226 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 
term—one of the best engineers in Don Enrique’s employ. Just before sailing 
for home he was among invited guests to Mr. Meiggs’ residence, and, seated at 
the table he found under his plate a check for $40,000. Subsequently Mr. May- 
nadier was chief engineer and superintendent of the Pacasmayo railroad at a sal- 
ary Of $10,000 per year. 
Immediately after having taken the contract at $28,000,000, to build the 
Oroya railroad from Lima over the mountain to the Jauca valley, Mr. Meiggs 
sought to obtain special freight rates from an English company operating a line 
from Callao to Lima; this company having obtained the concession from the Pe- 
ruvian government of exclusive rights for the term of twenty-five years, the new 
road must, necessarily, commence at Lima, and every pound of the immense 
material must come over the English road from the sea port. Mr. Meiggs was 
referred to the printed schedule figures. On no account would reduced rates be 
granted. They rather enjoyed their advantage over the successful American 
contractor. Soon the railroad material began to arrive; it went over the Eng- 
lish road and freights were promptly paid. The new road had many miles 
graded up the valley of the Rimac—several miles of track laid and supply trains 
running, when suddenly, to the astonishment of all, 1,500 men began to throw 
up road bed and lay track down the Rimac toward the ocean. Of course the 
English company notified Mr. Meiggs that this enterprise must cease, that it was 
a direct infringement of their exclusive rghts. Mr. Meiggs said nothing, but his 
men worked right on, laying a mile of track per day. The Englishmen were 
amazed and appealed to the government, which formally warned Mr. Meiggs to 
desist ; but still the work went on. ‘Troops were ordered out to suppress this 
mob of Yankee enterprise, till the matter could receive a judicial investigation, 
when, at the last moment, Mr. Meiggs quietly informed them that he was build- 
ing a private road on private land, and that there was no law in Peru that could 
stop him. Mr. Meiggs had quietly, unknown to the public, bought three haci- 
endas, extending from the Monserrate station, in Lima, to the Guadalupe station 
in Callao, and in the center of this princely estate, at Villegas station, the tomb 
of the dead contractor is in plain sight from the passing trains of the Oroya 
railway. 
The mountains are peopled by the Quichua and Aimara Indians, relics of 
the once powerful monarchy of the Incas. They were skilled in the art of spin- 
ning, weaving and dyeing, both woolen and cotten, centuries before the coming 
of the Spaniards. Even to-day, as they tend their flocks of sheep and alpaca, 
their hands are busy twirling the distaff and forming balls of yarn, while hum- 
ming some gentle melody in the ancient Quichua tongue. They wrought in gold, 
silver and copper. They retain the Quichua language in the family circle— 
many of them never speaking the Spanish. ‘They publicly profess the Catholic 
religion, but still have not forgotten their ancient religious rites. They cultivate 
potatoes, barley, wheat, rear cattle, horses and flocks, and toil in the mines. 
In every city there are Italians, Germans, and of course, on the railroads, 
