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10/13/1955 - Transportation: I by William H. MacLeish

NOT FOR PUBLICATION INSTITUTE OF CURRENT WORLD AFFAII WH Hotel Ferrocarril Transportation I Cuzco Per October L Walter S Rogers Institute Current World Affairs Fifth Avenue New York New York Dear Rogers One Per greatest problems which hinders economic development topography The great barrens coastal deserts rocky tangles Andean chain ested spongy montana blocked efficient communication transportation centuries communiSy isolation country In century Central Southern Railways climbed coastal ports sierra towns along right first impact outside world slowly under impact began slough their Shells isolationism This Arequipa Cuzco cities dying their before arrival Southern Rai WH today whatever prosperity these towns enjoy large existence Ferro carriles Sur Comparatively speaking however towns opened railways number In there kilometers track operation completion trifling figure considers Per square kilometers Nevertheless there railroads country bears testimony skill tenacity engineers planned constructed Railroad construction Peru means tunnels hbacks bridges constan fight against washouts slides altitude The Central Railway instance reaches height point mining center orococha highest elevation reached standard gauge railroad world Faced problems transportation Per turned aviation early point development The tales those Slim Faucett flights rickety ships across deserts mountain passes highly imagina adventure fiction In thirty years however Peruvian progressed monomotor planes rocky landing strips engined ships Lima swank Limatambo aerodrome Slim Faucett DC Lima Arequipa Cuzco larger cities north while smaller planes landing strip another coast The important airlines Faucett Transportes Aereos lilitares TA jungle towns Iquitos Yurimaguas bringing rubber other produce lowlands Freighting costs times prohibitive least airplane formed transporta between coast potentially lands heeast Riding comfortable cabin Faucett plane forget canyons sharp ridges slipping Total figure drawn Ge0grafla _conmic Pr Emilio Romero WH Faucett safety records those leading U S pilots logged thousands hours sierra flying On October second however caught Faucett A DC Lima Cuzco crashed foothills twenty people killed Some instantly others lived hours torturing before 9rlshed In lurid stories Lima Peruvians forcefully reminded rugged primitive nature their country The plane crashed about forty flying minutes Limatambo twenty hours reach wreckage several those hours narrow twisting trails By rescue teams arrived scene Indian scavengers nearby villages already completed their They ransacked plane taking seats luggage Then worked wounded stripping jewelry burned flesh victims robbing corpses wallets clothing The Indians their close scene crash returned offer carry wounded civilization In Faucett passengers lucky Those survived crash subsequent exposure eventually reached hospital The passengers TAM plane which crashed fortunate The plane loftiest peaks Peruvian Andes To rescue attempts failed The Faucett crash revealed completely dependen areas country travel In Cuzco example manager Hotel Turistas double grievance personal friends killed wounded crash effects accident would tourist business The flight tourists stepped Lima plane Cuzco airfield instead usual twenty thirty Business checked their files telegrams check possible disappearance important papers crash And through there feeling being outside world realization airline vital artery between provincial Capital The orange trimmed Faucett planes taken granted until flights interrupted reason another Then cuzqueo empty devoid Lima newspapers feeling isolation creeps In winter season there weeks skilled pilots circle Cuzco field Lima unable dripping which covers field With roads commission winter rains Cuzco listens radio feeling belonging utside world waits skies clear Although paved landing strips throughout country number thirty majority located along coast northern Some heavily populated areas region Department Puno still service The aviation industry growing doubtful expand scarcely populated unexploited country whioh constitutes Per The airplane given Peru vians opportunity travel rapidly regions which impossible reach other modern means transportation But aviation lacks factor necessary truly country imity peoples remote areas A plane travels Only landing fields actual local people For reason although aviation pioneered country field transportation highway railroad really exploit areas airplane discovered During century heart Peruvian transpor tation Steamships country Peruvian coast blossomed small ports Each coastal valley seaport which connected other coastal cities With principal Callao The fingers desert separating valleys impenetrable produce either produce sierra shipped coast trait valleys themselves funneled loaded however haphazardly holds