Industrial and commercial South America

Capital

Santiago, the capital, with 450,000 inhabitants, is the fourth in population of the cities of South America, the first three being Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. The city is finely located in the fertile Central Valley, on the Mapocho River. Important as the Government and social centre, it has much commercial activity. A little off the direct Trans-Andine line between Valparaiso and Buenos Aires, it is equally a terminus, as special cars run to each city from Los Andes where they connect with the narrower mountain railway. Santiago is the centre of the north and south railway systems which traverse the country almost from end to end.

A lack of first class hotels has been partially remedied by the construction of a large one on modern lines, but it may be said that in all of the capital cities and chief ports of the West Coast additional accommodations of a higher class are desirable. In Santiago important improvements recently accomplished include the installment of a sewerage system and the repavement of the principal streets. Electric lights have long been enjoyed and an excellent system of electric cars, one feature of which New York might imitate to advantage, the numbering of the cars to indicate the various routes. Santiago in addition to its delightful location may well boast of its fine buildings, especially its Capitol, the handsome opera house, and many fine residences; still more of its parks, the far famed Santa Lucía, Parque Cousiño, and the Quinta Normal; also of the Palace of Fine Arts, and the Cemetery, especially beautiful in rose time. Most of the streets are narrow, but there is one splendid broad avenue, the Alameda or Avenida de Delicias with a central parkway ornamented with statuary.

Provinces

A brief review of the Provinces follows, beginning at the north. Unless otherwise stated, the Provinces extend from the coast back to the mountains, bordering at the east on Bolivia or Argentina.

Tacna, formerly a part of Peru, is still claimed by that country, though in the possession of Chile. It is separated by the Sama River from the Peruvian Province, Moquegua. Largely mountainous, Tacna has many peaks above 18,000 feet; the two passes to Bolivia are about 14,000 feet. Of 500,000 acres of possible agricultural land about one tenth is irrigated, the rest is desert. Alfalfa is the chief production; beans and maize are important with other vegetables and fruit. The leading export is sulphur.

The capital, Tacna, is a pleasant town, connected by rail with the port of Arica, though it is not on the road to La Paz. Arica, with a better harbor than most of the others, is an important primary port where all steamers call, as it is the terminus of the Arica-La Paz Railway; one of the three Pacific outlets for Bolivia. New docks are to be constructed.

Tarapacá follows on the south, this Province containing with other minerals, extensive, hot, arid plains with nitrate fields. The sloping coastal section has two important ports, Pisagua and Iquique, besides smaller ones exclusively for the export of nitrates, in which the two named are chiefly engaged.

Iquique, the capital and principal port, is of great commercial importance for such export, and has very large imports from the fact that these include all eatables as formerly all drinkables, even water. Now the water comes in pipes 150 miles from the mountains. The soil too was imported for the few plazas and gardens existing, as nothing will grow in the native soil. It is an enterprising community with a good proportion of pleasant British homes, clubs, theatres, etc.

Antofagasta comes next, separated from Tarapacá by the River Loa. On the east it has both Bolivia and a piece of northern Argentina. The surface descends from the Andes in a series of plateaus. Vegetation is scanty. This Province, with Atacama on the south, shares in the activities of the nitrate industry.

The capital city, Antofagasta, is 200 miles south of Iquique, both ports having very poor harbors, though with enormous commerce for places of their size. Antofagasta, the terminus of a third railway from La Paz, the second in Chile, has much Bolivian trade besides export of nitrates, and lately from Chuquicamata of copper. The Province contains other ports and cities of consequence, Taltal, Tocopilla, Mejillones, etc.

Atacama on the south borders exclusively at the east on Argentina, which from here down forms the eastern boundary of Chile. The surface of the Province is uneven, with mountains, plateaus, and ravines; in the valleys of Huasco and Copiapó there is some agriculture. Minerals, as gold, silver, and copper receive attention.

Copiapó, the capital, is an important railway junction.

Coquimbo, following, is a narrower Province, the mountains and the Argentine boundary coming nearer the shore. There are many lofty peaks at the east; and between spurs running down to the coast are fertile, well watered valleys, as we now come to the central section where with a mild climate there is moderate rainfall. Cereals, fruit, wine, and livestock are exported.

La Serena, the capital, is a pretty town, which has tramway connection with Coquimbo, a first class port, and a busy city.

Aconcagua is next, with the great peak of that name in the range at the east. Some 15 miles south of the peak is the Uspallata Pass, for many years the main commercial highway between Chile and Argentina. By this Pass came Almagro, and later a division of the army of San Martín; another division by the pass of Los Patos, a little lower and farther north, by which cattle are often driven into Chile. The Province is chiefly agricultural and pastoral, with crops of cereals, fruits, hemp, and tobacco. The finest wine is produced; there are large herds of cattle; and copper has some exploitation.

