José de Melo Carvalho Muniz Freire
Encyclopedia
José Melo de Carvalho Muniz Freire (born in Vitória, July 13, 1861 - April 3, 1918) was a Brazilian politician. He was the 10th president (governor) of the state of Espirito Santo, from 1892 to 1896, and again from 1900 to 1904.
He developed the railroads of the state, building the line from Vila Velha
to Viana
(which was later expanded to Cachoeiro do Itapemirin, from where it joined to the railroad to Rio de Janeiro
), and greatly incentivated the European immigration to that State
. Espirito Santo got 15.586 immigrants from Germany, Italy and Balkans in the time of his term as governor. He was also a Senator of the state of Espirito Santo in the Brazilian Senate (from 1904 to 1905 and from 1905 to 1914), and was the first Brazilian politician to defend the adoption of the secret vote (in Brazil, by that time, the vote was open; voter had to declare his vote for the electoral agent to take note of it). The secret vote was only to be adopted in Brazil after 1930.
He developed the railroads of the state, building the line from Vila Velha
Vila Velha
Vila Velha is a coastal town in Espírito Santo, Brazil. It lies across from Vitória, the state capital. Its population was 396,323 and its area is 208.82 km².Vila Velha forms part of the Greater Vitória metropolitan area...
to Viana
Viana, Espírito Santo
Viana is a town and municipality in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. It is located 18km southwest of Vitória on the road to Minas Gerais. Its population was 59,458 and its area is 312 km². Though it is part of the Greater Vitória metropolitan area, it still maintains a much more laid-back...
(which was later expanded to Cachoeiro do Itapemirin, from where it joined to the railroad to Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
), and greatly incentivated the European immigration to that State
Immigration to Brazil
Immigration to Brazil is the movement to Brazil of foreign persons to reside permanently. It should not be confused with the colonisation of the country by the Portuguese, or with the forcible bringing of people from Africa as slaves....
. Espirito Santo got 15.586 immigrants from Germany, Italy and Balkans in the time of his term as governor. He was also a Senator of the state of Espirito Santo in the Brazilian Senate (from 1904 to 1905 and from 1905 to 1914), and was the first Brazilian politician to defend the adoption of the secret vote (in Brazil, by that time, the vote was open; voter had to declare his vote for the electoral agent to take note of it). The secret vote was only to be adopted in Brazil after 1930.