Engineering Wonders of the World
Volume I

120 ENGINEERING WONDERS OF THE WORLD. little town of Chilecito, which lies on the foot- hills, within 300 miles of the about 3,600 feet above sea-level. Pacific, and To the west transport of ore from the mines to the smelters cost about 50s. per ton. When the railway reached Chilecito an Profile of Cableway, showing height of Mont Blanc as compared with that of the Upper Terminal ©f Chilecito rise the frowning, seamed Cordil- leras, a chaos of mountain and ravine. Far up in these, at an altitude approaching that of the summit of Mont Blanc, are the valuable Famatina copper mines, which have been worked for many years by natives on the principle of picking out the plums from the pudding. The only means of communication between Chilecito and the mines was, till recently, a mule track of the roughest and most precipitous character imaginable, pass- able for only six months out The °f the twelve, as winter storms Famatina cover it with deep drifts of Mines. snow. Though the distance from the town to the mines is but 22 miles as the crow flies, the difference in elevation—some 12,500 feet—compelled travellers to take a roundabout way. The ascent occupied, under favourable circum- stances, two and a half days, the efforts of man and beast growing more painful as the altitude increased and Costly Transport of Ore. the air became more highly rarefied. Arrived at the mine, the muleteer rested a day be- fore loading up his mules with ore for the descent, which was as tedious and difficult as the upward journey. It is not surprising therefore that English company was formed to take over the mines from the Government, and work THE OLD MULE TRACK.