New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-03-30
The MEXICAN CENTRAL RAILROAD.
THE LAST SPIKE AND TIE FIRST THROUGH
TRAIN.


rrpov Az ocC AsrOx,I CORRESPONDENT OF TIFF TRIBUNr.
MExICo. March 15.-Ths letter, which goes
by the first through train from this city to Ii Paso leaves
bcrc ~ O'Clock this Saturday morning and will be on
Monday at Texan frontier whence there IL regular
communication with New-York i'll about five days This
is remarkable fact, for the Sewl ork mail Is not re
ceiyed here until twelve days after II leaves that city
The Mexican steamer which leaves New-NCrk on Thurs
day i, dine at Vera Cruz a week after the Sunday follow
ing On Monday the mail is brought here 10y the Vera
Cruz train and Tuesday morning II Is distributed AZ
the port-ofce. The mails sent by way OF New-Oricans
come in less time. but there are only three steamers
monthly from that city in the spring and winter months
and none IN summer, when quarantine l. enforced the
only regular communication all the year round by way
OF NeW-YOrk.
The speedy communication between this ciiy ana the
Texan frontier due OF course to The completion OF the
Mexican Central Railroad Saturday last rendering ut
practicable for train travelling at the average rate Of
twenty-five miles per hour 10 mako the journey to FL
Paso Il .225 miles, in forty nine hoUra From Il Paso
the tourney to Chicago is made III ninety hours; to
st. Louis IN about cghiyeight; and 10 Acw-Iork III l2O
Mexico Is thus brought INTO close relations with the
United States ana TIE vast country which extends from
FL Paso to this capita-a distance onefourh greater
than that from NcWYOrk to ChcdgO-is thrown opel FOR
the inspection of tourists merchants and prospectorS
The urinary steps in the organization OF the Mexican
Central Railroad taken in April 1850 when I1es-
dent DiaE granted tsuhiect 10 Congressional approval
charter the enterprise to Nj Robert L. symon who.
acting in concert with Nj. Ramon Guznan and Mr. Sc
bastian Comaeo OF this city had secured the co-opera
ton of Mr. Thomas ard other Boston capital
iss connected with the AtosOn, Topeka and Santa F6
Railroad which bad advanced steadily toward the Mex
can frontier. Without waiting for the approval OF the
Mexican Congress which came in due Time the Mexican
Central Railroad Company organized III BcSi0nl for
wardcd railroad material 10 this city by way or Vera
Cruz and III May, leSO, the Work was begun Inc hfs
rails laid At Buena Vista, northeastern district o
iin line Was EXTENDED across the valley OF Mexico and
through the Pass OF NOchoStongO TO the valley OF Tna
ienber Ij issi The fret chief engineer the late
Howard Schuyler The primary stages were the most
brsyev on on December - in the year the road
was opened to the town Of san Juan dei Rio 90 miles,
where passengers halt for breakfast In So rapid
progress made. The line was opened Tor general
iaihc TO Querei.ro N53 miles, on February 10. lssZ 10
miles, on May /. The iron highway had entered the low
lands AT QeIe'o p ND The road VAS 0ncn@G h.
Leon f25s miles, August 2. The next year lSS0
construction went on rapidly The Guanallao branch,
which connects the main line with historic mining
city, opened Later the road was extended to Lagos
and would have been completed 10 Aguas Clientes by
inc end of the wear mad mot the construction Of long
viaduct "a Encainacion retarded operations This year
the temporary there replaced by an iron
one and the railroad opened 20 Zaoatecas. Work
suspended at Fresno. which Is forty miles north
Of that city, 10 await the advance OF the northern
division.
work mad COMO on rapidly, and by September 10. 1882
the railroad had been completed 20 ttiiuahr1 t225
miles,. Colonel d. Il. Robinson, VINO hd been Suudlng
the Sonora Railroad then took charge aud by the end OF
last year. when he placed IN control OF the entire
line he had reduced the between tho two divisions 10
$50 miles. Mih this City 10 his headquarters Colonel
has FASTENED rapidly the completion OF the iron
highway. Ia the twenysX working days OF last month
seyentvthree miles OF track laid and the last
three OF construction work three and onehah mos
of rails laid daily. During the past twelve months
J2J miles have been built 30 that in speedy construction
IL IS claimed that the Mexican Central Ueas all preyi
records"
The Joining OF the ends and the driving OF the final
ppike were accomplished Saturday last without much
f0rmality al point six miles from FrcsnllO which l.
72s4 feet above the level and It's existence 90
rich mines in its immediate vicinity. The driving Of the
last spike appropriately assigned not 60 any public
official but to The master trackuan, T. H. Buckner. As
soon s The stroke had been given, engines from the
northern southern divisions advanced and met and
cheers were given for the United States Mexico and the
State OF Zacaeca The iron highway OF LIS miles was
complete. 49,. ,,r
Mr. A. j. CaRsatt formerly vice-Presidsnt OF the Penn
sylvania Railroad with friends from philadelphia
returns the United States by the special train which
carries this. Colonel d. g. Robinson accompanies them
TO II Fa-O.
The ratification of the Mexican Reciprocity Treaty u
gratifying the American residents here The Me xlcAn
senate which meets on April will certainly ratify
also.
The Mexican Government promises a subsidy OF
$4,000 round trip to company which ia 10 estnD
lsh steamship fine between the Pacific coast ana Asia
Inducements offered 10 have the steamers ca al
United states and Central American ports.