The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-06-16
The Invasion of Mexico.

The Baltimore .Ama'icdn gives in condensed
form the various railroad projects that are now
engaging the attention of Mexico and in which
American enterprise and capital are interested:
The Mexican Congress has confirmed rail-
road grants to American projectors OF very
great Importance since eX-President Grant was
sent to that favored country as the agent OF the
syndicate for the rival lines, and for the Tehu-
antepec ship railroad also. The charter for
this road captain Eads' substitute for an in
teroceanic canal has been granted. The grant
to the Mexican Central road Favored by Jay
Gould and his associates, and not obnoxious to
the Southern Pacific -alliance) is already con-
firmed and legalized. That to the Mexican
National Railway, known as the Palmer Sui
livan concession, was executed in September,
1880, and consists of line from the City of
Mexico to the Pacific Ocean at Manzanillo,
passing through Toluca, Maravatio, Acambaro,
MOrelia, Zamora and La Piedad; line from
Mexico TO the northern frontier, passing through
San Luis Potos, Saltillo and Monterey, and
teaching the Rio Grande at Laredo, or be-
ween that and Eagle Pass; q line from Malta
moras to Monterey via Mier, and one from
Zacatecas to San Luis Potos and to Lagos-a
total system of over 1000 miles. 1t connects
at Laredo with the road from Houston, lex,
to that point. The eastward route from Hous-
ton would be via New Orleans, Mobile, Mont
gomery and Atlanta, Spartanburg and Danville,
Orange, Washington and Baltimore-ana air
line almost exactly identical with the bed OF
the Virginia Midland and its proposed extern
slons. At Zacatecas the Mexican National
will meet the Mexican Central, which
General Grant is now engineering, and which
proceeds due north from Durango to Ell Paso
and thence into the Mesila country of Arizona
At Laredo the Mexican National Road will
meet the Texas Pacific, obtaining through
connections with Jay Gould's Trans-Missis
sippi and Wabash systems. In addition TO the
above President Gonzalez has just been EN-
powered by the Mexican Congress TO sign 6
contract with General Grant for the construc
ton of the Mexican Southern Railway, an i'm
pOrtant adjunct to the new Mexican system
OF this company, Senior Romero is the residen
representative, and it is expected that PorfiriC
Diaz will be made governor of the state o
Oaxaca mainly in order that this road may b.
pushed forward to completion. This import
ant contract calls for a line from the City o
, Mexico, to descend, via Puebla, OaXaca ant
Tehuantepec, to the frontier of Guatemala
with branches to, Vera Cruz, to Guatulco, thu
port of Oaxaca, on the Pacific, and to Tuxtla
Chiapas, San Cristobal and Comitan, in thu
state Of Chiapas, the southern border state o
Mexico, next on the west to 9ucatan. The
contract requires the construction of this roat
to begin forthwith and its completion within
ten years. 1t receives ne subsidy, but is givel
free right of way, exemption from all taxation
for twenty-five. years, the right Of free impor
tation and many other privileges. 1t vii
practically be monopoly line through tn
richestspartfof Mexico. Excepting this Mexi
can Southern Road, these new Mexican rail
:, roads have land grants from Mexico as thei
with the promise of subsidy and money
l>,xs4 IL,