Argentina has a long sea coast, about 1300 miles, with a number of gulfs and good harbors. The ports of Buenos Aires and Ensenada, both constructed at great expense, on the wide La Plata River, may be regarded as seaports. The best natural harbor is 500 miles by sea south of Buenos Aires, Bahia Blanca, where the Government has built a port and naval station, and the harbor is accessible to large ocean vessels. Farther south are other ports, not greatly frequented on account of lack of population, but of growing importance. North of Buenos Aires are river ports, some of these visited by ocean steamers, others by river boats only, a few of the latter 1000 miles from the sea. The river ports above Buenos Aires with facilities for ocean liners besides Rosario, are Campana, Zarate, Ibicuy, San Nicolas, and Santa Fé (Colastiné).
Buenos Aires has port facilities of the first order, though insufficient for its great commerce. These are in two divisions: one, the natural port, is on the Riachuelo, a small river south of the city, which probably determined the precise location of its site. The river admits vessels of 18-foot draft. Capable of an annual traffic of 1,200,000 tons, it is of great value in national commerce. There are wooden quays on the north side of the river, now to be rebuilt at a cost of $400,000, and on the south, concrete docks and quays constructed by the Southern Railway. On that side are some of the noted frigorificos and the famous Mercado de Frutos, the Central Produce Market, with 180,000 square yards of floor space.
The main port, receiving the ocean steamers, is on the city front, extending two miles directly along the Plata River. Constructed at great expense, and expected to supply the needs of the city for years, it was completed in 1897; but the growth of the city soon outran its capacity, so that in 1911 provision was made for its enlargement, which, however, has not yet been accomplished. About $35,000,000 have been spent altogether. The port consists of two basins, darsenas, the north and south, with four docks between having a depth of 23 feet and a total area of 164 acres. The length of the quays which may be used for loading and discharging freight is about ten miles. Along the docks are 33 warehouses with 30,000,000 tons capacity, and four sheds. Grain elevators have a total capacity of 300,000 tons of cereals, and granaries of 55,000 tons in sacks. Loading under cover, the work goes on in bad weather, each elevator loading 20,000 tons a day. Two dry docks accommodate ships 400 feet long; 874 electric lights, 100 feet apart, serve the harbor entrance. Sixty-four thousand ships with 22,000,000 tonnage have entered the harbor in a year, bringing 85 per cent of the imports and carrying out 50 per cent of the exports of the country.
Ensenada, the port of the made-to-order city of La Plata, more noteworthy for its university and museum than for its commercial affairs, has been constructed for the relief of Buenos Aires, and because, 35 miles lower down, the water naturally has greater depth. The port has 8000 feet of quays, warehouses, and other necessary appliances. Two American packing houses are here located.
Mar del Plata, the Newport of South America, 250 miles by rail south of Buenos Aires, is being developed also as a commercial port, with quays, warehouses, etc.
Bahia Blanca, with a population of 80,000 in the city and its several ports, is about 700 miles south of Buenos Aires. It is of such importance that the Southern Railway has four different routes for the journey. The city also has direct connection with Mendoza and with other parts of the country. Being situated on a large well protected bay of the ocean, it has a naturally better harbor than Buenos Aires and may be compared to Liverpool as Buenos Aires to London. Since 1882 its development has been rapid. With more than ordinary advantages for business for a city of its size, including factories, warehouses, and good hotels, it is a railway centre for lines spreading over the agricultural and stock-raising districts of southern Buenos Aires, La Pampa, San Luis, Mendoza, and San Juan, and is the natural port for these regions. Belgrano, said to belong to the Compagnie Française, is the real harbor of the city. Near is the port Ingeniero White with a T-shaped pier, accommodating 16 ships in 30 feet of water. Electrical elevators handle 6000 tons of grain in eight hours, while extensive shops and foundries are a part of the equipment. Puerto Galvan, 1¹⁄₄ miles west, belongs to the Buenos Aires and Pacific Railway. Eight ocean steamers of 25-foot draft and one of 30 may be accommodated here. The basins and warehouses are of reinforced concrete; elevators with storage capacity of 18,000 tons and other facilities exist. Besides the commercial ports, Bahia Blanca has also the naval port of the Republic, 25 miles southwest of the city on the Southern Railway. The channel entrance is 25 feet deep at high tide; there are various quays, also a dry dock, 730 feet long and 33 deep; a new one of larger size is in preparation. Other facilities are provided, machinery, workshops, hospital, electric lighting, etc. There are various fortifications, strategic railway, telegraph, semaphores, and light-houses. Hotels for immigrants have been built in the city nearby for the benefit of those who will go to work in the south. Sanitary works, costing nearly $2,000,000, are to be installed.
