BOLIVIA: PORTS AND TRANSPORTATION
=La Paz.= Bolivia unhappily has no seaport, but lake and river ports
are better than none; of these she has several. Nevertheless La Paz is
the chief port of entry with the principal Custom House, the terminus
of the three railways leading from the Pacific.
RAILWAYS
=Route from Mollendo.= In 1903 not a single railway reached La Paz, but
not long after, the road, which then left one on the great plateau,
arrived at the edge of the _alto_, whence by electric power the cars
are brought down the steep walls of the cañon to the picturesque
city. This route is the conclusion of the road from Mollendo, by all
means the most desirable for the traveler coming from the north. The
inconvenience suffered by many persons going from the coast directly
to the high table-land, and the real danger to those with weak hearts,
may be lessened or entirely obviated by pausing two or three days in
the pleasant city of Arequipa. Even the compulsory stay of a single
night may render the journey to Puno innocuous to the person in good
condition. Having crossed the divide, altitude 14,688 feet, one arrives
at nightfall at Puno, on the shore of Lake Titicaca, altitude 12,500
feet. The boat is there taken for the night journey of 130 miles to
Guaqui, the Bolivian port at the south end of the lake, a 14 hour sail
which no one should miss; for in the morning an inspiring vision may
be had, hardly equalled on the globe, of the magnificent Cordillera
Real, a hundred mile stretch of rugged snowclad peaks from Illampu to
Illimani with Huaina Potosí halfway. A splendid view of Illampu is had
on the left, during the three hours’ ride, 56 miles, over the almost
desert plateau, and after passing its edge a matchless view of the
cañon, the city, 1000 feet below, and Illimani towering far above.
=Arica-La Paz Railway.= The second route is from the port of Arica,
formerly in Peru, but now in the possession of Chile, which country
in accordance with the peace terms with Bolivia of 1883 constructed
the Arica-La Paz Railway as far as the frontier, the most difficult
portion, while Bolivia laid the rails for 145 miles within her own
boundaries. A branch 5 miles long leads to the important mining town of
Corocoro. This is by far the shortest route from the coast, only 281
miles, but as we have seen, this is a disadvantage to travelers rather
than a benefit; nor is there a gain in time to one coming from the
north, as the steamer arrives at Arica, a day later than at Mollendo.
As one may come up from Mollendo, including the night at Arequipa, in
48 hours, one thus arrives in La Paz a few hours before one who travels
in 22 hours from Arica. The journey from Mollendo is 534 miles. For
the more rapid climb from Arica there are 28 miles of rack railway
with a maximum grade of six per cent. The equipment of the road has
been inadequate for the business, but more has been ordered; larger
port works at Arica are needed and expected. The highest point on the
railway is 13,986 feet near the Bolivian boundary, nearly 700 feet
lower than on the road from Mollendo; but being reached in less than
half as many hours, and also at night when the effect of the altitude
is always greater, even the most robust are likely to suffer from a
headache if not worse, as is the case with persons coming up from
Antofagasta. Going down by either route there is usually no trouble,
except for those who have been a long time at the higher altitude.
=Bolivia-Antofagasta Railway.= The journey to La Paz from Antofagasta,
on the Chilian coast 400 miles below Arica, occupies two days for the
718 miles. This, the earliest of Bolivian railways, with Oruro for
years as the terminus, in 1911 was continued to La Paz, _i.e._, to
Viacha (15 miles from La Paz), where it meets the road from Guaqui,
the two forming a long link in the Pan American chain. The later road
now has its own line into the city. At Uyuni, where there is a Custom
House and a change of cars, the road turns off towards Chile. From
Ollague on the Chilian border, a 58-mile branch runs to the Collahuasi
copper mines, among the richest in the world. A Bolivian extension is
now being made along the plateau to connect with the Argentine road
from La Quiaca to Buenos Aires. Already Atocha has been reached; 60
miles remain to Tupiza, and 66 more to La Quiaca, the terminus of the
Argentine railway to the border. An automobile service is operated in
the dry or winter season from Atocha to La Quiaca, making the journey
in eight hours. The rest of the year one goes on muleback. Thus by the
weekly train from La Quiaca to Buenos Aires in 48 hours, the entire
journey, 2000 miles, may be made from La Paz much more quickly than by
way of Chile, in case one does not wish to go there. This route also
serves when the Trans-Andine is blocked by the winter snow.
