Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-03-01
IN AND ABOUT THE CRY or MEXICO.
NuMRER vi.

SIructlOns In the f0puDllc; Ill, 4
think, with the exception of the
Feyro- c0rrH Mericono, between
Vera Cruz and the City of Mexico,
are products of American enterprise.
The most important and interesting
TO Americans are the Mexican Gen.
trail and the Mexican National.
Both terminating at the capital, the
former extends northwest through
the richest part of the country to
Chihuahua, and Ell Paso, upon the
Rio Grande; Ii also branches off to
the west to Guadalajara (the second
city in the republic) and to San
Bias, which is an important port on
the Pacific Coast. The Mexican
National is narrow-gauge road,
and connects with the United States,
via Monterey, Saltillo and Tampico,
at Matamoros { Mexico) and Browns
vile (Texas). They are neither
fully completed, but are being act
lively pushed forward, and the City
of Mexico will have, the coming
spring, through connection by rail
with San Francisco on the one hand
and with New York on the other.
The road first named, the Next
can Railway, was built and is still
owned by an English company; its
construction, begun about 1857, oc-
cupying over ten years. This may
seem long time to build 263 miles
of single-track railroad, but to one
travelling those 263 miIes-the great
er part of the way among the noun
tain-peaks and fearful abysses of the
Sierra Nevada-the only wonder is,
that it could have been done. 1t
was at first deemed an utterly futile
undertaking, but it has been ac-
complished. 1t is one of the best
paying railroads in the world its
expenses probably do not amount
to million year, and its earnings
IN 1876 were over two millions OF
dollars. II they have increased
sincein the ratio of other enterprises,
the company must receive net
revenue of several millions annual
ly. 1t is a railroad truly worthy of
note; at one place there is rise of
400 feet in a distance of twenty
FIVE miles, and it reaches, at B0ca
del Monte, an altitude of 8,310 feet.
The traveller may enjoy sight of
the most wonderful and varied
scenery, as he is now seemingly
whIrled through space-now plum
ges into the heart of a mountain
now suddenly emerges, and looking
straight down a thousand feet, he
sees foaming cataract of crystal
waters, sparkling under chance
ray of the sun, as it battles the feet
of the mighty peaks. 1t is impossi-
BILE for pen to describe, and it is i'm
possible for mind to imagine, the
grandeur of the mountain-scenery,
and the feeling which comes over
one, as the train makes one of its
fearful dashes, and sweeps in a
mighty curve around the Peak of
Orizaba, whose summit, crowned
with eternal snow and ice, 1890
feet high, shining like great dia.
mond far up above any clouds that
may overhang the lesser crags,-is
visible for seventy miles out at sea,
or at a distance of nearly two hun
dred miles. Writers gush about the
Alps, as / do land better than / do)
about these grand SIerras of our
continent; but the fact may be
noted, that very few of these writers
have ever travelled this road. l
have heard several travellers who
had been among the Alps express
their opinion that they were not
more beautiful, and less awe.inspir-
ing, than those Mexican mountains.
Between towns in the interior
where the railroad has not yet PEN
means of conveyance are
supplied by ditige1acias, great, lum-
bering vehicles of some long dead
and gone era, which no one is likely
to forget for several days after he
has ridden in one-froru his bruises
and joltings. Out in the western
part of the republic there is yet a
great deal Of danger and many adj
ventures to be had gratis with
1iligence-ride. There is always a
chance, or rather, a probability,
that the traveller may fall among
thieves, who are quite as unaccom-
as those on the road to
Jericho. These Mexican highway
men have not the polite sang-troid
and the debonair of the James type.
Their advent is heralded by rife
shots, which cease only when all
the passengers (who remain alive)
throw away their weapons and hold
up their arms. Sometimes a party
Of foreigners, If well armed, man.
age to repulse the attack, and even
capture some of the robbers; but
the native Mexicans are seldom so
laring. / was told of an incident
hat occurred a little more than a
year ago, near Guadalajara. The
diligence contained only three or
our passengers, among whom was
1 young American engineer. The
lriver warned them, when they
we're in a lonely part of the country,
hat they should probably have the
bandits upon them soon. The
agreed with his compan-
on, Mexican, to show fight in
itead of passively being robbed and
perhaps murdered. When the high
Vayman rode down upon them,
Yelling and firing their rifles, the
young engineer got in two or three
hots and killed his men. But the
Mexican, with the other passengers,
brew away his pistols and surren-
Tered. The bandits speedily over