The New York herald., 1879-02-10

earned S21 sS2 that from Merida the Port of Pro-
to September. ls77eighteen months--carried lo,ss7
passengers and earned total Of $4t06 The railroad
from Mexico to Toucasiuring twelve months carried
l9l passengers. AT tons Of freight and earned
an aggregate of $5l,5l6. Finally the horse car
roads of the Federal District of Mexico.
which corresponds with our District OF Columbia,
and embraces the capital and has total population
of 327,5l2 souls carried in twelve months ending
November l.71. IA passengers. and carried ios
this service $35S 1A1 To this amount must be added
the sum of $685. for freight &C.. making grand
total of 1886 432 1t will be by the foregoing
figures that the railroads do not much money in
proportion to the population of the country, and
that the movement OF freight. owing doubtless 10
high charges. Is very light All the light carrying Oh
the interior Is performed by horses, mules Asses
and oxen, and 1t is extremely doubtful whether
railroads through such difficult country would
pay for their construction and operation until
agricultural and mining operations were conducted
such grand scale as to supply abundant freight
for transportation t9 the coasts would here re-
mark that the relatively impoverished condition or
fully ninety per cent OF the population precudes the
possibility OF securing paying passenger traffic for
many years to come. Labor is so cheap, and the
love of home, '.be 1t humble" among the
people is strong that railroad travel is limited to
small percentage OF the wsa.ier Grass. mall NAIL
expenses OF operation. TO say notning OF thcir
original cost.
Among the projected railroads that lind most favor
in the public estimation those contemplated be-
tween San Luis Potosi in the Interior and the port
OF Tampico on the Gulf coast: the short line be-
tween Vera Cruz and the port OF Alyarado, also on
the coast and few miles southwark from Vera Cruz.
which are about to be commenced; the extension Of
the national railroad from the capital to the Pacific
coast, and the interoceanc railroad across the
Isthmus Of Tehuantepec or the first named 1t
may be said that its value would be very great
in developing the resources OF the most pro-
ductive region in Mexico, and bringing produce
to point the Gulf coast, where, although
the anchorage for large vessels is open and unpro
tectcd against the violent northers" that sometimes
prevail, the location is favorable for commerce.
and might be made Of safety for shipping il the
bar that closes tho mouth Of the river removed
by dredging. Tampico is also on the market side OF
Mexico, and its trade with the United States and
Europe would undoubtedly grow to great proper
tions. / understand that the arrangements for
building the road have already advanced as far as
landing rails and other material, but this
operation has been rendered slow and costly
because of the unsheltered anchorage and
the necessity for ships to run out to whenever
a strong ''nortber" springs up The Alyarado Rail-
road would practically transfer the shipment and
landing Of freight from the exposed roadstcad OF
Vera Cruz to the sheltered harb0r of Alvarado. OF
course the vested interests i'll the old city will be
injured by such transfer, but the commerce of the
country will be benefited largely. Already contracts
have been signed between the company and Major
Dunno. an American contractor who is now in Vera
Cruz with his engineers Whiting for the official
authorization to commence operations. The Gov
ernor OF Vera Cruz, General Mer Teran. is much in
favor of the road and uses his influence to pro-
mote it i'll every way.
The extension of the National Railroad from tho
capital to the Pacific coast Is q pet scheme OF the
Mexican government. Each succeeding Congress has
been importuned by specializing railroad men to
grant control of the route to each particular ap
pcant but as the construction of such road means
the expenditure of large amount of money, most of
which is expected to come out or the national treas
ury. the prospects Of its being commenced to say
nothing OF its completion. are the reverse of bright
1t strikes that such road could never pay except
by the carriage Of large amount OF through freight
from port to port; that Is TO say from the Guli to
excellent management and an exceptionally good
track the receipts OF the Mexican Railroad leave
profit for the original investors. All the principal
importatons come to the interior from Vera Cruz.