=Other Argentine connections= are planned. A branch railway is to be
built from La Quiaca or possibly from Orán to Tarija, about 82 miles;
meanwhile it is expected to construct an automobile road for the
service. A railway extension from the Argentine boundary farther east,
hoped for in the near future, is from Embarcación to Yacuiba, thence to
Santa Cruz, thus opening the cattle region of the Chaco, of Chuquisaca,
and Santa Cruz for the export of cattle through Buenos Aires.
=Several Branches.= Farther north important branches to the interior
are already in operation. The first, opened in 1912, was from the
station, Rio Mulato, 130 miles south of Oruro, to far famed Potosí.
This section, 108 miles long, climbs to a height of 15,814 feet, the
second highest altitude reached by rail, following the Morococha branch
of the Central Peruvian. The cost was over $8,000,000, the maximum
grade three per cent. The trip occupies eight hours; there is weekly
service. The Oruro-Cochabamba Line was completed in 1917; its length
132 miles, its cost above $10,000,000. It crosses the Cordillera at
about 14,000 feet. This road is equally important, opening up a fine
agricultural and well populated district. Its fine scenic attractions
should allure the tourist. Food is very expensive on the plateau, but
with improved access to the warmer sections, lower prices and greater
variety of fruits and vegetables may be expected above.
A branch on the plateau long in operation is a 24 mile line from Uyuni
to the Huanchaca silver mines, the road owned by the Mining Company.
Another branch is now under construction from Machacamarca to Uncia, 57
miles, built by Simon Patiño, the wealthy owner of extremely rich tin
mines at Uncia. Thirty-eight miles are in operation.
=New Lines.= Under construction are two very important lines: one the
Potosí-Sucre Railway, 105 miles, with 40 in operation; the other, the
La Paz-Yungas Line of very difficult construction, passing over the
mountain range near La Paz at an altitude of 15,338 feet and going
down into the deep valley. One hundred and thirty-seven miles have
been surveyed. The passage has been accomplished, the road opened to
Unduavi, 16 miles, from which point it will be continued down the
valley to Coroico, later to Rurenabaque, and some time to Puerto Brais
on the Beni, the latter port being open to navigation all the year.
Already a delightful road for tourist travel and useful for bringing
fruit, vegetables, and other products to the La Paz market, has been
constructed. With the completion of the road to Puerto Brais, a more
speedy route for travel and freight to Europe will be attained. On
account of the scarcity and high cost of coal this road is operated
by electricity, for which the great fall of small streams gives ample
power. On account of transportation difficulties and increased cost
the completion of the Potosí-Sucre Railway has been delayed, but when
this is realized the road will probably be continued northeast to Santa
Cruz. From this city a road to Puerto Suarez on the Paraguay, now
talked of, will come later. Bolivia has about 1400 miles of railway
in service. A road to Santa Cruz from Cochabamba instead of Sucre is
advocated by many.
OTHER FORMS OF TRANSPORTATION
=Roads.= Automobile roads are planned and being constructed to fill as
far as possible present requirements, but in the rainy months, December
to May, traffic is generally suspended. From Cochabamba to Sucre there
is motor service for freight and passenger traffic, a more direct route
than that from Potosí for persons in La Paz. From Potosí to Sucre a
motor bus makes the journey in 12 hours. Another motor car road soon
to be available is from Riberalta to Villa Church (65 miles), opposite
Guajará-Mirím in Brazil, the terminus of the Madeira-Mamoré Railway.
From Cochabamba autos run to Totora, also from La Paz to Achacachi, and
over a spur of Illampu down to Sorata.
