Tomás Burgos

Tomás Burgos Sotomayor ( born September 18, 1875 in Osorno, Chile, † August 19 1945 in Valdivia ) was a Chilean philanthropist who founded the city of Villa Lo Burgos, today Purranque, the progress in a hitherto predominantly rural region brought. He is regarded as a pioneer of the principle of reciprocity in the south of Chile.

Life

Tomás comes from a family of Spanish origin, which has repopulated the city of Osorno in the 18th century. He was the only male descendant of Bartolo Burgos and Vicenta Sotomayor. His unmarried sister Elena ran the household.

Tomás was a student of the Franciscan College and the German school of Osorno. As Tomás was 18 years old, his parents about him responsibility for the family estates of TACAMO and Conico. At the same time he completed a law internship with the later goal, to study law. For family reasons, but he was unable to realize this dream. Finally he married Sofia Rosa Durán, daughter of landowner Félix Rosas Manrique de Lara and Eustaquia Durán Barrientos, the later part of the Fundo Dollinco inherited in the south of the province of Osorno.

Work

Already in his youth he fell on through his gregarious and altruistic beings. He founded many groups, who hoped for a social progress in his home town of Osorno. In 1891 he called together with other citizens the Sociedad Unión de Artesanos from Osorno to life. The Sociedad Unión de Artesanos coordinated the mutual help of craftsmen. At a time when there was a strong need for organizations, this was of great importance. Over many periods of office, he was president of this association. In 1902 he founded the Music Musical Club 21 de Mayo, who moved years later he founded the city. Today the club under the name Los Tomasitos persists.

Founding a city

Due to the lack of transport and communication paths of these southern part of Chile was cut off for a long time from the urban centers. In 1910 began the construction of the few existing railway line. Tomás, who foresaw the rapid growth of the entire region, founded on April 18, 1911 Villa Lo Burgos on the jointly acquired by him and his wife reason. Despite many difficulties, he was soon the first families to settle and perceive the common good of the people. He also supported the establishment of schools, public buildings and churches.

Over the years the city changed its name to Purranquíl, which means such as reeds in the language of Huillichen, the original inhabitants of this land so much. Since later the last two letters have been omitted, is called the city to this day Purranque. Tomás Burgos Sotomayor was a philanthropist average prosperity, came up completely in his work. He died at the age of seventy years in Valdivia.