The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-03-07
unl Not be Bui.t--Some Interesting
Facts About That Mexican Project.

F.
Indications That the Gould Degrees Road
VIM Not he BUTT Some Interesting
Facts About That Mexican Project.
There are tour leadingrailroads in Mexico
go. be- Mexican Central, the Mexican M
t'ouai, the Gould Degrees aud the Hunting
ton line The Mexican Central is a Boston
corporation. aud its lines run through the
heart Of ia, country. The main line
cuunects FL Paso with the City OF Mexico,
1850 miles passing through seven cities of
over $1,000 INHABITANTS 1t is being con-
siructed rapidly at both ends. From I'll Paso
south it is built 800 miles, and from the City
OF Mexico north $50 miles the remaining
200 to be built by June l, 1881, The Mexican
Central has also branch line from San
Luis PotOsl to rampico, on the Gulf of
Mexico auu second from Leon to San
Bias. The Mexican National runs from
Laredo, on the Mexican side OF the Rio
Grande, down through the populOus City
of Monterey to the capital, and has also u
brapch from Mexico to Man2anillo. The
company has built l25 miles out from Mex.
leo, and on the coast mas completed the
line trom Man2anillo to Colona. The
Gould. Degrees road startled from Browns
vile, Texas, and was to run TO Mexico
almost parallel with the National, passing
Tuxpau and Vera Cruz; from Mexico it was
10 20 TO Mazatlan, with another branch to
rChuantepeC IL seems probable now,
however, that the road will never be COM
peted Tor MIR. f. W. Matthias, of this city,
an old acquaintance of Mr.. Fraucis Degrees,
who died not long since, received q letter
from his brother, Colonel w. J. Degrees,
into whose hands the business reverted. He
writes
In regard to our connection with the
railroad Gould and Degrees SYSTEM am
afraid that Gould will not finish his road
and the Mexican government be compelled
to cancel tie grant
The grant was obtained from the MeXi-
can congress through the Efforts OF Major
Degrees who had great influence IN Mex
leo, - said Mr. Matthias. Degrees, as you
know, perhaps, lived number of years in
81. Louis. II came back here from Perm
and entered the amy during the late war,
reaching the rank otmaior. From here he
went to the City of Mexico and opened the
"Ameria Americana When Poriirio Diaz
became president his Influence had become
eXtt nsiye and he secured the grants which
are now about TO be allowed to lapse"
Diaz, who succeeded Juare2, is now in New
Orleans by the way, and will probably be
in st. Louis soon. In reference to him
Colonel Degrees Whites me:
"BlsiCess is not as prosperous as 1t
should be at this season Of the year, and
the cause may lie in the uncertainty of
signing the treaty (commercla'l with the
United States, aud also in the near APP
prOach of the election for president as
there is now great talk Of Dia2 running
once again, for according to the constitn
ton a president can only hold one term
continuously and is not eligible for re-elec-
ton until four years have elapsed"
"Nlgior Degrees had amassed large for
tune, had he not?" asked the reporter,
But for his death he would have been IL
very wealthy man. Besides the railroad
enterprise with Gould, he had contract
with the Mexican government to coin g.
100000 ncllels. Mexico has no mint,
and all of its coinage is done by con,
tract He was also, understand
the Mexican agen, of the Bell Telephone
company. met Major egress when was
in Mexico in 1879 when he went with me
to the minister of the interior iii the inter
est of the exposition which proved the
opening wedge for our railroad and COM
mercial relations with that country. The
Mexican government then was opposed to
the railroad system, and the death Of Ma or
Degrees was very severe blow not only to
the railroad interest, but to the prospects Of
trade between the United States and Mex
leo. He had more influence with the gov
eminent probably than any other man IN
the republic not native born. The compile
ton OF this system would have been greatly
beneficial TO st. Louis trade, and regret to
hear this news from Major Degrees BROTH
er."-[St. Louis Republican.