Aside from railways land transportation is chiefly confined to burros,
mules, and llamas; in some places there are mule wagons or ox-carts,
mules generally carrying the traveler. The cart roads, constructed
and maintained by the Government or the Municipality, are mostly very
poor; yet such as they are they extend 2000 miles. They are often if
not usually impassable in the wet season. Llamas are more extensively
employed than in any other country. In the plateau region with their
100 pound burden they wander leisurely along, cropping the coarse
grass, tended by their Indian owners or drivers, who are in no more
of a hurry than they. Along difficult mountain slopes are paths
constructed by the Indians, skirting precipices and climbing steep
inclines, where llamas, mules, and burros bear loads of minerals, coca,
coffee, or other products or imports, from one section to another.
About 5000 mules and burros pass over the La Paz-Yungas road daily.
Except in the dry season, May to October, travel either by mule or by
stage may anywhere be difficult or impossible on account of rivers
becoming impassable by reason of freshets or roads because of mud. The
importance of proper packing according to directions of goods which may
be shipped to the interior, or indeed to any destination, cannot be
overestimated.
=Lake Transport.= Aside from the railways transportation in Bolivia
cannot be called excellent either on land or water, though there is
fair steamboat service on Lake Titicaca. This with Lake Aullagas
(Poopo) and the Desaguadero River are the only waterways of the
table-land where navigation exists. On the larger lake the Railway
Company has steamers of 1500 tons or less, five in all, connecting
with the trains, and some touching at small ports on the islands and
around the Lake. Other boats are used, among them Indian balsas, built
entirely of reeds, sails and all. In the use of these the Indians are
very expert. The Desaguadero River is navigable to Lake Poopo for
steamers of 500 tons. Poopo is navigable for boats of shallow draft.
=River Transport.= Of great and increasing importance are the rivers of
the eastern slope, both those of the Amazon Basin, and to a less degree
those of the Paraguay, which river for some distance is practically the
eastern boundary of Bolivia. Its chief tributaries are the Pilcomayo
and the Bermejo. Bolivian statistics give the total length of all their
navigable rivers as nearly 12,000 miles, but these figures include
sections not conceded as within the boundaries of the Republic as well
as rivers on the boundary. Half of the distance mentioned, 6000 miles,
is said to be navigable by steamers of 4-6 feet draft.
In the Amazon Basin steamboat navigation is possible on the Acre from
the Upper Purús, the Abuna, Orton, Madre de Dios, Beni, Madidi, Mamoré,
Itenez or Guaporé Rivers, with some of their tributaries. Of the above,
the Beni and the Mamoré are the most important. On the latter, regular
steam service has recently been inaugurated from Cuatro Ojos in Santa
Cruz to Guajará-Mirím (a distance of nearly 1000 miles), the terminus
of the Madeira-Mamoré Railway. From the Department Cochabamba, boats
descend on the rivers Chaparé, Chimoré, and Iabaro to the Mamoré. The
Guaporé, though easily navigable for 1000 miles, flowing through an
uninhabited region, is little used.
Although most of the streams are more or less obstructed by rapids,
rocks, and masses of tree trunks, which last might easily be cleared
away, they are nevertheless useful for navigation. In spite of
difficulties and dangers much transport with canoes and rafts is
effected by the Indians, who are expert boatmen. On the Beni, rafts are
used from Puerto Pando 155 miles to Rurenabaque; from there steamboats
serve 573 miles to Riberalta; the Esperanza Rapids below the town
making their further passage impracticable. Hence the journey to Villa
Bella opposite Villa Murtinho on the Madeira-Mamoré Railway or to
Villa Church, higher up, opposite Guajará-Mirím must be made by land;
therefore the motor road is being constructed.
In high water the Madre de Dios is navigable by steamers far up its
tributaries, at other times by _callapos_ which consist of two or three
_balsas_ fastened side by side. The _balsa_ here is a small raft made
of several logs. It is usually 22 to 26 feet long, 5-6 wide, carries
750 pounds, and is managed by three boatmen. A _callapo_ or _monteria_
may carry 3400 pounds with a crew of from 3 to 15 highly skilful men.
They make 9 or 10 miles daily, navigating 10-12 hours. With the
return of normal conditions the development of this region will be
hastened, and greater benefits will be realized from the opening of the
Madeira-Mamoré Railway which occurred in 1912.