Smaller Ports. A number of small ports on the ocean are served by the Mihanovich Line, formerly also by German lines, while various ocean steamers call at individual ports. Viedma on the Negro River is the chief port for the Rio Negro Province, with a fine harbor. San Antonio is on the same Gulf. On the large Gulf Nuevo are the ports Pirámides on the north side and Madryn on the south, the latter a small place, but with over-seas and coasting trade; a railway 45 miles long goes to Trelew, and to the capital of Chubut, Rawson. On Camerones Bay several British companies have large sheep ranches which many years ago counted 250,000 sheep, 2500 cattle, and 4000 horses.
Comodoro Rivadavia, the famous oil port, is on the Gulf of St. George, with Visser and other ports in the vicinity. Deseado is a small port with anchorage for ships six miles in. San Julian has a harbor with seven fathoms of water. Puerto Gallegos affords good anchorage ten miles up stream for ships of 10-20-foot draft. Sheep and cattle are near. This port, the capital of Santa Cruz, has weekly service to Punta Arenas. Santa Cruz, on a river of that name, is the most important town, with a fish cultural establishment. Ushuaiá receives monthly calls, the voyage from Buenos Aires occupying 45-50 days according to the number of calls en route.
The rivers of Argentina are of great importance for inland traffic, with many ports of local service for the export of grain and other products, and for varied imports; the chief towns so engaged deserve mention. On the Paraná River, the principal artery of river travel, excellent steamers run up to Corrientes, and on the Paraguay as far as Formosa and Asunción; larger ones go to Rosario only, a night journey of 240 miles, passing a number of small ports on the way.
Rosario’s importance as a commercial city is due to General Urquiza, who in 1859 made it a port of entry. Ocean steamers drawing 28 feet come to its docks. Situated in the great cereal section, as a grain port it now surpasses Buenos Aires. The city located in the Province of Santa Fé is on a bluff above the Paraná River, along which an expensive system of docks has been arranged, the new port extending over two miles with a minimum depth at the wharves of 25 feet. Separate wharves for ocean and for coasting steamers are provided, elevators, depots under the wharves for 30,000 tons of cereals, chutes from warehouses on the bank, all kinds of needed machinery, depots for general goods, flour mills, a sugar refinery, and railway connection with all of the different lines. Port extensions costing $3,000,000 include a sea wall 1640 feet long, warehouses, railway lines, and loading apparatus. The production of $75,000,000 worth of sugar is evidence of prosperity. In other parts of the city are factories of various kinds. Four railroads centering here afford direct communication with other Provinces. Of course the second city of Argentina has all the conveniences of a place of its size, population 317,000, in the way of fine buildings, hotels, clubs, parks, theatres, banks, etc.
Paraná, capital of Entre Rios, 310 miles from Buenos Aires on the east bank of the Paraná River, is the next considerable city; its port, Bajada Grande, a little below, has some local industries and trade in agricultural and pastoral products.
Santa Fé, capital of that Province, though far smaller and less commercial than Rosario, was founded before Buenos Aires by Juan de Garay, seven miles up the small stream Quiloaza, at a time when a quieter port for their small vessels seemed more desirable than the great river, which at Rosario is 20 miles wide. An important railway centre, its port is Colastiné, opposite to Paraná, and accessible to ocean steamers.
Corrientes, population 30,000, is a rather old fashioned quiet town in a sheep raising district, with some cattle; the last port on its left bank before the turn of the river, which beyond is called the Alto Paraná. Sailing straight north one is on the Paraguay, up which the larger steamers go to Asunción. The upper Paraná though broad is much shallower, accordingly at Corrientes smaller steamers are taken for Posadas 36 hours distant. The Aripe Rapids, 145 miles up, also make these necessary. Above Posadas, boats of still lighter draft are used for the three days’ sail to the Iguassú, where a landing for the Falls is made at Puerto Aiguirre, a mile up the river. The boats continue up the Paraná beyond the northern extremity of Argentina to the Falls of La Guayra.
Continuing north from Corrientes up the Paraguay, the mouth of the Bermejo is soon passed and at Asunción the mouth of the Pilcomayo is reached, the northern boundary of this part of Argentina, the Territory of Formosa. The lower large tributary, the Bermejo, separating Formosa from the Chaco, has recently been made navigable by clearing the banks and cleaning the river bed, so that with one transshipment traffic may be carried on for 450 miles. The journey requires three weeks; but Villa Embarcación, an important centre of trade on the border of Bolivia was thus made accessible by water, the town already having rail connection with Jujuy and Salta, and being but 15 miles from Orán, another important terminus. Tropical products, as sugar, cotton, and fruit, are of value, and oil from Bolivia. The native population of El Chaco is estimated at 25,000 Indians of various tribes; as many more in Formosa. The forest covered plains are not thoroughly explored, some persons having lost their lives in the attempt; several are known to have been murdered in 1900 and 1902. Aside from these rivers there is little steamboat service in the interior.