the most favorable point the Gulf coast except,
perhaps. that of Alvarado and all the explorations
toward the east and market. What trnfdc, then.
be expected for western extension to the Pacific,
where the imports and exports are, aud would con-
tinue to be, very limited i'll quantity? As inter-
oceanic road competing with American lines and
with the Panama Railroad this trans Mexican route
secure but little carrying trade unless the
ports at its terInini can be rendered safe
for vessels of every class, which thoy are
not ut present Vera Cruz offers facilities
whatever for the cheap and rapid cmbarkaton and
tebar of freight and besides. has not shell
tered roadstead The island of st. Juan de Uloa and
the dangerous looking reefs tat extend for miles to
the southwark of 1t poor protection against the
sea, while nothing breaks the force of the
northern that often rage with extraordinary fury
siderable length on the Mcxco-vera Cruz part of
such line that has grade OF four per cent and the
cost Of hauling freight over such road can be
readily estimated. Ii the road westward to the
Pacific il half difficult and 1t must inevitably
present extraordinary grades to reach the sea level
from an elevation of over seven thousand feet, the
question Of its competing with other interoceanic
lines il settled beyond dispute.
INTHRocEANIc AND INTERNATIONAL ROADS.
Tho Tehuantepec road is one that can be viewed in
o really favorable light, its grades not heavy
its length excessive. But who IN going to build
itG leave rhe financial men to answer thin. .ques-
ton after the Mexican Congress gets through with
the matter of the concession. :.
An international road from United States territory
and connected directly with our system of roads
presents many alluring features to the political
economist and capitaiits. The foundation OF any pos
sbility regarding it must rest on favorable solu.
~ sod trad wi
and tho ability of Mexicans or foreigners, both.
cooperating develop the vast mineral and sgricu
tural resources of the Republic. Over long
stretches of territory the road must be built
without remote prospect OF local traffic.
people who willing to transact very important
business dAdnd not likely to pay for travelling
thirty miles hour 10 get 1t transa:tcd within the
daylight hours OF to-day For many, perhaps tor
hundreds of miles, such road might we'll be laid
through tunnel for all the business il would do in
way traffic, and everybody knows that something
must pay the running expenses and maintenance OF
such sections Mexico can produce in the greatest
abundance wheat, corn coffee cotton, minerals aud
valuable woods. She may purchase in exchange fab
mcnts. and such other articles of mcrchan-
disc would, believe fnd ready sale under
certain conditions of the countrys development.
Az there il not her eastern coast to-day two places
where site for grain elevator or cotton press,
reachable by a vessel be found, every thing has
yet to be done to prepare s FOR commerce % on large
existed trade with the United States. Yet believe
that railroad from the United States that would
them with good Gulf port, natural artificial,
would create paying Interchange of products be-
tween the two countries. But viii the Mexican peo-
pie consent 10 such arrangement by which tho
United States absolutely control their
merciai destinies through their trade. and have
means of pouring large ariuy at q weeks notice
into the very heart of their country To control their
political actionsl For my part do not believe they
will.
MILITARY RAILROADS.
There Is not the slightest doubt that IL the Mcxi-
can government turned IFS large and idle army into
military construction corps ami built railroads from
the capital toward and into tlc regions that
hotbcds Of revolution the troops would proGtably
employed and the state would save money and in
sure public tranquility. In my conversation with
President Diaz suggested Ia him the value OF rail-
roads for sending troops rapidly to dis
furbed districts and crushing insurrcctions In the
bud. The President expressed his entire accordance
with the idea and discussed the Importance
of military roads in British India during the Afghan
campaign. As Mexican soldiers are mainly drafted
from the working classes they would make excellent
railroad laborers and besides building the roads in
disturbed regions. they would also bc IN actual milf
tary occupation of them well and ready to sup
press revolutionary attempts. When tranquility
completely restored to Mexico IL could be very easily
I..