St. Landry democrat., 1884-08-30
Railroads in Nicaragua.

The future railroad system of Nicar-
aqua, to be called the National Rail
road, will extend from Corinto Harbor
TO Pueblo Neuvo Ola Paz), thence
branch line to Momotombo, to Mama
qua, the capital, and Granada, making
a total distance of 125 miles, and form
ing complete right angle through the
most fertile part of the country. That
section is finished which connects Co.
rinto, on the Pacific, with Momotombo,
on Lake Managua (Which latter IS a
beautiful sheet of water, about 560
square miles in size), runs through the
garden spot of Nicaragua, over the mag
niicent plain of Leon, passing through
Amayat--railroad repair shop-Chinan-
dega, with $4,000 inhabitants, Chich.-
galpa, Posottiga, Cuesalguaque, Leon
al, 900 inhabitants), and La Paz. On
reaching Momotombo passengers and
goods are forwarded to Managua by
steamers, which make connections
every day both ways. The railroad
line is fifty-eight miles long, and was
completed JANUARY l, 1884. The hrst
section of it, however, to Leon. has been
in operation for two years. The road
is an average good one, well equipped
and we'll maintained; best Bessemer
steel, forty pounds per yard weight
laid to three feet six inches gauge, on
| mahogany, lignumvite, coajoche, qua.
chipllfn, laurel negro, roble. cortez ne.
! gro-sleepers (cross-ties). Sand ballast
has been used throughout.
| The traffic consists of freight mostly.
| which is dyewood, coffee, rubber and
hides AS much as 400 tons of dyewood
per day are alone transported to Corln-
to for Shipment to foreign ports. The
contract to build the road was let to Il.
i. d. Norris, Virginia gentleman, toE
| $15, 900 per mile, without equipment.
The first four miles from. Corinto were
built by the Government, and cost $685.
600 per mile. The original location was
determined by Charles Randolph; Addi-
son Marbury was engineer for the con-
tractor. and Don Max Sonnenstien in
! spector of public works on the part OF
the Government The net proceeds OF
1883 were four and a half per cent. OF
the invested capital. Cost of building
and equipment, operating and mainte7
nance expenses, ffty-siX per cent OF
gross earnings Net earnings in May,
S8. 800. The line that will connect
| Managua with Granada is under con-
struction. The grading is completed.
Its length is 80 miles, 10 miles of which
are already laid. 1t is expected to COM
plete twenty miles of this line in five
| months, and when so completed to open
| it to the public Immediately.
The railroad which is to connect both
| the above-named lines, between Mana
| qua and La Paz, has been partly To-
catd by T. E. Hocke, chief of location,
with the assistance of j. Wust, ass slant
Government engineer. The location is
| talready selected and will be complete
and ready for bidders probably by De
! cember.
The Nicaraguan Government also in
tends to re-establish the splendid tran
| sit route of 1858, which is so vastly fa-
| vored by many natural condolences.
This route will pass from San Juan del
Sur, on the Pacific, by rail for eighteen
| miles to San Jorge Bay, in Lake Mica
Iragua; thence navigable for vessels oil
eigh feet draught over the lake to the
mouth of the San Juan River, San Car.
| los Castillo; down Rio San Juan, over
| Mico, BaIas and Castillo Rapids, which
will be connected ~ constructing dams
at each. and side channels with locks
around them.
San Carlos River brings in tremen
dous quantities of silt, which has al
most entirely filled up the old bed o.
the Rio San Juan to Greytown (Sar
Juan del Norte), and, with the great
damage done to the port by shifting
bars, It has made navigation almost ar
impossibility, as the vast mass Of the
San Juan River water is directed int
the channel of the Rio Colorado anc
lost to Nicaragua. This will be RENE
died by cutting canal from the heac
of San Carlos River entrance, along thu
Rio San Juanillo, to Greytown, and b.
there building a braakwater. Witt
some dredging it is expected to b.
again able to form a harh0r of sufficien
depth to receive the Royal Mail steam
ships of twenty-six feet draught.
The surveys for this work are unde
way and will soon be completed wher'
upon the Government will advertise
for bids.
The approximate cost is estimated a
from So, 800, 600 to $3.000,000. To Sc
cure payment the Government will thi
. year make a $5,G00,000 loan.--NicGrd
qua Cor. Times Democrat.
A More Appropriate Name.