The Plata Basin, in size and flow of water second in the world, and now in economic importance surpassing the Amazon, includes also the Uruguay River which separates the two Republics, serving both for a considerable distance. The Uruguay, formed by several streams which rise in the Serra do Mar of Brazil, has a length of 800 miles. It is navigable for ocean steamers 100 miles to the falls at Concordia and Salta, above these for smaller craft. Steamers of the Mihanovich Line from Buenos Aires, after crossing the Plata enter the rather muddy Uruguay. Passing on the right the town of Fray Bentos in Uruguay, the first port of consequence in Argentina is Concepción del Uruguay, a stock raising centre near which are large estancias, some devoted to pure blooded, others to crossed stock. Nine of these estates cover 370,000 acres, with hardly 1200 devoted to agriculture. Concordia, population 25,000, a little below the Falls, is an important railway junction with good harbor accommodations, flour mills, elevators, etc., exporting wheat, cattle, hides, wool, linseed, mate, and quebracho.
The railway system of Argentina is developed to a greater extent than that of any other South American country, largely due to the opportunity for easy construction presented by its great plains. The land transportation is complicated, as there is a real network of railways centering at Buenos Aires besides smaller centres at Bahia Blanca, Rosario, and Santa Fé; other cities are at points of junction of several lines; the most important of these will be mentioned. The railways have an extension of 22,720 miles, about 4000 of which are Government owned, 18,000 of private capital, 670 provincial, and 600 of industrial railways.
The first railway line in Argentina, six miles long, was constructed in 1857. The first of importance, 246 miles, from Rosario to Córdoba, was built by Wm. Wheelwright in the 60’s. January 1st, 1918, about 22,500 miles of railway were open to traffic, with other mileage in construction. The careful policy pursued in Argentina during this development has prevented the great evils experienced in the United States of local land booms and town lot speculations. Large investments in railways have been made by European countries, especially by Great Britain, which has about $1,000,000,000 so placed, and France the next smaller sum. The value of the privately owned lines is $1,220,000,000, while that of the Government owned is $150,000,000. In 1915 the equipment included 7000 locomotives, 6300 passenger cars, 160,000 freight and service cars. The density of traffic in Buenos Aires is shown from the fact that 500 passenger trains daily leave the city. Instead of taxes the railways pay the Government 3 per cent of the net receipts, which is spent on making roads to the railway stations and bridges; 60 per cent is allowed for expenses. If above 17 per cent profit is made by a company in three successive years the Government has a right to lower the rates. The railways may build branch lines 47 miles long without special permission, if they do not run within 12¹⁄₂ miles of another road. Several roads have constructed irrigation works along their lines, for which they receive Government 5 per cent bonds at par. In 1917 an increase of rates of 22 per cent was allowed by the Government to cover extra operation costs.
The Central Argentina is one of the most important of the railways, serving the chief cities of north and central Argentina, Buenos Aires, Rosario, Córdoba, Santa Fé, Tucumán, etc., and some of the best agricultural lands of the country. It has the finest railway station and terminal in South America, the Retiro, and a mileage of 3300. The main line, extending 720 miles to Tucumán, crosses the Provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Fé, Santiago del Estero, and Tucumán; there are branches in these Provinces and in Córdoba. Elaborate extensions planned, but suspended on account of the outbreak of the War, will doubtless be carried out before long. On account of heavy suburban traffic the lines for 17 miles out of Buenos Aires have been electrified by a third rail. Two thousand passenger trains a week are handled at the station and 9,000,000 passengers annually. Through express service is maintained, and connection is made with the Government Line to the Bolivia frontier at La Quiaca. In 1913 about 22,000,000 passengers were carried; 9,000,000 tons of freight are handled, 2,000,000 head of cattle, and other live stock. Aside from the stock the chief freight is cereals, but sugar, timber, wool, hides, hay, and lime are also carried.
