The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-12-24
TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD
BY RAIL.

Puck in fancy girdled the earth around
about in forty minutes, but civilization
! has accomplished the same, in fact, by
electricity in half that time. These Cir
! dies went with the sun from east to west.
1t is now proposed to girdle at least half
the earth with railway from north to
south, following the track of the Attic
and Toltec as they migrated along the
mountain ranges, which in part form
the girdle with which the Almighty
circled the earth, and made up of the
Rockies, and the Andes. The line of
the oldest civilizations of this and the
South American continents, are to be
taken up by modern men and traversed
by their steel and steam. Jay Gould
declares that while he would not under
take the enterprise there is great future
in it for the Americas. The building of
the first transcontinental line was only
accomplished by the aid of government,
and the new work proposed is no greater
in the estimation of men to do than was
the Union Pacific of twenty-five years
ago.
ANY one who viii examine a map
covering the territory embraced by the
United States, Mexico, Central and
South America, can form some idea of
the magnitude of the pro ect contem-
plated by the construction of a railway
line that will connect these countries.
If there were not already railway sys-
TENS in the countries named the under
taking would be regarded as visionary
to the degree of practical impossibility.
But Mexico and South America already
have railways that will be utilized in
peIfacting come ting lines. Nevertheless
the project now being considered 10y the
Inter-Continental Railway commission is
gigantic and constitutes an enterprise
even greater than was the construction
of the first transcontinental railroad.
OF course the work TO be done is south
of the City of Mexico. The city is al
ready reached by two lines from almost
any important point in the United States
but the railway facilities practically end
at the City of Mexico. The line contem-
plated and TO be constructed starts at
the capital of Mexico, and runs through
the heart of Central America, across the
Isthmus of Panama, through the heart
of Columbia, through the eastern por-
ton of Ecuador. across the extreme
western neck of Brazil into Bolivia,
where one branch runs southeastward
to Rio de Janiero and the other branch
directly sou h to Buenos Ayers. This
line constructed, and lateral roads would
naturally he constructed from various
points to connect with ii. Difficulties will
naturally present themselves which
ever one or half a dozen
possible routes may be chosen.
Surveys must first he made the
entire distance contemplated before even
an approximate idea of the cost is posi- |
BILE. 1t is estimated that the total mile |
age to be constructed will not fall short |
OF 5000 miles, and engineers who have |
correct ideas of the topography |
of the country TO be traversed express
the opinion that the cost of construction (
would be about $3.50, 1000, 900 and the |
$4,000, 900 more
The construction of the contemplated |
lines would open up South America. or.
at lenst, great portions of it. to emigra-
ton from all points of the world and the (
United States would contribute largely /
TO the tide. The great natural resources
Of half a d zen South American states
would be speedily developed and from
them would soon flow streams Of 4
wealth. And what markets would be
opened for the surplus products of the
people of the Uuited States.