The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-12-17
A Short Interoceanic Railroad.

There Is now an excellent prospect that
the interoceanic railroad across the Isthmus
Of Tehuantepec will be completed within
tho first quarter Of the coming year. The
work upon 1t. which is conducted under the
was interrupted last spring on account
of the hard times, which affected the Next
can Treasury. and all that has been done
In Its behalf since that time has been
merely for the purpose OF keeping in order
the part constructed. But the funds
needed for its completion have at last
been obtained. Finance Minister LYMAN
TOUR has negotiated loan In Ber-
lin. q portion OF which Is to be used In
behalf Of tho railroad. A contract to the
amount OF over O million dollars for the
prosecution Of engineering operations has
been made within the past fortnight. and
arrangements for the Immediate resump-
ton OF construction had been entered into
at the date OF our latest advlces from tho
city Of Mexico. When the work was stopped
for lack Of money In April last. the contrac-
tors gave assurance that II means were
furnished the whole line could be got
ready for service In three months: aud
now again 1t Is promised that within
that length OF time. trains will be running
across tho isthmus. from the Gulf OF
Mexico TO the Pacific. The rainy season has
come to an end for the year; the tunnel
which had to DO cut was completed before
the stoppage. and we believe that only
about forty miles OF straight track remain
t. DO built before the line can be opened for
traflc over the 200 or more miles of its
length. An elaborate system OF jettea
must thereafter DO constructed at the Pa
citie terminus Of the road for the purpose Of
deepening the harbOr there.
According TO reports that seem 10 be de-
serving OF trust. the work upon the railroad
has been very well done by the various
companies Of contractors. American and
English. which have been engaged upon it
during the past quarter OF century. All
the bridges are OF iron and stone: the rails
are sixty-tive pounds steel; the grades are
gentle, and the curves are OF easy radius
The highest altitude To be overcome is
TO feet at the Chlvela Pass. Considera-
BILE rolling stock is already on the tracks.
Those regions Of the isthmus upon which
the rails are laid have presented far more
serious distractions than any that exist
in the part which the engineers have yet to
cover. The moTasses and the forests have
been oVerpassed. and the ridge has been
bored. The work yet to be done is COM
paratiyely easy.
There are twenty-five lines OF steamers
entering the Gulf Of Mexico Eight lines
go to Vera Cruz. passing within twenty
10 twenty-five miles from the mouth Of the
Coatzaeoaleos River, the Gulf harbor OF this
isthmus.
This Gulf harbor is only about 800 miles
distant from New Orleans. In q nearly direct
southerly line; and it is thus by far the
nearest route 70 the Pacific from our south
srn ssaboard. as well as from the whole
Atlantic seabOard. and from Europe. To
both American and European shippers. not
less than To Mexican shippers, 1t presents
advantages that are indisputable; IL must
reduce tho expense Of interOceanic trans
portstiOR. OF course. It has Quo great
disadvantage. as against the ll-sea
route between the oceans. and also
- against the oYsFlsQd route, IN that