during the 1870s, the american george earl church 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 railroad 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. the chief accountant from oct 1911 - sept 1913 was mark e. smith.