El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-05-15
MEXICAN CENTRAL.
President RObinsOn's Remarks at the
Recent Boston Meeting

| heCeuU BOSIOu MeeUlllg
| During the course of the Mexican
Central stockholders meeting, in Bo.-
ton. May 3, says the Mexican Herald
President Robinson gave one of his in
| formal but highly interesting talks.
| He said in part: The Mexican Cen
| trial road has more traffic now than can
| be handled with the present equip
| ment, and for that reason the directors
have made arrangements to sell some
bonds and purchase additional equip
ment. The business of the Mexican
Central road is a good Indication of
| the general business throughout the
| repu bile; it is large and improving
| The government has adopted friend
| ly policy towards the building of new
| lines and the building up of new ports.
| The connection of Tampico and the
construction of Il good harbor there
have opened the markets of the world
| to Mexico via water transportation;
| formerly the outside world was reached
| through the United States by rail and
was too expensive to allow OF much in
ternatiCnal trade. The NeracruZ har-
Dor always has been open, but has not
furnished adequate facilities. The
government, however, is improving
this harbOr. a census of the republic
was taken in October, 1895, and from
the returns recently completed, it is
SuON II lutib TIC DOJuldtIOIl vi -hsAlCO 10
l., $40, l90, an increase since the last
census, taken seventeen years previous
in 1879, of , 663. Isl, which is equiva-
lent to an increase of twenty-six per
cent in the seventeen years, or a little
over Il per cent per annum.
;, The future development of Mexico
depends largely upon immigration.
There probably will be greater pro-
gress made during the next few years,
OF n in IIaf on iaI
terprises, as the people are better
cioUhed, better fed and better cared
for. The common people are receiv-
ing better education and acquiring a
higher civilization, which means bet
ter sanitary conditions and a decreased
mortality. The new tariff bill is not
favoraOl to Mexico, but the United
States is less affected in that respect
than is Mexico, as the trade with the
Mexican republic is only five per cent
of the total foreign trade of the United
States. Owing to the Mckinley tariff
law several millions of capital went
Into Mexico 10 build shelters, and to-
day the largest smelling plants in the
world are situated there. The United
States mas lost tne profits on the trans
pUrtatiOn of the ores which now are
treated at these shelters, but it has
been good thing for Mexico. The
cattle trade in Mexico will be affected
In the same way by the Dingley bill,
but us Yet no disposition has been man
ifested on the part of the Mexican gov
eminent to retaliate on account of the
tariff.
The cattle aud fruit industries are
making rapid strides in Mex co. In
1893 the Mexican Central road carried
is cars of oranges, in 1894, $50 cars, in
1898, 100 cars aud in 1896 nearly 500
cars, thus showing an increase of 100
per cent every year during those past
years. In 1893 the total exports of The
repu bic were $l05, 0OU, 900 and the i'm
ports $S4 900, 900, IN Mexican currency.
OF the total exports 20 per cent went
TO the United States, and CT the i'm
ports 10 per cent came from the Unit
ed States. England stands second in
trade with Mexico, France
third, Spain fourth and Germany fifth.
On the freight carried by the Mex
lean Central. in 1896, IS per cent was
agricultural products, . per cent for
est products, per cent live stock, II
per cent mineral products and "A per
cent miscellaneous. The manufacture
ed goods which were including in the
miscellaneous products increased 30
per cent in 1896. The production of
gold, silver ard lead is increasing aud
copper is only beginning to be factor.
In 1898 only 900 tons of copper
were produced against 1000 tons in
1896, and this year there will be Il large |
increase over last year. The gold pro- |
duction is 1895 was So, 100000 in Unit +
ed States currency and 1896, $1,000, 900. |
The total stock voted was 353, 1872 |
shares out of the total outstanding of
40, O91 shares.