Industrial and commercial South AmericaPeck, Annie S. (Annie Smith)
History
Industrial and commercial South America
Peck, Annie S. (Annie Smith)
South America; South America -- Economic conditions -- 1918-
=Tarija=, south of Chuquisaca and southwest of Potosí, is with Potosí
the most southern of the Departments, now smaller than formerly, since
the Gran Chaco has been made a separate Territory. Like Chuquisaca it
is on the east side of the Cordillera, the greatest altitude being
12,874 feet. The climate obviously varies from temperate on the west
to hot in the lowlands, the productions varying similarly. There are
possibilities for all varieties of grain and fruit, as well as for
stock raising; the western part lies in the silver region, having gold
and copper as well.
The capital, Tarija, 80 miles east of Tupiza, is 250 miles from Sucre
and 600 by rail from La Paz, but a few days must still be spent in
stage or on horseback. Prospects for speedy rail connection are good
when rapid development will follow.
=Santa Cruz=, north of Chuquisaca and east of Cochabamba is the
largest Department of all, and the richest in wild animals and
vegetation. This Department, altitude 377-9754 feet, does not reach the
great mountains, but far to the east it has a little range of its own,
the highest summits of which are just below 4000 feet. Here are forests
and prairies, cattle, tropical fruit and vegetables; cotton grows
profusely, rice, _manioc_, coffee, _copal_, rubber, what you will. Here
too is petroleum, iron, quicksilver. The white population is said to be
of purer Spanish blood than in most of the Departments, comparatively
unmixed; but as the climate is hot the people are naturally indolent.
The capital, Santa Cruz, altitude 1400 feet, 550 miles from La Paz by
way of Cochabamba, and 330 from Sucre, was founded, only think! in
1545. It is on two of the main routes running from Bolivia to Argentina
and Paraguay. With a population of 20,000, it is quite a city, having
a variety of local industries, and being on a favored route for the
export of rubber, sugar, and coffee to Europe; but the enormous cost
and difficulty of transportation retards its progress. Three hundred
and ninety miles east near the Paraguay River is Puerto Suarez, two
hours or 11 miles by cart road from Corumbá, Brazil, to which point
steamers come from Buenos Aires. A railway too practically reaches
Corumbá from São Paulo.
=El Beni=, the last of the Departments, occupies the northeast portion
of Bolivia, being divided from La Paz by the Beni River. With an area
of 100,000 square miles the variation in altitude is slight, 465-2800
feet; hence everywhere a hot climate. It has hardly 40,000 inhabitants,
mostly Indians. Nearly all the whites are engaged in the rubber
industry, though stock raising and agriculture are slightly practised
in the higher sections.
The capital, Trinidad, 400 miles from La Paz, with a population of
5000, is the least important of the various Department capitals, though
containing many stores and trading concerns for the sale of imported
products. Some smaller places are of greater commercial consequence
and better known, on account of their location.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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