Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-12
TO CONNECT AMERICAN REPUBLICS.
IntercOntinentaI Railway scheme and
the Reason Ii Failed.

FROM the Engineering News.
The report Of the International railway
CO mmission recalls to mind what was with
out doubt the most chin.erical of all the
schemes promulgated by the nearly forgot
ten pan-American congress of ten years
ago. Probably no well-informed engineer
ever took very seriously this fantastic pro-
ject to connect all the American republics
On the two continents by government rail-
way; but it was at its inception pushed with
such energy by a few active congressman
and cabinet members that it certainly came
to be regarded by many people as a really
meritcrious enterprise, whose early con-
summation was not only desirable, but en-
tirely probable This idea was greatly en-
couraged by the prominence given by the
daily papers to the deliberations of the
commission and to the final dispatching of
its surveying parties into the wids OF Cen
trail and South America. As some of these
papers are now trying 20 revivify the
scheme. it may be well to point out again
some of its absurdities. which were obvious
at the beginning and which the surveys
have served TO bring out more plainly.
The cost of the enterprise to date and
the amount of valuable work which those in
charge of il have TO show for this eXpendi-
ture first deserve notice. During its eight
years of existence the intercontinental rail-
il4g to its oW showing. of which Sl92, 134
spent in making the surveys. S6a.alO
was consumed in office expenses, and S53.SiS
was the cost of printing the present report.
OF this sum the United States contributed
about S195. 900 in cash and the printing eX-
penseS Brazil contributed $4,000 in cash
and six other Central and South American
countries the balance. Argentine, Mexico
and Uruguay have lent an encouraging
countenanca to the work, but. it is refresh
ing TO note, have kept c.cse grasp on their
purse strings. It's surveys are about the
only work of the commission which has
served some useful purpose. They were, in
general. fairly good reconnaissance OF ths
territory adjacent to the proposed railway
line and give a good deal Of interesting in
formation regarding the physical geography.
natural resources, people and railways and
other means of communication of the couE-
tries visited. In these respects We are glad
to recommend the report Of the commission
a useful publication.
As far an intercontinental railway line
is concerned the surveys also show that 10
complete an all-rail route connecting the
United States with the Latin-American re-
publics as proposed, there must be built
some 5,4oo miles of railway. the cost of
which. for grading and masonry alone. is
estimated by the commission at SIZE. 900 900.
All equipment and practically all structural
material. including tools, cement and even
timber in many instances, must be shipped
into the country from the United States. Ii
is probably conservative figure therefore,
to add from % to 80 per cent to this sum for
track, buildings ard structures rolling
stock and the general line and station
equipment necessary to put the new railway
In shape to begin operation. This does not
include some 10 per cent for Interest on
bonds, taxes. Office expenses and salaries
up to the time of opening the line for bus
mess. which would have to be added to the
expenditures of a private company building
a railway in the United States but most OF
which, IL is reasonable 20 presume, a gov
eminent enterprise would escape. The ; 400
n 10 NKrh hull for,
series of links connecting isolated narrow
gauge railways, which in Central and South
America would aggregate about / 800 miles
all of which would have to be made capable
of carrying standard gauge rolling stock
probably by adding a third rail. The reader
can supply his own figures of the cost of
these changes. To sum up. there would
finally be a railway line which would not
only parallel the ocean routes. but which
would actually be much longer from port to
port than these ocean lines. and which runs
for much of its length south OF Mexico
through countries with sparse and semi
civilized population and almost no indus
tries II is perfectly certain that private
capital could never be inouced TO invest in
such line of railway under such condi-
tons. and no one who takes a reasonable
view of the proper functions of government
could favor its engaging in such an enter
prise. promising neither direct nor indirect
profits.