Dr. Shaw and Major Meriwether stopped at the hotel, while I assisted Mr. Jackson in taking the horses to a pasture at Mr. Wright’s; and getting supper we congratulated ourselves that the trip to Conceicão was ended.
Friday, December 8, 1865.
Having spent the night with my friend Wright, I arose early and went to the Hotel Milan, where my comrades were quartered, finding Senor Street had returned from São Paulo. My telegram was received by him, but he stated that it would be impracticable for him to proceed through the country, and that Mr. N. Bennaton had gone to Rio de Janeiro, with the expectation of returning on the 11th inst. A letter was found here from him, proposing that we wait until he could join us, to make the tour from São Paulo through the country. But in view of all the facts we concluded to avail ourselves of the boat expected daily to proceed to Cananea; and after examining the lands adjacent to the Ribeira de Ignape, to return to this point, and go thence to São Paulo, to make the trip to the country lying between the Tieté river and the serra to the eastward.
We made a reconnoissance this morning of a lot of land in the city belonging to Commendador Ferreira, which he proposes to sell. It extends from the water at the lime-factory, in a solid oblong body, lying between two streets.
The measurement made by stepping was five hundred and fifty (550) yards in length and three hundred and fifteen (315) yards in breadth; with a portion of irregular shape not measured, extending to the water. For this it is understood that his price is ten thousand (10,000) dollars.
There is another portion of vacant land belonging to the same gentleman located between that described and the water street on the front of the city.
This measures four hundred (400) yards in length, two hundred and thirty (230) yards wide at one end, and one hundred (100) yards or thereabouts in width, at the other end. The breadth corresponds very nearly to the greater measurement through half of the lot, and then slopes to that of the smaller, making it somewhat irregular in shape. This has a water front with a street, which is bounded by a rock wall as a barrier to the tide, and here is afforded very desirable sites for building.
Should he be willing to include this with the sale of the other, it would make a very valuable property for those who may wish a city investment.
That Santos will improve greatly in a few years is confidently anticipated, and lands within the city limits, such as these, must increase in value.
Mr. Wright accompanied us in visiting the lime-factory already mentioned as located at the edge of the water at the northern portion of the city; in which the shells and deposits of a calcareous nature from the island are worked up into a beautiful white lime. There is a small steam-engine for working the ventilating apparatus, which acts upon the furnace, and the fuel being placed beneath the mass of materials a heat is generated which transforms the shell into the gray crude lime.