Ciriaco_Álvarez
Ciriaco Álvarez was a businessman from Chonchi, Chiloé who rose to prominence in the exploitation of Pilgerodendron uviferum (Spanish: ciprés de las Guaitecas) in the southern Chilean archipelagoes.[1] His dominance of the industry led him being dubbed "The King of Pilgerodendron" (Spanish: El Rey del Ciprés).[1] The chief export products of Álvarez were poles and vine training stacks that went to northern Chile and Peru.[2][3][4] To make vine stacks smaller Pilgerodendron than usual were harvested.[4] In 1880 Álvarez established a small shop at río Álvarez in the Patagonian mainland, between present-day Puerto Chacabuco and Puerto Aysén.[4] Álvarez remained active in the industry until the 1920s.[3]
Álvarez industry had great effects on the incipient economic development that came to link the archipelagoes of Chiloé, Guaitecas and Chonos.[4]