Madeira-Mamoré Railroad
Encyclopedia
The Madira-Mamoré Railroad is a railroad built in the Brazil
ian state of Rondonia
between 1907 and 1912. The railroad links the Brazilian cities of Porto Velho
and Guajará-Mirim. It became known as the "Devil's Rail-road" because thousands of construction workers died from tropical diseases and violence. There is a legend that a cadaver is buried underneath each sleeper
.
authorities that the best way to secure access to the Atlantic ocean
was through the Amazon. At the time, Bolivia had access to the Pacific ocean
(subsequently lost to Chile
in the war of the pacific
in 1884), but the lucrative trade routes with the United States and Europe were located in the Atlantic. In 1851, the government of the United States became interested in access to Bolivian products (notably rubber), and contracted Lieutenant Lardner Gibbon to study the viability of a rail link between the navigable Amazon river
and Bolivian production centres. Gibbon's study concluded that a rail-road along the Madeira river
rapids would allow efficient transport of goods from the Bolivian capital of La Paz
to US markets.
made two attempts to overcome the Madeira river rapids in order to gain access to Bolivian rubber markets. Both efforts were defeated by the difficult terrain and by appalling loss of life to malaria, accidents, and violence. A successful bid to build the rail-road began with the Treaty of Petrópolis
(1903) whereby Bolivia gave Brazil the territory of Acre
(191,000 km²), in exchange for Brazilian territory, a monetary payment, and a pledge that Brazil would build a rail-link to bypass the rapids on the Madeira river. Construction began in 1907, and on April 30, 1912 the final leg of the Madeira-Mamoré Railway was inaugurated.
claimed 30,609 lives (5609 workers died during the 10 year US management, the remainder perished while under the jurisdiction of France). However, much of the "devil's rail-road" legend is based on the much deadlier failed attempts by George Church, and on the Brazilian rubber boom
itself, which cost tens of thousands of lives.
linking Bolivia to navigable regions of the Amazon and the rail-road was abandoned. The (IIRSA) South American integration project includes a series of hydroelectric dams that will transform the Madeira river rapids into navigable lakes, finally realizing Gibbon's vision of fast and efficient access to Bolivian markets (two of the four dams already exist, the Santo Antônio Dam
and the Jirau Dam
). If the project is completed, "more than 4,000 km of waterways upstream from the dams in Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru would become navigable."
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian state of Rondonia
Rondônia
Rondônia is a state in Brazil, located in the north-western part of the country. To the west is a short border with the state of Acre, to the north is the state of Amazonas, in the east is Mato Grosso, and in the south is Bolivia. Its capital is Porto Velho. The state was named after Candido Rondon...
between 1907 and 1912. The railroad links the Brazilian cities of Porto Velho
Porto Velho
Porto Velho is the capital of the Brazilian state of Rondônia, in the upper Amazon River basin. The population is estimated to be 426,558 people...
and Guajará-Mirim. It became known as the "Devil's Rail-road" because thousands of construction workers died from tropical diseases and violence. There is a legend that a cadaver is buried underneath each sleeper
Railroad tie
A railroad tie/railway tie , or railway sleeper is a rectangular item used to support the rails in railroad tracks...
.
History
In 1846 the engineer José Augustin Palácios convinced BolivianBolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
authorities that the best way to secure access to the Atlantic ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
was through the Amazon. At the time, Bolivia had access to the Pacific ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
(subsequently lost to Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
in the war of the pacific
War of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific took place in western South America from 1879 through 1883. Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru. Despite cooperation among the three nations in the war against Spain, disputes soon arose over the mineral-rich Peruvian provinces of Tarapaca, Tacna, and Arica, and the...
in 1884), but the lucrative trade routes with the United States and Europe were located in the Atlantic. In 1851, the government of the United States became interested in access to Bolivian products (notably rubber), and contracted Lieutenant Lardner Gibbon to study the viability of a rail link between the navigable Amazon river
Amazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
and Bolivian production centres. Gibbon's study concluded that a rail-road along the Madeira river
Madeira River
The Madeira River is a major waterway in South America, approximately 3,250 km miles long The Madeira is the biggest tributary of the Amazon...
rapids would allow efficient transport of goods from the Bolivian capital of La Paz
La Paz
Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the administrative capital of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of the La Paz Department, and the second largest city in the country after Santa Cruz de la Sierra...
to US markets.
