The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1884-03-06
Invading Mexico.

70 soon united by continuous railroad
ines, reaching from the leading cities of
his country to the city Of Mexico, and on to
Vera Cruz. The Mexican National Rail-
Dad Company whose line runs from La
eda, at the Texas border, to the City of
Mexico, and the Mexican Central Com
'any, which is building from point oppo-
lite Ell Paso, Texas, to the City of Mexico,
re promised to have their lines completed
md their trains running in a short time.
Few people realize the fact that near
y two thousand miles of railway have
,een actually built in Mexico by Amer
can capital within the last two
vears. The Mexican Central Company's
inc has over one thousand miles COM
,leted, and the Mexican National has
seven hundred more. Huntington's line
the Mexican internationally, which runs
from Eagle Pass, Texas, southerly to the
City of Mexico, has been completed for q
distance Of one hundred and fifty miles.
The Sonora Railway, which runs from
Benson, on the Southern Pacific road, to
Guymas, on the Gulf of California, has
been completed distance of two hundred
and seventy miles. On Gen. Grant IS road
1.-THE Mexican Southern), about one hum
dred miles have. been. completed, ready for
the rails. Ex-senator Windows. the
Texas, Topolobampo and Pacific Road,
which is to cross Northern Mexico from
Topolobampo, on the Gulf of California,
to Eagle Pass, Texas, seven hundred and
fifty miles, has not yet been commenced.
The Mexican National and the Mexican
Central, which two companies are now
struggling for the honor of opening the
direct communication with the City Of
Mexico, are counted the most important,
for the present at least, of these enter
prises. The Mexican National is Mar
row gauge road, and will be, when COM
pleted, 1855 miles in length from Laredo to
the City of Mexico. 1t passes through a
dozen towns whose population ranges from
$4,000 to 10000. 1t climbs the grade
from Laredo south, nearly two hundred
miles, until it reaches the high table lands
near Saltillo, after which its entire route
is upon the elevated plateaus. Work on
this road. was begun at each end, and
pushed toward the center, and now the
two construction parties are within less
than 100 miles Of each other. The Next
can Central, which runs from point OPP
posite Ell Paso, Texas, to the City of Mex
leo, has standard gauge road, and will be,
when completed, next month, PA miles in
length. This is also being built from both
ends, and has less than 100 miles yet to CON-
plete to close the gap. The population
of the cities through which it passes is set
down at 5,500,0O0, and the agricultural
products per annum nearly 800, 1000, 000.-
With these lines completed, it is estimated
that New York city will be between -four
and FIVE days ride from the City of Mex.
leo and other points proportionately nearer,
as their location and railroad facilities
may bring them.
Jos. Nimmo, jr., Chief Of Bureau OF
Statistics, has just published report, in
reply to resolution of the House of Rep
resentatives of January 81, on commerce
between the United States and Mexico,
and the construction Of railroads connect.
ing the two countries. The report is
very full, embracing statistics on popula-
tion the various productions of the soil
and of minerals imports and exports
the proposed reciprocity treaty between
the United States and Mexico; the gen
eral condition of Mexico, and the present
encouragement to commercial enterprise
and the disposition manifested for the Gull
tivation of closer commercial relations
with the United States; also are given
particulars of the various railroads now in
oo,,rsn IF ons,st-,.n+;-,., -s:tL ee-en-a1 10
marks upon their probable traffic.
In brief, the population of Mexico is es-
timated to be at the present time about
ten millions. Its agricultural products
were valued in 1883 at $174, $50, 000.-
Amount of silver produced from 1877 to
1882 was $161 1856. 744, being % per cent.
of the total product of the globe. The
exports for the last fiscal year consisted of
gold and silver $29, 62s,65s, and of other
commodities $12, 178, 937-a total of SAL
SO7, 595. The commerce of the United
States with Mexico has doubled in value
since 1879, for which year the imports and
exports aggregated $12,245, 465, and for
1883 the same reached 1924, ,743. The
governments concessions to corporations
of the United States for constructing rail-
roads is placed at $9O.OOO,O0O. About
$50, 000, 900 of American capital has been
invested in these roads. which penetrated
every part of the country during the past
two years. Already about ! 800 miles of
railroad have been built in Mexico by cit
liens of the United States, the average
cost of which has been about $4,000 per
mile. The whole length of roads char
tered by the government since 1866, and in
force in 1888, aggregates Ii, 194 miles, and
the amount of government subsidies to
same 1925, 131 1905.
The national revenues of Mexico have
increased from Sis, OOO,O 900 in 1879 to $780,
000, 900 in 1888.
Mr.. Nimmo says ''it is, of course, i'm
possible to predict with any degree Of
precision the results of the completion
Of the railroads now in course of con-
structioif in Mexico upon the CONNER
cial and industrial and transportation IT,
terests of the United States. The situa-
tion of these lines and their relations to
railroads in this country seem, however,
to indicate that the cities of st. Louis
and New Orleans will become the chief
centres of trade with Mexico.''
What will be the ultimate effect Of the
commercial ties which are thus forming
in the relations of the two Republics an
not with safety be predicted. One thing
may be taken as assured, that where Amer
can money goes there will be American
population and enterprise. Whether in
such volume as to leaven the 10000, 900
people who compose the Mexican Republic
with the political ideas and business inflti-
ences which pervade this country or not,
time alone can determine. Mexico is rich
in the precious, as well as the baser
minerals-her valleys are fertile, her
climate soft and genial, but the pop
ulation is mixture of two declining
and lethargic races-the Castilian and