small coastal vessels The principal problem today sheltered harbors description The continental shelf Per slopes gently ocean basin ships cannot approach close shore Except aritime Terminal Callao newly pleted atarani vessels forced anchor distance ports discharge their cargoes lighters In rough discharging freight passengers becomes extremely dangerous When prevailing southerly winds waves crashing moles unloading possible At Mollendo terminal Ferrocarriles Sur bottom littered freight missed lighters dumped small craft turned turtle heavy The construction trails later asphalt roads across coastal desert partially destroyed monopoly which maritime commerce communications enjoyed As merchan hauled truck between important coastal cities those ports which removed highway Pan American Highway those which sufficient presence fishing industries mining operations dwindled Today Peruvian shoreline dotted mouldering towns which outlived their usefulness Commerce still vital element country economi development emphasis placed international rather local trade Again terms opening Per steamship influence limited quite naturally coast except those instances offered impetus construction roads railroads seaport sierra Taking consideration nature Per6 topography country miracle Coastal highways difficult enough Gonstruct carret_era_s pnetraci6n those northeast southwest roads which climb serra instances montaa navigable point rivers Amazon drainage system WH posed problems which equalled those railroad engineers Drifting sands coast landslides country shifting ippery montafa these problems Differential weathering sierra cacked pavements rains dredged chuckholes roadbed enough break though Despite these difficulties however engineers succeeded driving several transverse roads across mountains sorely needed products isolated areas bring quantity which fight nature cannot rival As highways pushed coast already existing longitudinal roads secondary roads trails being built haciendas villages system In areas where roadbuilding being either planned executed community isolation disappearing A great credit disappearance taken truck vehicle which perhaps surpasses airplane Per potentially valuable conyeyance Of vehicle operation Per accordin figures Official Statistical Extract automobiles omnibuses trucks U S figures approximately sixth registered vehicles trucks According Per figures trucks about third total number vehicles registered country The dependence heavy vehicles Perd easily explained Of kilometers Peruvian roads about kilometers paved asphalted remainder varies roads rocky trails Trucks pickups vehicles which survive pounding dished these roads length The coming truck roads isolated Indian communities brought about drastic change social villages Until recently controlling themes Indians living regions Cuzco belief bound spiritual property Travel limited occasional trips neighboring villages The cargo trucks changed Indians began rides distant towns accept truck normal basic transportation In camiones factor growing movement popula tions within country which country moving The Indians Puno altiplano instance always ollowed nomadic existence travelling making valleys Cuzco purchase WH But until advent truck extend range their wanderings Arequipa coast Indeed current invasion Arequipa Lima other large cities serrano populations largely attributed growth national highway system Roadbuild necessity until recently begin upsurge technical knowledge sufficient immense problems cutting roadbeds cliffs constructing highways altitude But terms stripping country isolationism regionalism highways surpassed railroad airplane steamship The construction course staggering foreign capital needed program above water In instance foreign company LeTourneau contracted Peruvian government construct Which eventually northern coast great araon River This Olmos Borja another important caretera pentraci6n another advance opening jungle Simulation trade between western Per whole Amazon basin WH The roadbuilding fever produced dreamli plans Lima inistry Public Works So Gobierno increasing xtent national economic capabilities often behind build bigger better In article published August edition Peruvian Ti A J Van Dyke Hishway ngineer International Coopeat0n Administration speaks almost total disregard maintenance operation presumably overlooked build roads According Van Dyke total annual highway budget Spent aintenance He compliments Bureau Highways raising maintenance funds reported Because slighting doubtful sufficient money provide proper attention increase excellent It doubtful Perd solve problems regionalism isolationism highway airstrip railroad seaport construction alone doubtful arrive point construction program years decades The battle against social inertia continuous against desert sierra jungle Still record fronts impressive record which looked neighboring countries Sincerely William H acLeish Received New York