Railkoad to Cdzco. 453 



laid alongside of the track, 85 miles in length — the longest 

 iron aqueduct in the world. It starts near Arequipa, at the 

 elevation of 7000 feet, and crosses the great desert of Is- 

 lay. It is an eight-inch pipe, and discharges 433,000 gal- 

 lons in twenty-four hours. It cost $20,000 per mile. This 

 magnificent highway across the Andes will be a dead loss 

 to Peru unless extended ; for it passes through the most 

 useless region in the world, and Puno is but a huddle of 

 5000 shivering Indians. A railroad from Puno to La Paz 

 could be built for $10,000,000. But one important trib- 

 utary is already in process of construction. 



The Cdzco Railkoad. — This first longitudinal road 

 along the Peruvian Andes is to connect the city of Cuzco 

 with the Arequipa Railroad at Juliaca, near Puno. Length, 

 210 miles; graded. Contract taken by Mr. Meiggs, at 

 $25,000,000 cash. The highest point, 14,150 feet, is about 

 100 miles north of Juliaca ; thence, for 90 miles, the track 

 falls to 10,000 feet, following an afiiuent of the Ucayali, 

 and then rises to Cuzco, which is 11,500 feet. It passes 

 mainly through sandstone and limestone ; but there is no 

 tunneling. The total amount of excavation was 5,500,000 

 cubic yards. But the freight on the material for this road 

 would be sufficient to build it in the United States. The 

 productions expected for transportation are cacao, coffee, 

 wool, cotton, sugar, cascarilla, and woods. 



The Moquegua Railkoad. — Situated in lat. 17° 30'. 

 Termini, Ilo and Moquegua. Length, 63 miles ; finished. 

 Contract taken by Mr. Meiggs, at $6,700,000 in bonds at 

 75. It passes through one of the richest wine-producing 

 districts in Peru. 



