Neuquen, south of Mendoza, borders on Chile, has Rio Negro south, and also with La Pampa, east. The north and east parts are arid, but the west mountain section has fine fertile valleys and forests, with many rivers and lakes. A railway now making this section accessible, it will be more attractive to settlers.
Rio Negro, first of the divisions of Argentina to stretch across the country, has Neuquen and La Pampa on the north, Buenos Aires and the Atlantic east, Chubut south, and Chile and Neuquen west. The section between the Negro and Colorado Rivers is fertile, also patches near other streams; wherever irrigated, good crops of wheat, corn, oats, and alfalfa are certain. Fruits and vines do well in the Negro Valley. Excellent timber is exported in beams and planks. There are some towns and many agricultural colonies; trade goes on with Chile in cattle and sheep. Several rivers are navigable and a railway has been constructed from the port San Antonio to Lake Nahuel-Huapi.
Chubut, south of Rio Negro, also extends across from the Atlantic to Chile, with Santa Cruz on the south. The central part has little vegetation but in the west are fertile valleys, and good grazing for cattle and sheep. There are millions of each, and many horses. Cereals and alfalfa are also raised in the east, with temperate zone fruits and berries. Near the oil fields of Comodoro Rivadavia is excellent farming land under cultivation. In this section there is now great activity on account of the petroleum development; some railways have been constructed and one is expected soon to cross the country. There is trade in wool and hides; gold, copper, and salt exist.
Santa Cruz, the largest division next to Buenos Aires, south of Chubut, has the Atlantic on the east and Chile on the south and west. The northwest is rather barren and rocky, with dense forests farther south; but near the coast and south of the Santa Cruz River are fine pastures supporting great flocks of sheep. There are many rivers and lakes, several, like the Buenos Aires, on or near the Chilian boundary. Wool, frozen mutton, and timber are exported.
Tierra del Fuego has the Atlantic Ocean on the north, east, and south, with the Chilian part of the island on the west. This triangular part of the island is mountainous, but has sheltered valleys, good pasturage, and vast forests with excellent timber, to some extent exploited. There are large flocks of sheep; the gold and copper deposits are unworked except for washing the sands. The capital, Ushuaiá, on the Beagle Channel, is a small penal colony.
CHAPTER XXXVI
ARGENTINA: SEAPORTS AND INTERIOR TRANSPORTATION
Argentina has a long sea coast, about 1300 miles, with a number of gulfs and good harbors. The ports of Buenos Aires and Ensenada, both constructed at great expense, on the wide La Plata River, may be regarded as seaports. The best natural harbor is 500 miles by sea south of Buenos Aires, Bahia Blanca, where the Government has built a port and naval station, and the harbor is accessible to large ocean vessels. Farther south are other ports, not greatly frequented on account of lack of population, but of growing importance. North of Buenos Aires are river ports, some of these visited by ocean steamers, others by river boats only, a few of the latter 1000 miles from the sea. The river ports above Buenos Aires with facilities for ocean liners besides Rosario, are Campana, Zarate, Ibicuy, San Nicolas, and Santa Fé (Colastiné).
Seaports
Buenos Aires has port facilities of the first order, though insufficient for its great commerce. These are in two divisions: one, the natural port, is on the Riachuelo, a small river south of the city, which probably determined the precise location of its site. The river admits vessels of 18-foot draft. Capable of an annual traffic of 1,200,000 tons, it is of great value in national commerce. There are wooden quays on the north side of the river, now to be rebuilt at a cost of $400,000, and on the south, concrete docks and quays constructed by the Southern Railway. On that side are some of the noted frigorificos and the famous Mercado de Frutos, the Central Produce Market, with 180,000 square yards of floor space.
The main port, receiving the ocean steamers, is on the city front, extending two miles directly along the Plata River. Constructed at great expense, and expected to supply the needs of the city for years, it was completed in 1897; but the growth of the city soon outran its capacity, so that in 1911 provision was made for its enlargement, which, however, has not yet been accomplished. About $35,000,000 have been spent altogether. The port consists of two basins, darsenas, the north and south, with four docks between having a depth of 23 feet and a total area of 164 acres. The length of the quays which may be used for loading and discharging freight is about ten miles. Along the docks are 33 warehouses with 30,000,000 tons capacity, and four sheds. Grain elevators have a total capacity of 300,000 tons of cereals, and granaries of 55,000 tons in sacks. Loading under cover, the work goes on in bad weather, each elevator loading 20,000 tons a day. Two dry docks accommodate ships 400 feet long; 874 electric lights, 100 feet apart, serve the harbor entrance. Sixty-four thousand ships with 22,000,000 tonnage have entered the harbor in a year, bringing 85 per cent of the imports and carrying out 50 per cent of the exports of the country.