New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-16
A GREATMEXICAN RAILROAD

THE CENTRAL LINE AND TFS BRANCHES
nrr,1s OF THE GovERNMENT GRANT ONph"
WHICH 1T Is BEING NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS." VI i-
ROUTE-GTNrRAL MANAGEMENT OF HE LIZ.
frRoM Al OCC AsIoNAL CORRESPONDENT OF l"' -
1,C,rrr,s Aug o6-The Mexican central man
read winch is completed from the Natiohal cap
ital to Leon. will probably be tne HlS' u p'" ','
The United States in direct communicate VIII"
49, o., 90 Nc,,co II is being constructed in CO.
oneration with the Atchison, Topeka ana same &c
PoiIr,,d and will with its branches extend over
oono niles The chief Office of the company Is In
Ioston and the working capital, amounting 10
,bout S23 OOO. 600. has been supplied largely rom
New-E England and New-York. The grant lot 'nIS
line might be said t. date from December le'f'
when under the Lerdo Administration SepaS'.'"
Camacho aud Mendizabel n Co. received authority
TO build railroad from Mexico TO Leon As inc
grantees did not make use OF tins charter IL WAS
aunued in 1876 by President DlaH, W 10 lour years
later transferred it in modified form 10 hopcI' !"
Svmon of New York. and hls associates III 'u"o'
$50 President Diaz received authority from Con-
cress to enter into contracts for the buiiulns oi
trunk or international railroads, and IN December
following he made a general contract with
Sebastian Camacho and Ramon e. Guzman III
which all the former rights were embodied
and new conditions were inserted. This grant
WAS then transferred to the Mexican Central
Railroad Company which had been organized
under the auspices of the Atchson. topeka
and Santa Fe Company, which desired TO contfoi
q through line from the City Of Mexico IN order h'
the traffic thereof might be cohhoGtel VII - S
its own transcontinental system. Robert a. Syinon
and Sebastian Camacho had both achieved Wealth
rs mint contractors while Ramon IT, uu@,""n
already controlled the pInclpdt StIctV IdI4I""'o VI
the National capital.
The conditions on which this line is being con
struCted are interesting Inasmuch they form
81 ral husfS nt IL
other subsidized railroads. The terms OF lhc CON
tract may be classified into privileges, Obligations
aud freight and passenger rates
THE GRANT AND SUBSIDY.
The company receives authority to construct
railroad from the CITY of Mexico to Leon, connect
ing with the cities OF QuerotarO, Celaya, Sala-
manca IrapuatO Guanauato and Silao. From
Leon the railroad is to extend TO Aguas Caentes,
Zacatecas Chihuahua aud the American frontier
at I'll Paso A branch railroad is to be built to the
Pacific coast be- way of Guadalaara while another
branch road is to connect the main line with the
Calf seaboard at Tampico. by way OF san LUIS
Potosi The main line It may be seen trends III a
northwesterly direction from Mexico TO Queret'ro
whence it bends westward in order to touch at
some large cities and towns OF the central region
proceeding thence toward the northwest in order to
pass through Durango and Chihuahua on its way
to the American frontier.
The grant is for nincty-nne years after'which the
luadbed and buildings connected Herewith become
National property. If the Government determines
TO sell or rent the road the company is to have the
preference in either case. he railroad i To DE OF
the standard guase .foIr feet eight and half
inches thrOu Ehout and should the concession lapse
the company VIII be entitled TO retain The road
they have built and TO receive the subsidy due
The Government agrees to give the company
subsidy OF SD 30 per unle. Ihis is 10 he pald
III customs certificates, which are to be received To
the extent OF six per cent IN payment OF import
duties at the ports OF Vera Cruz, lHlnplcO. Quay
inns NauIaulilO and MaZatlau. Importers are
bound under penalty TO pay certain percentage of
tie import duties IN these certificates. while the
company is required To Keep them on sale al the
several ports and to sell them al thoT nominal
The company i granted the right of way,
sevcutN-seveu yards wide. through public Ian Is,
and Is authorized 10 take thereirom everything
necessary for the construction, working. and repair
OF the railroad Other lands and material needed
Tor the construction Ol the line may be acquired al
their appraised value. determined by arbtr;G on.
The COMPANY is entitled 10 mineral deposits 10
may Gul OF the route but these mast be worked |
subject to the National mining laws. Everything |
necessary for the construction, work ing, ana repair
OF the railroad and telegraph line Is To he exempt
from customs duties or other taxation Tor hlIeen |
Years Tie railroad Itself and the capital invested
therein to Doe free from taxation for htty years
The stan and work people are 20 be free from mil
itary service except IN thc case OF foreign war hut
the company Is required 10 prevent smuggling as |
much as possible, and may organize Tor itS own |
protection guards, who shall have the same prlT- !
ileses as NdIOna, revenue officers. Durug the !
construction OF the read, and for five years there
after vessels laden exclusively with supplies for
the company are 10 bee free from tonnage, and |
lighthouse and port dues ANY time that may Doe
lost through Unforeseen causes, such as civil war,
IS 10 oe allowed the company.
OBLIGATIONS OF TIE COMPANY.
In return for the foregoing privileges certain
obligations are imposed on the con pany. It must
submit its maps and plans to the Government for
approval; it. must nave central Office in the City
IF Mexico, and five of its directors are to reside
there two Of whom are to be named by the Presl-
dent OF Mexico and three by the company winch is
also bound to have representative at the capital
who shall have authority to deal with the Govern
ment. The capital Of the company must not be in
creased without the consent of the Executive and
the company must Heuher transfer rs charter or
shares @ any other Government OF foreign state,
nor admit them in any case rs associates The
company Is also 10 he entirely Mexican in the eyes
OF the law. The desire to quad against foIeisn
complications. such those OF the French Inter
venton OF N62' is manifested il the terms Of the
contract as follows:
sand company, a. Mexican, and an persons that may
have part i'm II, whether shareholders or otherwise,
shall be- con- dered as Mexca- in an that relate, to thu
,ntrlIrisr within tie territory OF te Repu ic Tlry
shaA not acgc foreign rights with respect 10 their
those which tle OF the Republic comedies TO Mcx-
cans; shall they employ other proceedings tia
those established by Mexican tribunals.
The company is required to make annual reports
OF lis business to the Government, and il is TO be
respon, bic for debts whether the work is executed
by contract or otherwise. The Government re-
serves the right 10 place two telegraph wires on
the company POSTS
PASSENGER AND FREIGHT RATES. >
The rates for passengers and freight are not to
exceed certain limits The rate for frst-cass pas
sengers is limited to Is cents per mile; second
class 10 -, and third to % Freight is 10 be
divided into three classes The first Is to be cai ged
at most 30 cents per ton per mile the second,
%; and the third, T. The Government is to fix
the classification Of freight but from the opening
Of the line TO QuerctarO cereals casting, and rail
Iu-l maleI-al ccncra--E 1T. 70 DE doomed tnlrl.