Construction
During the 1870s, the American George Earl ChurchGeorge Earl Church
Colonel George Earl Church , was an American civil engineer and geographer, famous as an explorer of South America.-Early life:...
made two attempts to overcome the Madeira river rapids in order to gain access to Bolivian rubber markets. Both efforts were defeated by the difficult terrain and by appalling loss of life to malaria, accidents, and violence. A successful bid to build the rail-road began with the Treaty of Petrópolis
Treaty of Petrópolis
The Treaty of Petrópolis, signed on November 11, 1903, ended tensions between Bolivia and Brazil over the then-Bolivian territory of Acre , a desirable territory during the contemporary rubber boom....
(1903) whereby Bolivia gave Brazil the territory of Acre
Acre (state)
Acre is one of the 27 states of Brazil. It is situated in the southwest of the Northern Region, bordering Amazonas to the north, Rondônia to the east, Bolivia to the southeast and the Ucayali Region of Peru to the south and west. It occupies an area of 152,581.4 km2, being slightly smaller...
(191,000 km²), in exchange for Brazilian territory, a monetary payment, and a pledge that Brazil would build a rail-link to bypass the rapids on the Madeira river. Construction began in 1907, and on April 30, 1912 the final leg of the Madeira-Mamoré Railway was inaugurated.
The "Devil's Rail-road"
There are no accurate figures for the number of lives lost during the construction of the rail-road. In his book "Brazil", novelist Errol Lincoln Uys puts the number between 7000 and 10,000. The Brazilian government estimates 6,000 workers lost their lives. Fiorelo Picoli in his book, O Capital e a Devastação da Amazônica, puts the figure at more than 30,000.. The loss of life may seem low compared to other complex constructions projects in difficult terrain. By comparison, construction of the panama canalPanama Canal
The Panama Canal is a ship canal in Panama that joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and is a key conduit for international maritime trade. Built from 1904 to 1914, the canal has seen annual traffic rise from about 1,000 ships early on to 14,702 vessels measuring a total of 309.6...
claimed 30,609 lives (5609 workers died during the 10 year US management, the remainder perished while under the jurisdiction of France). However, much of the "devil's rail-road" legend is based on the much deadlier failed attempts by George Church, and on the Brazilian rubber boom
Rubber boom
The rubber boom was an important part of the economic and social history of Brazil and Amazonian regions of neighboring countries, being related with the extraction and commercialization of rubber...
itself, which cost tens of thousands of lives.
Competition from Roads and Dams
The South American rubber boom ended because of competition from Asian producers and synthetic rubber, and the rail-road became redundant. Initially, the Brazilian government was forced to maintain the superfluous facilities because of its obligations under the Treaty of Petrópolis. However, in 1972 Brazil completed the Trans-Amazonian highwayTrans-Amazonian highway
The Trans-Amazonian Highway , was inaugurated on August 30, 1972. It is 5,300 km long, making it the third longest highway in Brazil...
linking Bolivia to navigable regions of the Amazon and the rail-road was abandoned. The (IIRSA) South American integration project includes a series of hydroelectric dams that will transform the Madeira river rapids into navigable lakes, finally realizing Gibbon's vision of fast and efficient access to Bolivian markets (two of the four dams already exist, the Santo Antônio Dam
Santo Antônio Dam
The Santo Antônio Dam is an under construction hydroelectric dam on the Madeira River southwest of Porto Velho in the state of Rondônia, Brazil....
and the Jirau Dam
Jirau Dam
The Jirau Dam is a hydroelectric dam currently under construction on the Madeira River in the state of Rondônia, Brazil.The dam is part of a planned four power plant Madeira river hydroelectric complex, which will consist of two dams in Brazil , a third on the border of Brazil and Bolivia,...
). If the project is completed, "more than 4,000 km of waterways upstream from the dams in Brazil, Bolivia, and Peru would become navigable."