May 1, 1914] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



403 



have been laid aside for a sinking fund, and the ircisury is 

 always empty. To anyone who likes to think in big figures 

 it is interesting to estimate how much rubber money has 

 been taken in taxes by Brazil during the last 25 years. Fig- 

 uring Para rubber at $1 a pound and caucho at 60 cents, and 

 averaging taxes at 20 per cent., the sum would reach $350,- 

 000,000; which is a very conservative estimate. 



THE "PORT OF r.\R.V' AND THE M.\DETR.\-M.\M0R6 R.MLWAY. 



The city of Para, commanding the entrance to the great 

 Amazon valley — an area of over 270,265 square miles — is 

 ideally situated. Because of this, when the opening of the 

 Amazon to the navigation of the world brought it into direct 

 communication with Europe, as well as with the United 

 States, its population grew from 30,000 to 200,000. Much of 

 this increase was due in part also to the great growth of 

 the rubber business. 



This rapid development of the city made it patent that 

 the facilities for coping with the increasing trafRc of the 

 port were inadequate. Believing that the rubber business 

 would continue to expand, a syndicate of capitalists under 

 the name of The Fort of Para Co. took up the work of Port 

 development. 



Port of P.vr.v Office Building on the Boui.ev.\ri) ii.\ Rfpublica. 



Para. 



This company's concession from the Federal Government 

 of Brazil gives it the monopoly of the Port services, con- 

 struction and operation of quays, warehouses and other 

 works at Para within a zone of 18 miles towards the ocean 

 and 12 miles in the other direction for a period of 65 years, 

 to be extended 90 years after the completion of the second 

 section of the works. 



The Port works, now nearly finished, are of the most 

 modern character, are equipped with the best appliances for 

 loading and unloading vessels, for warehousing and distribut- 

 ing merchandise, and are equal in every respect to the most 

 up-to-date ports of Europe, such as Liverpool, Antwerp and 

 Hamburg. Vessels of the largest draught can pass from the 

 old deep water anchorage by a new channel to the <iuay 

 wall at any state of the tide. 



Up to the present time the following works have been 

 completed: 4,133 feet of quay wall for ocean going steamers, 

 with a depth of water alongside of 30 feet at low water of 

 ordinary spring tides; 722 feet of quay wall for river steam- 

 ers, with a depth of water alongside of 12 feet; 1,500 feet of 

 quay wall for river steamers, with a depth of water along- 

 side of 9 feet 9 inches; 13 warehouses, giving a floor space 

 of 31.084 square yards: 2 double-story warehouses, 394 x 66 

 feet, with four l!^2-ton electric elevators, as well as other 

 electric appliances for the handling of the merchandise; 9 

 3-ton electric cranes and 5 S-ton electric cranes; several small 

 steam cranes; electric light and power station; facilities for 

 coaling and watering steamers; marine repairing shops; 2 



storage oil tanks at Hyutanahan — capacity of each, 1,500 

 tons; 3 large crude petroleum storage tanks at Miramar, the 

 largest in South America — capacity of each, 7,800 tons of oil; 

 3 oil tank lighters of 1,000 tons capacity; a large depot for 

 materials of an inflammable nature. 



On and adjacent to the Val-de-Caes property — a property 

 secured by the Port company about three miles north of the 



F'oRTo V'elho, Madeira-Mamore Railway. 



city of Para — a complete ship-repairing depot, consisting of 

 two floating docks and three slipways, with repairing shops, 

 has been installed. The floating docks, which are operated 

 electrically, are designed for river vessels, each with a 

 capacity of 1,700 tons dead weight. The slipways, also op- 

 erated electrically, are capable of taking vessels up to 800 

 tons dead weight, at any state of the tide. 



The repair shops comprise several buildings, including ma- 

 chine shops, smiths' shops, foundry, platers' shop, pattern 

 makers' shop, joiners' shop, office and stores. The whole is 

 equipped witli the most modern and effective machinery, and 



The Last of the City Suburbs, Para. 



operated by electricity transmitted over the company's own 

 line from the company's power station at the city of Para. 

 The first section of the Port Works was formally inaugu- 

 rated on October 12, 1909, since which date steamers have 

 been coming alongside the quay wall, and business is being 

 carried on to the entire satisfaction of the Customs au- 

 thorities, shipping agents and others interested. 



