The South American Tour

by Annie S. Peck

Chile. The country of Chile, curiously unique in shape, being excessively long and thin, extends over 2000 miles from north to south, with a width of from 105 to 248 miles from east to west. Although so narrow, it has each way three well marked divisions: from north to south, the rainless, desert and nitrate region, within and near the tropics; the temperate central section, a rich agricultural district with considerable rainfall; and the southern portion, with too much precipitation, rain, snow, and fogs, largely a forest land with some swamps and grazing country. Along the entire shore runs the Coast Cordillera with an altitude ranging from 1000 to 6000 or 7000 feet; then comes a plateau or valley, in the far south a drowned valley with straits and fjords, and at the east the great Andes Mts., the height of which forms the eastern boundary line.

A variety of climate and scenery is obviously presented, agreeable to dwellers in the Temperate Zone. Aside from the strictly tropical productions, almost everything found in Peru and Bolivia is here provided; minerals galore, especially copper, iron, and coal, with gold, silver, etc., in addition to the world famed nitrates, and iodine. Petroleum and natural gas have recently been discovered. Noted, like California, for its fine fruits and vegetables, the central section affords ample field to increase their production. Here, too, the raising of grain and of forage plants is extensively practiced; stock farming is a great source of wealth, Chilian horses are of noted excellence, and cattle flourish. Viticulture and apiculture are profitable, the export of honey being important. At the south, the growing lumber business offers a fine field to experts, as well as the valuable fisheries. The already large sheep raising interests are chiefly in the territory of Magellan. The canning industry both as to fruits and fish may be developed with great profit. Manufactured goods are produced to the extent of $130,000,000 worth a year. Railway building, which has been rapidly progressing, will for some years continue to be an important field of labor. The Government has planned to expend within this decade many millions of dollars for public works, hydraulic and maritime, for irrigation, public buildings, and railways.

The imports include such things as sugar and coffee, also petroleum from Peru; from the United States, mineral products, especially steel and coal, with machinery of various kinds, paper, vegetable produce, textiles, chemicals, etc.

Presenting conditions similar to our own West Coast, including the earthquakes, the British and German settlers in the country have as much enthusiasm for their new home as have immigrants to California. In scenery, climate, and opportunities, Chile offers unusual attractions.

I had forgotten to state that valuable oyster beds exist in the Gulf of Ancud, and that on the island of Chiloe two crops a year of excellent potatoes may be grown.

Argentina. Argentina with its great plains is entirely different from the West Coast countries. From its configuration, its development, especially its railroad building, has been a far simpler proposition. It was easy to raise cattle and with the profits thus obtained to cultivate immense agricultural properties. Almost every kind of vegetable production is to be found in this great Republic, and the rewards of agriculture and stock raising have been quite equal to the wealth of the mines elsewhere and far more useful.

The plague of locusts is an occasional drawback, but not serious enough greatly to interfere with the grand total of production. As the boundaries on the west extend along the height of the Andes, some mineral wealth exists on their slopes, but the possibilities in stock and wheat raising have been too attractive for much attention to be devoted to mining matters. The agricultural products, wheat, oats, and linseed run up into millions of tons; the quantity of exports of these surpasses in value those of the United States, while that of meat exported is vastly greater. With their small population relative to the extent of territory it is certain that for many years Argentina will raise cattle and sheep enough to help out the more thickly settled portions of the globe. To enter into such enterprises today of course capital is needed, though some of the present day millionaires went thither with nothing and worked their way to fortune. Wages for mechanics are good, and in some other lines, but expenses also are large. According to the number of inhabitants Argentina has more railways than the United States, though not in proportion to the extent of territory. Almost everything is imported into the country except meat and agricultural products, our share of the imports being less than half that of Great Britain.

The northern and southern sections of Argentina still afford splendid opportunities to the pioneer, presenting a wide choice of climate and variety of employment. In the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the north are immense forests for exploitation with quebracho, laurel, palms, and woods in endless variety, lands suitable for the culture of coffee, sugar cane, yerba mate, cotton, rice, hemp, mandioca, and banana, and in places farther south or on uplands, soil for barley, wheat, corn, alfalfa, tobacco, the vine, etc.

The central pampa is of course the especial region for cereals, wheat, corn, and flax, and this is not entirely pre-empted. In Patagonia at the south there is a great field for raising cattle, sheep, goats, horses, guanaco, and the ostrich, as for alfalfa, wheat, and barley, though in the greater part irrigation is necessary for agriculture. With moderate capital pioneers of experience and skill should be able to amass large fortunes.

From lack of coal, if not of water power, it is probable that agricultural and animal products will long continue to be the chief exports of Argentina and that manufactured goods will be the principal imports. Textiles and manufactures of these are of the greatest value, iron and steel articles come second, railway cars and equipment and other vehicles third, then come building materials, earth, stone and coal, and so on, every kind of merchandise in use in a civilized country. Goods that sell in New York and Paris are likely to sell in Buenos Aires, only—the Pure Food Law is strict. Chicago hams are barred, though British hams are admitted.