds, the pamperos, which are gales, sometimes hurricanes, are invigorating. The central region has greater extremes of daily heat and of annual temperature, the widest at Córdoba; Santiago is the warmest of the Provinces. In the city of Buenos Aires the mercury in summer may reach 107°; in winter it goes below freezing only a few times, but there is a peculiar chill in the atmosphere which causes strong men, who never did so in New York or Boston, to wear heavy woolen underwear. The country has 200 meteorological stations.

CHAPTER XXXV
ARGENTINA: THE CAPITAL, INDIVIDUAL PROVINCES AND TERRITORIES

The Capital

Buenos Aires, the metropolis of South America, the largest city on that continent, and fourth in all America, has also a wide reputation as the second Latin city in the world. Its population is well towards 2,000,000, its area is more than double that of Paris. All its splendors may not here be rehearsed. The attractions of its 74 beautiful parks and plazas, its fine avenues, its magnificent Capitol and other public buildings, its beautiful opera house, almost the finest in the world, the many artistic and sumptuous residences, the excellent hotels, with many other admirable features make it a city delightsome to tourist and resident. The city is spoken of as a very expensive place to live, but in ordinary times, some things were cheaper than in New York while others were much dearer. Rents were high, the prices of fruit and vegetables, etc. In general, in other places in Argentina prices were higher for poor accommodations than in Europe before the War for far better. As a business centre, Buenos Aires naturally is of prime importance for the southern part of the continent. From here it is easy to visit Uruguay, Paraguay, and since the opening of the Trans-Continental, Chile also; while in every direction railways radiate to the chief cities of Argentina, even to those that are accessible by boat.

Provinces and Territories

We may perhaps get the geography of the Republic most accurately if we begin near the countries with which we are familiar at the northwest, and come from the outskirts to the commercial and political centre of the Republic.

Jujuy in the northwest corner naturally has on the north Bolivia, which comes down a little on the west, where it is followed by a bit of Chile, then by the Argentine Territory of Los Andes. The last is also on the south with a longer stretch of the Province of Salta, which extends along the entire east border as well. Here in Jujuy we are again among the mountains, for three ranges come from Bolivia, passing on through Salta at the south. The puna at the northwest is nearly 12,000 feet high; on this arid plateau are two salt lakes. The mountains reach an altitude of 15,000-20,000 feet. There are low valleys too, where there is mixed farming, not many cattle. Above are the wild vicuñas, guanacos, and chinchillas, as in Bolivia, and various minerals including gold, silver, petroleum, etc., not much worked. Sugar refining and wine making are important.

The capital, Jujuy, is in a rich and picturesque valley as low as 3675 feet, from which the railway climbs rapidly to La Quiaca, on the border of Bolivia.

Salta extends along the southern border of Bolivia from Jujuy to Formosa and Gran Chaco on the east; on the south are Santiago, Tucumán, and Catamarca; on the west Los Andes with Jujuy. The north and west sections are mountainous and cold, with high table-lands and fertile valleys; in the east the terrain comes down to the tropical country, where in places there are forests though some sections are hot and dry. Temperate and tropical products are found here; in the mountains are many varieties of minerals. Cattle are raised, some being driven over the mountains into Chile; hence the proposed railway to Antofagasta.

Salta, the capital, with an agreeable climate, is a considerable town, important as a railway centre and with trade of various kinds.