"Knowledge can be given away and not wasted"
Henry Meiggs (1811-1877), originally from a small town in New York State, was drawn into mercantile business through the influence of his father.
In the mid-1850s, he arrived in Talcahuano, Chile. Interested in the state of the Chilean economy, he conducted a study on the subject and concluded that the country’s progress depended on the construction of an extensive railway network.
He continued his railway work in Peru, completing his greatest achievement in 1860: the Lima to La Oroya railroad. In the following decade, the American lent his services to the Bolivian government, this time focusing on the investigation of saltpeter deposits.
In 1875, the death of his son Manfred dealt a severe blow to his life, robbing Meiggs of his characteristic vitality.
On September 30, 1877, Henry Meiggs passed away in Peru, and his remains were honored in a grand ceremony.
Construction of Peru’s Great Railways
The government of José Balta received congressional authorization through the law of January 15, 1869, to contract the construction of the Arequipa-Puno-Cusco, Chimbote-Huaraz, Trujillo-Pacasmayo-Cajamarca, Lima-Jauja railways, and others the country might need.
Meiggs inaugurated colossal constructions in Peru, overcoming immense obstacles with direct state involvement. The railways he built in Peru were:
Mollendo to Arequipa
Five months ahead of schedule, the railway was inaugurated on January 1, 1871. To celebrate the event, lavish festivities were held between December 27, 1870, and January 10, 1871. President José Balta and his entourage traveled on a warship. For his guests, Meiggs chartered several ships and rented the largest vessel owned by the Pacific Steam Navigation Company, the Panama. It was an Arabian-night-like journey, featuring the finest food and drink Lima could provide (despite Meiggs being a teetotaler), with lights and music at night. The banquets and ceremonies were followed by eight days of revelry in Arequipa.
Lima to La Oroya
On December 18, 1869, Meiggs signed two contracts with the government for the construction of the Lima-La Oroya railway.
The railway was based on a study by a government-appointed commission on December 17, 1859. In November 1868, Meiggs proposed funding the studies for the Lima-Jauja railway project at his own expense within eight months, with the involvement of a state engineer.
On January 1, 1870, the laying of the cornerstone at the Monserrate station was celebrated with a banquet for 800 people.
The railway followed the route from Lima to Chosica, 54 km from Callao and 850 meters above sea level, where the line began to climb parallel to the Rímac River. The tracks continued to San Bartolomé at 1,500 meters above sea level, ascending further while diverging from the river and winding through the terrain. The Verrugas Bridge was built, the line doubled back, and reached Matucana in the heart of the Andes, 103 km from Callao and 2,370 meters above sea level. The line opened to the public, first to Cocachacra in February 1871, then to San Bartolomé in September 1871. Simultaneously, a new line from Callao to Lima was built, parallel to the one existing since 1851, starting from the new Dársena Pier.
In its construction, iron and coal came from England; machinery and equipment from England, France, and the United States; timber from the United States; and provisions from the United States and Chile. Ten thousand men worked on the project—half of them Chinese, the rest Peruvian and Chilean.
Arequipa to Puno
Construction began in January 1870. The 351-km line was completed in January 1874.
Juliaca to Cusco
This railway was an extension of the Arequipa-Puno line. It was contracted in mid-1872 during José Balta’s government.
Ilo to Moquegua
Contracted to the Devés Frères firm, it was opened to the public on March 28, 1873, with a length of 100 km.
Chimbote to Huaraz to Recuay
Contracted to Dionisio Derteano and Benito, construction began in February 1872 with Chinese laborers. When work was halted, only 130 km of the 265-km total had been laid, reaching Yuramarca. Traffic ran between Chimbote and Tablones. The Santa River destroyed several sections in 1878, reducing traffic to Suchiman, just 52 km from Chimbote.
Pacasmayo to San Pedro de Lloc to Guadalupe and Calasñique to Magdalena
These were sections of the Pacasmayo-Cajamarca railway, with studies conducted by Ernesto Malinowsky and begun in 1871. Various firms contracted the work and later transferred their rights to Meiggs for these two sections. It was opened to service in July 1874. The main branch ran from Pacasmayo to Calasñique via San Pedro de Lloc; one branch extended from Calasñique to Guadalupe, and another from the same point to Magdalena. Heavy rainfall caused flooding that destroyed much of the line in 1877.
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