ARGENTINA: SEAPORTS AND INTERIOR TRANSPORTATION
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).
SEAPORTS
=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.
INLAND TRANSPORTATION
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.
RAILWAYS
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.
[Illustration: 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.