The morning call., 1892-03-13
THE PAN-AMERICAN ROAD.
Links That Should Be Constructed By Our
Engineers.
n eW York Sun.

valuable article on The lnterconti-
mental Railroad Problem" from the pen of
Mr.. Courtenay de Kalb, appears in the last
number Of the Forum. Mr.. de Kalb is a
mining engineer who has travelled across
South America almost to the headwaterS of
the Amazon. His practical, and conserya-
tive views on the South American Ques-
tons, which he has made a special study,
have attracted much deserved attention to
his writings upon the present condition Of
our sister republics and the prospects of
developing their resources.
Mr.. de Kalb says that the fifteen thousand
miles Of railroads In operation in South
America have been built within the past
thirty years. The particularly noteworthy
facts concerning these railroads are that by
far the larger part of their mileage consti-
tutes trunk lines, the feeders being com
paratiyely few and unimportant; and that
these trunk lines have ali proved financially
successful. The Argentine trunk lines eX-
tend approximately east and west through
the temperate southern regions, while the
Chilean trunk lines extend north and south
along the pOpuious west coast The neces-
slty OF con tlnuiDg the west coast system has
led 10 projects for further paraleling the
seaboard 10 Chile and for building roads
southwark from Lima TO the Chilean from
tier, and both these projects will be accom-
pliShed within decade.
Two other railroad projects OF great i'm
portance are now agitated and are certain
to be carried out. The railroad from Anto-
fagasta. Chile, To the famous mining region
of Huanchaca, Bolivia, has already proved
most seryiceable, and has stimulated an eX-
tension II the Argentine system. which will
be carried north from Jujuy 10 Huanchaca,
and a road from the same plateau is TO con-
meet at Puno on Lake Titieaca with the
Peruvian line TO MolendO on the Pacific
Thus, route from the Pacific TO the At
lantIe, with general southeast and NORTH
west direction through some of the richest
districts OF South America, Will be estab-
lished.
In Mr. de Kalb's opinion. the completion
of the system of roads from Argentina
across Bolivia into Peru will mark the be-
ginning Of a new era, when interstate trade
will become great factor in South Amer-
can affairs; aud he thinks that upon the ex-
tension of these routes of interstate COM
muncation depends the completion of the
intercontinental railroad. These lines will
be projected IN uniformity with the evident
needs Of commerce and indications of
traffic already existing. The Lima and
Oroyo Railway, soon to be extended across
the Andes, will admit 10 the starving west
coast OF Peru the many agricultural prod
uets of the fertile Montanya, east Of the
mountains. A railroad connecting the GEN.
trail plateau of Ecuador with Colon bia and
the Rio Cauca would pass through deposits
of coal and iron, and regions of fruit and
grain growing, where she-p are raised on the
high lands and cotton fl0urlshes at lower
elevations. The writer thinks the fact that
a railroad is already being built by an Amer
lean from Buenaventura, on the west coast
of Colombia, into the Cauca Valley. with
Popayan as its objective point, proves that
this plan Of development is not q mere
dream.
fast becoming apparent Mr.. de kaib gives
figures showing that in 1889 Colombia i'm
ported from Ecuador no less than STA, GOO
and exported So, coo. All this merchandise
was transported on mule back over terrible
roads in the Andes. I here must be con-
siderable demand to encourage commerce
under such difficulties. Mr.. de k1lb gives
other statistics to show that trada between
these States Is growing, although the great
difficulties II transportation might be eX-
pected to place an embargo upon commerce
He also gives evidence fayoring the plan of
rail communication noIthwaTd into Central
America.
Columbia is regarded rs the pivotal State.
upon whose development depends the fate
Of rail communication between the three
Americas. Her trade has swelled from
$4,000, 600 in 1885 10 S26, 0G0. 900 II 1890. and
this in spite of mules aud pad roads. Rail
roads are building in various parts Of the
State, and tie gaps between them must
some day be filed in, forming systems ex-
tending into the south and terminating at
some point on the Caribbean Sea. He thinks
the CITY Of Cartagena is marked by nature
for this distinction.
There remains the great gap between
Quito, Ecuador, AID the Peruvian roads.
1t is hard to say when this will be closed,
but MI de kalb mentions railroad projects
that are under way or are favorably c0nsid-
cred, which indicate that the central region
OF Northern Peru must ere long be pene-
trated by railroads. When this is accom-
plished the most embarra ssing part of the
South American trunk line problem will
have been solved.
With regard to engineering difficulties,
the demands OF commerce will compel the
most stupend0us undertakings. "A goofly
traffic, says MIR. de kalb. sis creeping
slowly along the ridge OF Andean precipices,
pushing through deep ,iefi.es. riskng dan
gerous crossings of swollen torrents, and
we know that the people of Colombia ana
Ecuador are eager for the disestablishment
OF tie slOw-gOing mule"
After oDsidering the prospects OF traffic
that warrant the stupeadOus undertaking
OF Joining the Americas together by steel
bands, he advises that every railroad pro-
Ject In the line OF the Andean axis in South
America be examined on its merits, to dis
cover whether there be local traffic enough
to support it until it shall perform lis
larger functions as part of great
trunk line. Lie says that our engineers
have demonstrated their ability to con-
stTuct roads in South America more cheaply
than any other people. The English rail-
roads there have cost from $50, 900 to So. 900
a mile, while the difficult Southern Railroad
in Peru, built By an American. cost only
SIS, 600 mile. If the railroads of Colombia
and Ecuador are built by. our engineers il
will require less traffic TO maintain them.
and they can be sooner completed Mr., de
Kalb believes the Pan American railroad
will iaf r.l