The Buenos Aires Central is a locally controlled road operating 250 miles including an important section from Buenos Aires to Zarate, where ferry connection is made with lines already spoken of to Asunción.
The War greatly affected conditions in Argentina, but previously the British-owned roads had made good returns besides giving work to many British both in Argentina and at home; as the rails, rolling stock, and coal are all British. Trade has naturally followed the invested dollar.
The Government Railways have been constructed under a comprehensive plan chiefly to promote settlement in outlying districts and to develop fertile territory. Deficits have resulted, but recently improvements have been shown in decreasing expenses and increase of gross receipts.
The Central Northern is an important road for tourists and business men, a metre gauge running from Santa Fé by Tucumán, Jujuy, and Negra Muerta to La Quiaca on the frontier. It has branches extending to Resistencia, capital of El Chaco, on the west side of the Paraná; and to Santiago del Estero, to Salta, and to Embarcación, the last, it is hoped, to be extended to Yacuiba and ultimately to Santa Cruz of the Bolivian Oriente. The road to La Quiaca passes a height of 12,000 feet, the terminus being above 11,000. Salta, the terminus of another branch, is 6000 feet lower; Embarcación is lower still, on a navigable stream, the Bermejo. To this point the Government is building a road from Formosa on the Paraguay River to open up that Territory; 186 of the 437 miles are already completed. This rich country now occupied by savages will then be a source of wealth. A road running northeast from Diamante, Entre Rios, when finished will open a rich territory; 106 miles are now in operation.
The Patagonian Railways will make accessible a large region which is well worth while. Plans call for over 1200 miles of road, 560 of which are now open and showing increase of earnings. One line from San Antonio on the Gulf of San Matias to Lake Nahuel Huapi at San Carlos de Bariloche is just completed, nearly 300 miles. From the Lake it may be carried over the mountains to connect with the Chilian Railways at Osorno. Another road is building from Comodoro Rivadavia on the Gulf of St. George to Lake Buenos Aires, now complete to Colonia Sarmiento, 122 miles. An important line running more north and south has been begun and opened 176 miles from Port Deseado in Santa Cruz to Colonia Las Heras, following up the Deseado River, later crossing the railway from Comodoro Rivadavia and going on towards Nahuel Huapi, to the terminus of these lines. A road is planned from Puerto Gallegos to Chile, 84 miles towards Punta Arenas with a branch north to the Puerto Deseado Railway. A narrow gauge is talked of from San Julian, half way up the coast toward Puerto Deseado, to the Chilian boundary with one branch to Lake Argentina, the other to Lake Buenos Aires.
Other lines are proposed in the north: one from Salta to Huaytiquina on the Chilian border, 190 miles, to cost 20,000,000 pesos (if paper, $8,800,000); this Chile is expected to continue to Antofagasta; one on the other side of the country, from Candelaria in Misiones, where a port is to be made on the Alto Paraná, will go northeast to ports on the Uruguay, connecting the two rivers with 625 miles of light railway. An industrial railway is expected from Goya or Reconquista through the quebracho forest to the western part of Santiago del Estero.
An aeroplane service for mail and passengers has been organized to go from Bahia Blanca to Puerto Gallegos, making ten stops en route.
CHAPTER XXXVII
ARGENTINA: RESOURCES AND INDUSTRIES
The chief sources of the wealth of Argentina are familiar to everyone with any knowledge of world affairs: cattle and agriculture. Stock raising is said to comprise about 50 per cent of the wealth. According to the census of 1914 its value of $8,000,000,000, including land, animals, and machinery, was just about that. The animals were estimated at 1¹⁄₂ billion, the land and fixed installations at 6 billions. In stock of various kinds, Argentina is fifth in the world: with 6 per cent of the total number of cattle, she is third in sheep with 8 per cent, fourth in horses with 4 per cent, fifth in goats with 4 per cent, and eighth in pork with 1.2 per cent.