The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1890-01-04
GIGANTIC SCHEME.
Proposed Railroad Line From tho
Shores Of Colombia,
Through the Heart of South America, to
Buenos Ayres on tho Atlantic and
Lima on the Pacific
Coast.

WHEELING, w. Va, Dec. 2A-A cor
respondent last night interviewed one OF
the incorporators for West Virginia of
the Colombia Railway and Navigation
Company, which is at the head of the
most gigantic railway scheme in histo-
ry, and the details of which have not
yet been published. at is" he says,
"no less project than railroad from
the shores of Colombia, on the Carib-
bean Sea, down through the heart
of South America to Buenos Ayres
on the Atlantic coast, and to Lii
ma on the Pacific coast. This move
ment grows out of the same feeling
in this country that inspired and called
together at Washington the Pan-Amer-
lean Congress, and is in reality part OF
the programme for cementing in close
commercial union the States of North
and South America. The details of the
great movement have not yet been given
to the public, but they are known to
embrace line of steamships from tho
Gulf ports of the United States to the
mouth of the Magdalena river in tho
South American State of Colombia, and
a railroad up that river to the mountain
spurs of the Andes that separate
the waters of the Magdalena
river from those of the Amazon,
and thence down through Western
Brazil, Chill and Peru to the mouth OF
the La Plata in Buenos Ayres. This is
to be an international project, and is
expected to interest great number of
stockholders in this country and in
South America. The incorporators are
citizens of Virginia, West Virginia and
other States, principally the Southern
States, and books of subscription to the
stock of the company are to be opened
to the people in all countries embraced
by the routes to be included in the pro-
ject. The scheme has the favor of
the Pan-American delegates, and Of
Secretary Blaine on behalf of the Feder-
al Government. Colonel II. G. Parsons, an
intimate personal friend of Mr.. Blaine,
is the moving spirit of the enterprise,
and at his back are some of the leading
railroads of the country, especially those
that have termini on the Gulf, and
whose lines will connect with the pro-
posed steamship line, lat Key West, New
Orleans and Galveston. Statistics show
that such railroad would traverse
large areas of exceedingly rich coun-
try, and that it's traffic would simply
be enormous. Passenger travel, now
large and growing rapidly, will leave
the sea and seek the railroad, as the
time between New York and Buenos
Ayres or Lima would not exceed
ten days. This would be quick
transit as compared with the present to-
dious sea voyages. immigration to South
America from Europe is now heavy, and
it would also be diverted to this new
route. Secretary Blaine has long dis
cussed the possibilities of this new era,
and he is bending his great abilities and
wide experience in public affairs to the
accomplishment for this country of COM
plete commercial supremacy on this con-
tinent. The South American Republics
will ratify the charter and supplement-
it by land-grant and postal subsidies.
The U. 5. Government will also, no
doubt, make liberal postal arrangements
with the company"