EASTERN ARGENTINA, URUGUAY
The Buenos Aires Great Southern Railway, equally important, with the longest mileage, operates about 3800 miles of road. Ninety per cent of the mileage is in the province of Buenos Aires, serving the important cities of La Plata, capital of the province, Mar del Plata, the famous shore resort, the port, Bahia Blanca, etc. The freight station is the largest in South America with storage capacity for 230,000 bags of grain and 2000 tons of other freight. A line goes west from Bahia Blanca through northern Patagonia to Neuquen and Senilossa, 480 miles, which is handling excellent traffic especially in cattle. Important irrigation works have been made by the railway in the Rio Negro and Neuquen Valleys. The road has a terminus in Plaza Constitución, Buenos Aires, where 35 trains daily, including express and de luxe, serve 25-30 million passengers in normal years. In 1913 besides 6,500,000 head of live stock the road transported 1,800,000 tons of wheat, 1,000,000 of corn, 227,000 of potatoes, 920,000 of lime and stone, and 2,500,000 general freight.
The Buenos Aires and Pacific, an ambitious and adventurous road, has nearly equal mileage, 3535, some of which are leased. As its name implies, it operates the main part of the only transcontinental line of South America. In addition to the cross country line from Buenos Aires to Mendoza, and beyond that, the Argentine section of the Trans-Andine, 111 miles to the Chilian Line midway of the tunnel, amounting with branches to 1000 miles, the Company has acquired by lease and construction the Bahia Blanca and North Western Railway, now extended to Mendoza, with branches, a length of 900 miles. From Bahia Blanca a line called the Patagonas Extension has been constructed 167 miles to Carmen de Patagonas at the mouth of the Negro, giving access to northern Patagonia. Land is being irrigated with water from the Colorado River in the effort to attract colonists. It is a property which has been extended too rapidly to pay dividends at the moment, but of an assured future. On the North Western Railway wheat, barley, oats, wine, maize, cattle, sheep, and general merchandise are the freight; the passenger business is small in comparison.
The Buenos Aires Western Railway is fourth in importance, with 1870 miles of track extending from the Once Station, on the Buenos Aires subway in the heart of the city, to sections of La Pampa and San Luis; primarily a freight road, it now carries many passengers. Electricity is used for suburban traffic. By tunnel from the Once station, freight is carried to the port, being by so much ahead of New York. With the Great Southern, the Western has leased the Midland Railway from Buenos Aires to Carhue, 320 miles. In 1912-13 the road carried over 7,000,000 head of live stock, nearly 3,000,000 tons of freight, and 1,000,000 passengers. Wheat, maize, hay, and other agricultural products are the bulk of the freight.
The Córdoba Central, operating 1200 miles, is an amalgamation of several lines extending from that city, one now reaching Buenos Aires, one to San Francisco connecting with Santa Fé and Rosario lines, and another to Tucumán, there connecting with the Government owned road, the Central Northern Railway, to the frontier. It is hoped that the small mileage lacking in Bolivia will soon be completed, when, as the gauge is the same, it will be possible to operate through cars from La Paz to Buenos Aires. The sugar lands of the north are now traversed by this road, sugar and cereals being important freight.
The Entre Rios Railway is a part of the through rail route to Asunción, Paraguay, beginning at Ibicuy on the Paraná River where it is connected with the Buenos Aires Central by ferry, that road bringing the trains from Buenos Aires. The road, about 800 miles long, has the standard gauge, 4 feet 8¹⁄₂ inches.
The Argentina North East Railway, in which the preceding is largely interested, extends through Entre Rios, Corrientes, and a bit of Misiones to Posadas, forming another part of the road to Asunción. It has 750 miles of the same gauge. On account of the war and decrease in traffic, difficulties were experienced; but in 1917-18 there was great improvement, the cattle transport breaking all records, and oranges becoming an important item. By means of a ferry across the Alto Paraná River from Posadas to Encarnación there is through service with sleeping and dining cars from Buenos Aires to Asunción, on account of which travel has greatly increased as well as shipment of freight.
The last three railways with several French roads were in 1912 incorporated under the name of the Argentine Railway, a Maine corporation, but on account of difficulties from the War, receivers were afterward appointed. All of the railways mentioned are British owned, mostly of broad gauge, 5¹⁄₂ feet. One more is the Central Railway of the Chubut Company from Port Madryn to Trelaw, about 50 miles, a section settled chiefly by the Welsh. They plan to carry the road across to the Andean foothills.
While the investments of the British are far larger, the French also saw here an opportunity and financed several railways.
The Province of Santa Fé Railway is the most important, with 1200 miles of line and extensions planned to Asunción;
The Province of Buenos Aires Railway with 800 miles has a line to Rosario, and one to the coal docks and wharves of the port of La Plata; and
The Rosario to Puerto Belgrano, on Bahia Blanca, 500 miles long, is of broad gauge with the idea of exchanging freight with the British lines; the other two lines are of one metre.
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.