The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-13
THE SHIP RAILWAY.
The Consul's Report-Why the Railway
IL Preferable to the Canal.

The Consurs Report-why the Railway |
Is Preferable to the Canal.
| WAsHiYooY, Feb. 10. - The United
States consul at San Salvador has made
report 10 the department of State in regard
to the railway system Of Central America.
He says that President Menenjcz, Of San
Salvador, is an earnest friend Of the United
States, and like the late President Barrios,
of Guatemala, iavors the assimilation OF
| the institutions and business methods OF
this country TO those OF the United States.
BaTios projected the construction OF arail-
way from the Bay Of San Tomas, on the
Caribbean sea, 10 Guatemala City, dis
tance Of $50 miles, where II was TO con-
meet with the existing narrow gauge 81 the
Guatemala Central, seyonty-iive miles In
length, terminating on the Pacific at the
open roads leading TO san Jose. Forty
miles Of this transcontincntal road from
Puerto Barrios TO Guatemala City wero
half finished at the time Of Barrios' death.
His successor. President Barillos, pursucs
the same policy, favoring the construction
Of the trans Isthmian and other railways
projected in Guatemala, particularly the
one designed 10 connect the capitals Of
Guatemala and Mexico. "In truth" the
consul says, "Sonor Barilos and othor
Central American statesmen have not
,, failed 20 discovcrthat no Central American
union Is desirable which may be pinned
. together with bayonets, and none desirable
, and enduring can be achieved save through
: interstate railway systems"
After referring 30 the unhealthful cli-
| mate Of Central America, at the sea level,
the consul says "The Nicaragua canal
and the shin railway aud nol.esep's canal
each ana all are at the sea level. No soft,
4 cooling wind from the Pacific may find It's
! | way into either canal or follow gigantic
] locomotives tugging at ships crossing Tc.
hauntcpoc, and the acclimated alone may
z cross the continent In safety at the sea
3 level; but there Is perfect immunity from
climatic diseases tho instant the traveller
! reaches nm elevation OF 900 feet above the
. sea. Commerce, therefore, will traverse
= this trans-isthmian railway, having per-
! iectly land-locked harbor at each terminus,
aud an elevation at no point after leaving
the coast Of less than 1900 feet above the
plane Of the two oceans.
! "Aitcr describing the wonders of the In
! terror country, such M iath0mlcss lakes,
extinct and active volcanoes, and relics ol
binding together these 1--we Central Amer.
9 lean States In perfect political aud social
! union, IL nrconplishcs their perfect com.
a mercial annexation TO the United States
= Puerto Barrios IL within fifty hours or less
Of Mobile, aud only sixty hours would be
, required 10 transfer traveller or bale Of
? cotton from Mobile 10 the Pacific coast har-
bor Of Ia Union. United States and other
steamers now pay from so TO SO q ton at
Ia Union for English or Australian coal.
0 IL may bo delivered there from Alabama
! over the trnns.lsthmian railway for from
! - 10 81 ton. Therefore, the government
, OF the United States, M well a. the people,
] must confess keen interest in this short,
0 easily built railway, which surely must nc.
2 complizh most bcnetccnt political and
] commercial results"
b The consul alludcs 90 the preference
G given by Salvador and Guatemala 90
II Americans in tho matters oi franchises and
q concludes his report ~ follows 'fhc
= rapid multiplication Of ioundcrics, furnaces
d and iorgos In Alabama and other southern
States induced the writer 30 seek for the
: bchoof Of the commonwealth which is his
:. home, an insaliable market for lis pro
u ducts. From every trading place Oi ~
a many as 1000 or 5000 inhabitants along
u this intorminablc coast n railway will soon
J. lead 10 farms and villages In the interior
% Twelve such railways are now building
u between the southern confines oi Chill
y and California. II the trans. lsihmian
J, railway bc speedily finished, the iron and
Il coal and steel OF England and Australia
y may bc supplanicd everywhere on
, the Pacific" Tho consul continues:
i ''rho railway crosses the State Of Sta
j. Ana, district Of Salvador Of fifty miles
?. square, producing, u n stated, more coffee
)f than any equal acre OF land. IN truth
n every acre ol the mesa Of Salvador II cuti'
% yated, each producing from two 10 ioui
n crops annually. The railway penotraloi
Di from Ia Union 10 Port 10 Barrios or "a
Ic Port Isibctcl, whichever harbor may
DO lis northern terminus, ycfy
N paradise. Tho average density Of pop
4. nlation along tho whole route cxcecdi
A. 100 for each square milo. Here villages
q, and towns are almost continuous and the
In population toll most induslriously. Labor
10 costs 20 TO % per cent. and food 10 cent,
Iy per diem. There isnot a stove or iireplacC
10 In any house in the republic; none arS
a, needed where the thermometer never ialli
m below 7Oo or rises above s0' 30 great i
n. the annual production Of fruit, rs well a.
10 Of indigo. sugar and coffee, and 10 shor
,e the distance from Port Barrios 10 Mobile
d that Il Is believed that most delicate ant
~ delicious tropical fruits never seen In th'
ly United States will be distributed every
4. where from Mobile;and 20 redundant are th'
In crops OF Salvador and the District Of Gnate
y. mala, penetrated by this railway, that
a must have two tracks--one for immens
or local, the other for inter-occanic freight
a. and travel. But the great good 10 b.
m achieved by this tn,nsisthmian road con
y. sists not 20 much In the fact that II vii
ly enable travelling multitudes TO cross th
IN continent where narrowcst without possibl
nd danger from deadly ieyers and plaques ~
Mt cident AZ the sea level, but with II
m. branches, by that produced In tho Unite
ial States.
le, A KiIIing over women.