Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-09-22
A CENTRAL AMERICAN RAIL.
ROAD.
Honduras ThIrty-Five hiles OF
Ttack-PrimiIive I'm Equip
ment and Management.
Cincinnati ENQUIRER.

The road was built iu 1869, and is
a portion Of what was a proposed
"Inter-oeeanic railroad" the fruit Of
English brains and capital. 1t started
from the Caribbean coast at Puerto
Cortez, and for all practical purposes
never extended beyond San Pedro sula
distance Of thirty five miles; but
with this strip the English contractors
were enabled to leather their nests to
the tune Of $29 100000. 1t was then
abandoned. Since its completion
nothing in the shape Of new material
mas been imported for its repair, and
a. machine shop is totally unknown
to Honduras, one can form faint idea
of the condition of affairs. Two en-
gines, three box, four fiat and one
passenger car make up the rolling
stock. The engines are the ones used
in the construction OF the road, and
are of the old Stephenson pattern,
running without tenders. Through
trains have been running along for l3
years. The laying Of new rail or
the filling in OF the roadbed are things
undreamed Of. The track, or what
there may be left Of it, is wholly OBJ
soured by dense and high growth OF
vegetation, except, Of course, where
the bridges occur, and it would be bet.
ter for the passengers peace Of mind
il there, too, the track was hid from
their eyes. OF the thirty,fve miles
of road, three miles Of bridges exist,
and these few miles increase mans
chances Of being hurled to a horrible
death about 80 per cent. 1t is evident,
however, thatif there be any desire on
the Epart oil the bridges to create
havoc it is visited alone upon the en-
eines, and there would seem to be
conspiracy among them to annihilate
these grim structures simply because
that for seven years they have broken
down at such times as to precipitate
only the Kissing monsters into the
rushing waters. Several times have
these doWnfalls occurred; but, strange
as it may seem, they we're attended
with no direful results. The engineer,
| fireman aud sandmen, all natives, went
down likewise, and remained hidden in
the debris until rescued by their com.
rades, but only in one instance was
there a death.
That these seemingly horrible acci-
dents we're buttrihing mishaps appears
in the fact that the engines are still 10
use, and though they have been crush.
ed, jammed aud mashed by being fred
into the rivers, they have been fshed
out, patched and fred again. 1t was
necessary to only pour a quantity Of
water in some part Of the engine,
start to blaze in another part, and the
desired effect would soon be forthcon-
ing
Other, but commoner, indeed most
frequent delays, are incurred when
the engineer stands in need Of fuel or
water. The former is supplied by
numerous mozos, armed each with
machete, who accompany the train,.
aud who disappear into the bush at
required time and return with newly
cut wood, as much care being taken by
them to be lightly laden as to avoid
haste. Water is supplied at almost
every creek or river, an hour or more
being devoted to each replenishment,
the mozos carrying it TO the engine in
buckets. These and other causes
have tleir effects in causing frequent
delays, during which the passengers,
| il any, are given "long drawn out"
opportunities to display their swear
ing, pugilistic aud chronological
qualifications, the last being at the
expense of multitudinous mosquitoes,
some OF which, il not as large as a
lcoch, are as bad on the stick.