The Baltimore County union., 1882-04-22
corresJ'oHdeaes Baiii@ors County CHioH.
MEXICO RAILROADS.
lCsniinn.d from April La

tCoaiiHnsd from april Ist.)
Msssrs. Editors Let us nov consider the cues.
iion of cost. for that IL all important In building
roads. The estimate Of the cost is S20, 900 mile,
that IL the subsidy we're not paid, and this
estimate we're considerably extended, the expendi-
tare would not be large-hardly 90 much the
cost of legal and parliamentary expenses and of
purchase OF land for some Of our English lines has
been. The Americans understand building rail-
roads more cheaply than the English. and In an
undeveloped country this 10 a fundamental con-
sidera;lon. The Mexican railroad. built BY Eng
lish capital. 10 magnificent work, bot t traverses
a most difficult country, from sea level up over the
range to the height Of nearly ten thousand feet,
noticed heretofore and Is most soidy construct
ed. IL certainly cost full eve times per mile what
IL is estimated the National railway will cost Yet
this established line of 29S miles in length, not
built through populous part Of Mexico, not
trayersing the mining region at all. had gross
earnings from January to June, lssl, Of Ejo0,OO0
sterling. Not bad earnest, this. for lines built
through more popEl0us country and able 20 pro-
mote traffic by the lower rates which smaller cost
enables them TO charge. The working expenses,
also. Of railroads the plateau will be much less.
and those of narrow gauge in particular.
Col. John Foster, late American minister in
Mexico. writes; Mexico in her coffee alone pos
far greater source Of wealth and prosperi-
" than the products of silver. MoFelia Marava-
ito and Toluea 90 Mexico City, u will constitute,
with the raiisay from Mexico % Vera Cruz, . new
and short through route IRON the Pacific 10 the
Atlantic. IL il difficult to foresee the effect
maritime commerce of additional facilities Of this
class. The old spanish eonvoys which regularly
brought. long before inier-Oeeanie railways we're
dreamt Of, the wealth aud products u the Philip
pines aud the East 10 Europe by the way Of
Acapulco aud Vera Cruz. The only drawback 90
this route is the want Of good harbor aecommoda-
tion either coast Vera Cruz serves = harbor
only because there IL nothing else. and Manxaniio
l. not much superior 10 Vera Cruz. still, the
making bad harbors good 10. after ALL only ques-
tion Of expenditure upon them. Then, although
this route j. No; dangerous TO health that Of
Panama, there Is risk Of the 'VomitO" az certain
seasons of the year at Vera CruE-a risk which
stops . good many people and much pleasure
travel and the existence Of whieh should assist the
travel BY rail from and to the United States when
the line from Laredo TO Mexico is once opened.
shall never forget the spectacle read about
while In Texas and Mexico about the road between
Mexico aud Tolnea. Throughout the whole dis-
tanee, some forty miles. there vas one constant
stream Of men and mules rying burdens, and .
terrible toll u must have been over those lofty
Cruces mountains. The valley Of TOluca Is cuiti-
waited as . garden. I was told that during the
freighting season GOO doEkeys and mules leave
ManranilIo every day. laden with goods and mer-
ehandise. for the interior. And wonder when
we read that "on the way from the city Of Mexico
10 ManIanillo alone there towns and villages
containing an aggregate PoPsiation Of nearly L.
o0e. .uoo people"
There 10 another powerful American company
engaged in eonstrscting line Of railway north
ward from Mexico city 10 Fl Paso, over part Of
which I passed. That. too. Is an interesting work
aud I see reason Why its spirited promoters
should not meet With the success their enterprise
deserves. There will be much travel between such
extensive mineral regions ~ those of the Mexiean
plateau and Arizona and Colorado. But the
tropical products Of Msxieo-ths things she pro-
duees and America does not. but vants-and the