Valparaiso, one of the two Provinces bordering on Aconcagua at the south, is next to the smallest in the Republic, and the first coming from the north which does not extend across the country. With Aconcagua on the north it has Santiago on the east and south. The surface is mountainous with extensive valleys, the Coast Range here reaching a height of 7000 feet. Several rivers and a number of bays are among its favorable features. With a mild climate and sufficient rain agriculture is the principal industry aside from the commercial interests of the chief port of the West Coast, Valparaiso.

Santiago, south of Aconcagua and east of Valparaiso, extends from Argentina on the east, south of Valparaiso to the sea, and has the two Provinces of O’Higgins and Colchagua on the south. The Central Valley, which occupies a great part of its area, is here a broad plain, part of which is well watered and fertile but with some sections arid; the foothills and valleys are well wooded. The Central Valley slopes towards the west, having an altitude of nearly 3000 feet at the foot of the Andes, and about 1000 feet near the hills of the Coast Range. The highest point of the Andes, here south of Mt. Aconcagua, is less than 20,000 feet while the Coast Range approaches 8000. Cereals, vegetables, fruit, and wine are the chief products. Among other towns in the Province is the port of San Antonio.

O’Higgins, a very small Province, occupies what may be called a jog at the southeast corner of Santiago, which is therefore on the west and north, while Argentina is east and Colchagua south. Although a rugged district, irrigation is developed and large crops of cereals and fruit are grown. Rich in mineral deposits, copper alone is exploited.

Colchagua, south of Santiago and O’Higgins, extends across the country from the sea to the mountains, which have three easy passes into Argentina. The plains of the Central Valley have a rich soil and good rainfall, but as the summers are dry, as in Santiago, irrigation is needful. Crops of wheat, beans, alfalfa, etc., are important, and also the cattle industry.

Curicó follows across the south with similar features and productions.

Talca is next, also extending from the coast to Argentina. With a temperate climate, there are greater extremes of heat and cold on the plain. Besides the agricultural and cattle industries, the dense forests here afford opportunity for exploitation. Two Provinces are on the south.

Linares, the more eastern, has Argentina on the east, Nuble south, and Maule west. With considerable agricultural land, along the lower slopes of the Andes it has dense woods.

Maule, the coast Province south of Talca, has both Linares and Nuble on the east, and Concepción south. The valleys of the Coast Cordillera, which are fertile, afford opportunity for increased agriculture, but unwise deforestation has been injurious.

Nuble, again an Andean Province, between Argentina and Maule, is south of Linares and north of Concepción. Easy passes lead into Argentina, forests are extensive, and vines and cereals are grown on a large scale.

Concepción, south of Maule and Nuble, extends from the Pacific to Argentina. Mountainous at the east, it is rather arid in the centre, but extremely fertile near the coast. The fine crops include grapes and excellent wine. Large forests and extensive coal deposits are a source of wealth.

Arauco and Bio-Bio are on the south; Arauco along the coast, with important agriculture and large herds of cattle, has also extensive forests and mineral deposits, coal mines actively worked, and gold, both alluvial and quartz.

Bio-Bio at the east is mountainous and well watered, as is this region in general. Cereals are largely grown and viticulture is practised. The cattle industry is important and the forests are exploited.

Malleco, south of Bio-Bio, is peculiar in the fact that it alone of the Provinces touches neither the Pacific nor Argentina, having a strip of Bio-Bio and Cautín on the east and Arauco on the west. The mountainous eastern section is heavily wooded and the fertile central plain with a mild damp climate is celebrated for its crops of wheat.

Cautín, extending all the way across the country, touches three Provinces on the north, Arauco, Malleco, and Bio-Bio. Here are plains, mountains, and valleys, with much rainfall and luxuriant vegetation of forest, grass, and agriculture. Excellent timber and tannin extracts, fruit and cattle, produce wealth, and coal and gold await exploitation.

Valdivia, south of Cautín, also extends across the country. Here are lower mountains, many passes into Argentina, extensive forests, several lakes, much rain; but a healthful climate, luxuriant vegetation, with profitable agriculture, forest products, and cattle breeding.

Llanquihue follows, extending south to the Gulf of Ancud and beyond. The present southern terminus of the Longitudinal Railway is the capital, Puerto Montt, at the head of the Gulf. This is largely a forest region, though in the valley of the lakes are fertile lands suited to grazing and agriculture, both of which industries are increasingly followed. The climate is rather cool but equable.

Chiloé, the last of the Provinces, consists of the large island of that name covering about 560 square miles, other islands much smaller, and a long archipelago called Chonos extending to the peninsula of Taitao. The island, Chiloé, is largely covered with forests which, strange to say, have a somewhat tropical character, with fine timber, dense undergrowth, and trailing vines; for the climate, with excessive rainfall, is extremely mild for the latitude, which corresponds to that of Massachusetts. Cereals, potatoes, and fruit are grown, and many pigs are raised; though forestry, and fishing are of greater importance.

The Territory of Magallanes extends from the 47th parallel south including the mainland and islands, with mountains, rivers, forest, and plains. On the coast the climate is not severe; in the interior it is more rigorous. Cattle and sheep raising are the most profitable industries; whaling and forestry are important.