The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-02
RAILWAYS IN MEXICO
How S250.000, 900 of American
Capital Is Invested.
1000 MILES IN CONSTRUCTION
The New Country Being Opened-Ties
Of Steel and Ebony-The Wages
of Trainnen.


SO, 10000 worth Of capital in Mexican
railroads. We practically control the rail-
way systems OF the country. and or only
competitor Is England, whose investments
amount 10 little more than one-fourth as
much as ours. These railways are already
paying, and Mexico promises TO be one of
the most profitable railway countries of
the future. A great railroad development
IS going on in the country. and about 2, 600
miles Of new roads are now under con-
struction. The country has now over 5000
miles Of road in active operation. and dur
ing my stay here / have travelled over
roads which have been opened only few
weeks, and have penetrated country into
which the iron horse seemed to plough its
way through the wilderness In going
over the Inter-Oceanic railroad, which
is q narrow gauge running from
here to Vera Cruz, passed through
q rich agricultural region and found
vast areas Of rich but as yet untitled land.
These lands were at the same altitude and
In the same climate as that OF the best
coffee growing districts of Mexico and the
road will develop many nes coffee estates.
Al this writing it is only completed for
little over go miles, running from Mexico
!
TO the mountain city of Jalapa, but within
a month it viii be opened for traffic clear
70 Vera Cruz and within q short time It
viii have q line completed from Mexico
City west 10 the Pacific slope. It's man
ayers tell me that its income is already
large. 1t connects with the Mexican
marrow gnage system which goes from
Laredo. Tex. TO the City of Mexico and
- -.
There Is no doubt bat that il will pay. 1t
is managed by Mexicans. but IS largely
owned by English capital. The
Mexican Southern railroad, which
Grant proposed, has been taken up
and is being fast pushed down in
to the state Of 0axaca, to Tehuantepec. and
this VIII give Mexico another connection
with the Pacific. The Mexico Centrsa has
its surveyors at work laying route from
the great city of Guadalajara 10 the Pa
cific, and / expect 10 take trip within a
few days from Aguas Calientes, right
across the eastern part of Mexico TO Tam
pico. This road has just got into running
order, and il promises 10 be one of the
great railroads of the future. Then Amer
lean capital is building road from Mon
terey 10 Tampico, and Mormon capital is
building another road down through
Chihuahua from New Mexico, and this
will also tap the Pacific and the great min
ing regions of the West. During the past
two years twenty concessions for new
roads or for the extension OF old roads
have been granted, and Mexico was never
more awake 10 the advantages of steam
communication. Last year more than
1900. 900 passengers patronized the rail
roads and nearly i,00o.000 tons of goods
were carried in the freight cars
This railroad development of Mexico
really began about the time of the panic
of 1873. when the old English line which
runs from Vera Cruz up the mountains to
Mexico City was completed. 1t had been
building of and on for fifteen wears. and
the government helped it along with $l2.-
600. 600 and subsidies. II was one of the
most expensive roads ever built and il
cost about 49,, 900 600 to construct the 30
miles which constitute the main line and
two short branches. The poems and In
dams objected 10 il and all its material had
TO be brought from England. and in order
10 pacify the people. the building was be-
gun at both ends and more thu half the
ties and rails had TO be carried up the
mountains and on 10 Mexico City. Ii
cost s. = rail 10 bring them from
Vera Cruz 10 the capital, and this was
for the benefit Of the teamsters. This
same provision was adopted in the build
ing of the Mexican Central railroad, that
great trunk line which now runs from FL
Paso over LOO miles south 10 Mexico
City. The building of it had 10 be begun
az both ends, and the material used from
the Mexico City end was shipped TO Vera
Cruz, and 81 high freight rates sent across
this Mexican road 10 the capital. 1t
shipped its rails and its iron from England,
but It's rolling stock came from the United
States. The old Mexican road is entirely
English, though the chief director and
president, Mr.. Thomas Braunif, vas born
on Staten Island. of ScoIch-Irish parents.
The road Is A broad gauge. and il is spienf-
idly ball1sted ard well constructed. Ii
has some Of the sieepest grades on
record and IN going from the
coast 10 Mexico City IL rises 90 feet II
had for a time s. monopoly, and il charged
just what prices il pleased. lis frst-class
freight rates were al the start SO, and
when the freight was carried by passenger
trains the rates were So 3 ton. For long
time II charged over 10 cents mile for
passenger fares, and IL now charges more
than 5 Ii Is capitalized at $4,000 Goo
and | understand that il PAYS dividends on
this capitalization.
II has reduced its rates since the organi-
cation of the Mexican Central. and now
will have TO make still further reductions
TIES OF STEEL AND IRONY.
This Mexican railroad has steel ties. and
Mexico has perhaps the most costly ties in
It's railroads that You viii find anywhere
in the world The Mexican Southern.
which is being built towards Teha2ntepec
uses no other kind than steel. and the
Tanpico division Of the Mexican Central
has ties Of ebony and mahogany. The
chief objection 10 the ebony ties IS that II
IS 50 hard IN drive the spikes into them,
and il IS almost impossible "a get them ont
when they want 20 change the rails. The
sree! ties are not 50 expensive Is il
would seem. They cost from 90
cents 10 81. Mexican. when laid
down here. and this IS from % 10
30 cents American. They are hollow
plates OF steel about three-elghEhs OF an
inch thick. the length Of an ordinary tie
and shout four inches wide HAen turned
upside down they look like trough and
the earth is packed N and around them.
They seem TO make very arm tie and
hold the rails perfectly. OAK ties cost
from - cents % 81 IN Mexico. Cedar ties
cost ahout s.. Is. ana almost any k}nd Of
tie il worth - cents. The InteF-ocesnlc
uses steel disks with = cross p1ece 81 iron. bat
these do not seem "a work > sell as the
altogether steel ties The Mexican Cen
tral which has q iine rosd-eei, uses
wooden ties, and the same - the case with
the Mexican National or American mar
row gauge through h8e. Speaking q the
NsxseaYl Central Sles reminds me al what
one Of the engineers OF the road tod ne
IS 10 Mexican contracts. SAID he: The
average haeendada. or farmer Of Mexaco.
nas curious ideas al prett and work. Along
- fss.zrl NJ.