The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-08-22
Railroads in Nicaragua.

Railroads in Nicaragua. o.
The future railroad system of Nicar-
aqua, to be called the National Rail-
road, will extend from Corinto Harbor
to Pueblo Neuvo Ua Paz), thence q
branch line to Momotombo, to Mana
qua, the capital, and Granada, making
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 Pac fic, with Momotombo,
on Lake Managua (Which latter is
beautiful sheet of water, about $50
square miles in siZe), runs through the
garden spot of Nicaragua, over the mag.
uificent plain of Leon, passing through
Amayat--railroad repair shop-Chinan-
deca, with 1000 inhabitants, Chichi-
galpa, POsOttiga, Cuesalguaque, Leon
al, 600 inhabi:ants), 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 first
section of it, however, to Leon. has been
in operation for two years. The road
is an average good one, well equipped
and well maintained; best Bessemer
steel. forty pounds per yard weight,
laid to three feet six inches gauge, on
mahogany, 'lignumvita, coajOche, qua
chipllin, laurel negro, roble. cortez ne
grO-sleepers (cross- ties). Sand ballast
has been used throughout.
The fra ffia of frairht mostly
which is dyewood, coffee, rubber aud
hides. AS much as 400 tons of dyewood
per day are alone transported to Corin-
to for shipment to foreign ports. The
contract to build the road was let to II.
Il. ID. Norris, Virginia gentleman, for
$1,000 per mile, without equi ,ment.
The first four miles from. Corinto were
built by the Government. and cost S25,-
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
1888 were four and half per cent. of
the invested capital. Cost of building
and equipment, operating and mainte-
nance expenses, fifty-six per cent of
gross earnings Net earnings in May,
$4,000. 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 Ia Paz, has been partly 10
catd by T. Z. Hocke, chief of location,
with the assistance fl. Wust, ass slant
Government engineer. The location is
already 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 ia
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
ragua; thence navigable for vessels of
eight feet draught over the lake to the
mouth of the San Juan River, San Car
los Castillo; down Rio San Juan, over
Mico, Balas 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 of
the Rio San Juan to Greytown (San
Juan del Norte), and. with the great
damage done to the port by shifting
bars. it has made navigation almost an
impossibility, as the vast mass of the
San Juan River water is directed into
the channel of the Rio Colorado and
lost to Nicaragua. This will be RENE
died by cutting canal from the head
OF San Carlos River entrance, along the
Rio San Juanillo, to Greytown, and by
there building a braakwater. With
some dredging it is expected to be
again able to form a harhor of sufficient
depth to receive the Royal Nail steam
ships of Iwenty-six feet draught.
The surveys for this work are under
way and will soon be completed where
upon the Government will advertise
for bids.
The approximate cost is estimated at
from S2,5O0,0 900 to S3.000.00u. To Sc
cure payment the Government will this
year make $4,000, 900 loan. -Nicard-
gwa CIR. Times Democrat.