THE ROAD OF "LOS ANDES"/ MAIL COTTAGES |
Due to its geographic conditions,
the kingdom of Chile remained isolated during the winter from the
far away province of Cuyo, under its jurisdiction, and from the
city of Buenos Aires, with which it began to have a great commerce,
and that in addition served as an intermediary point over its relations
with Europe.
The travelers
who dared to pass the mountain range in that station, ran the risk
of perishing buried in the snow; and in many occasions painful misfortunes
had happened that made that way very frightful.
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Mail cottages in the Cordillera road
Casucha de Correo en el camino Cordillera |
After hearing the opinion of many people, President Guill y Gonzaga,
looking for a remedy to that situation arranged in 1765 the construction
of sentry boxes of lime and brick, that could serve for asylum to
the travelers in those days of bad weather. Under the direction
of the lieutenant colonel of engineers, Don Juan Garland, and of
an unknown Irish official called Don Ambrosio O'Higgins, there were
selected the sites for building those constructions. Ambrosio O'Higgins
had to work hard to obtain a great position due to his talent and
activity. |
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In the last months of the year 1765 and the beginning of 1766,
O'Higgins, raised three sentry boxes of that class, that later
were increased with other four ones. These sentry boxes served
effectively to the travelers who ventured themselves to pass the
mountain range in the months of winter.
Don Juan Garland who, as it seems, had a true merit as a military
engineer, was one of the many Irish officials who, by those years,
took service in the armies of the king of Spain. |
In 1762, the governor Guill
y Gonzaga sent him to Valdivia, in order to raise the plane of the
seat and to study the innovations that were supposed to be settled
in its forts and defenses. He came back to Santiago to make this
work. After he carried out this commission in Santiago ( 1765),
he returned to Valdivia to direct the new defensive installations
and, as a consequence of the death of Don Felix de Verroeta, he
was named to carry out the position of governor of the seat during
five years, leaving there very good reminders. Having obtained permission
to return to Spain, Garland passed away during the trip in 1775.
About Don Ambrosio
O'Higgins, who began to serve under the orders of that one, we will
have to speak extensively about him more ahead. |
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In office he directed to fray
Julian de Arriaga, minister of Indians, on the 8th. March 1766,
Guill y Gonzaga gives him account of the previous information he
received from the engineers and practical men he could consult,
but without naming no one of these,probably not to mention the nationality
of Garland and O'Higgins.He explains the origin of this work: |
"The remarkable damage that was originated for closing
the mountain range during six months a year, lacking of warnings
to H.M through the channel of Buenos Aires, and the utility of
having news of some enemy attempt on time, in order to take the
advisable precautions and measures, made me firmly reflect to
smooth this disadvantage , with the intention to allow this channel
to be passable in winter. About this matter I had several conferences
with the engineers; and as one of them (this one was Don Juan
Garland) practiced this way at the most rigid weather of the year
on 1763, he was able to assure how reasonable was the project,
with the settlement of six shelters for refuge of the travelers,
at provided distances of the way.
These shelters were constructed on arcs, and in such disposition
that they were not absolutely covered with snow, indicating those
sites that were considered more able to load less portion of snow,
or to be prevented from winds. In May (of every year) they were
provided with food and firewood, and the keys of its doors were
kept in this city and the one of Mendoza, to lend them for post
office serving and passengers from each side of the mountain range,
assuring that both were practicable." |
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After giving account of the
information received from the experts and the commitments to carry
out this work, Guill y Gonzaga finishes his office with these words:
"Besides the foundations that I exposed to H.M.; and as the
channel of Havana is so far away from this southern America, as
so provided the one of Río de la Plata, once this disadvantage
is cleared, it seemed to me very suitable for the real service to
advance this subject as far as possible, in case it would be pleasant
to H.M."
In effect, having established the King in 1765 that every two months
there should leave from Spain a ship mail to Montevideo with the
correspondence for Buenos Aires, Chile and Peru, the traffic by
the mountain range received much greater importance. |
BIBLIOGRAPHY
HISTORIA GENERAL DE CHILE TOMO IV
DIEGO BARROS ARANA
EDITORIAL UNIVERSITARIA
CENTRO DE INVESTIGACIONES DIEGO BARROS ARANA |
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