The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-03-06
TO UNITE THREE AMERICAS
LFrom the Mail and Express.l

From the Mail and Express.
Nine years have been needed for the
International railway commission to
complete it's preliminary survey and it's
accompanying report. But the time is
none too long to devote to the investi-
cation of an exploit which President
Harrison pronounced vast but entirely
practicable and which, if carried to
completion, will knit together the three
Americas and give to the United States
a controlling influence in the develop
ment of the incalculable resources of
the interior of the southern continent
To connect New York by rail with the
trade centers Of Colombia, Ecuador,
Peru and Chilli. on the Pacific coast,
and with the Atlantic ports of Caracas,
Rio de Janeiro, Santos, Montevideo and
Buenos Ayres, will be a gigantic en-
terpriSe. 1t will cost, according to the
estimate of the commission, about $175,-
600 900 and years of labor. But it will
give this country supremacy in a mar
ket already large and will be a potent
factor in developing the agricultural,
mineral and timber wealth of the An
dean uplandS and of almost unknown
regions east of that range.
The plan proposed by the commission
contemplateS the building of a line
from the southern frontier of Mexico,
TENS through the Mexican roads,
through the western part of Central
America and the IsthmuS, and thence
through the valleys of the Andes that
run approximately north and south, to
Lake Titicaca, whence it viii pass east
ward into Bolivia Existing and pro-
posed lines will be utilized wherever
possible and branch lines will connect
the trunk with the seaportS of the Pa
cific. Some of these branches already
exist. One important branch to be built
will give connection with Caracas, the
capital of Venezuela. The line will
ho 90 o IA do Al nd
the highest city in the world, will bring
into contact with civilization Caxamar-
ca, the ancient northern citadel of the
Peruvian IncaS, and will at some points
rise by difficult grades to the height of
IA 900 feet above the sea. This altitude,
however, is less by a thousand feet than
the summit of the principal railway
now in operation in Peru, surveyed and
constructed by an American engineer;
so that the practica bility of overcoming
the stupendous physical difficulties of
the COrdilleras has already been proven.
From the southern terminal of the main
line branches are planned to connect
with the railways that lead to the ports
of Brazil, the Argentine, Paraguay and
Uruguay. OF the total length of this
inland route from New York city to
Buenos Ayres, 10, 22S miles, All miles
have been built, leaving 5,456 miles to
be constructed.
Now that all the republics of the con-
tinent are, or are about to become,
members of the International union
whose official organ is the bureau of
American republic, the publication of
this report ought to have a profound
effect upon public opinion in all the
countries interested. Thus far there
has been every evidence of cordial CO.
operation in this project. Now that it
has been put into definite form, this
enterprise should attract capital as well
as proper governmental encourag cement.
The effect of this intercOntinental link
upon southern centerS of trade would
be obvious; but it's further effect in at
tracing immigration and in making
vast wilderness contributOry to the
" ealth of the world fairly staggerS the
All Latin America will be
Joined to the United States by mutual
interests that will make the Monroe
doctrine seem but a flimsy bond.