The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-03
WILL DEVELOP ECUADOR.
New York Capitalists Are Building a
Great Railroad.
From the New York Journal.

From the New York Journal
It is a New York company which has I'M
dertaken to develop the rich country of
Ecuador by the extension Of its railways
The Ecuador Development Company of
this city proposes to bring the ancient and
isolated city of Quito in touch with the
commerce of civilization by constructing
over mountains and through valleys a rail-
road 231 miles long.
This road will bring the products of
Quito and the rich surrounding country to
Duran and Guayaquil, the chief seaports
of Ecuador, and will take the place of the
services of 10000 mules and donkeys which
for several centuries have been the means
of transportation.
The Engineering News presents some in
teresting facts about the proposed railway.
The FerrocarTil del Sur is the only rail-
way in actual operation in Ecuador 1t
runs from the town of Duran, which has
ferry connection with Guayaquil just
across the River Guayamas. TO the town
Of Chimbo, a distance OF more than fifty
five miles. Seven towns of considerable size
are encountered. with sugar factories of
considerable capacity.
The equipment of the road, which is mar
row auage, consists at present of four To-
comotives and thirty-siX cars, to which it
is proposed to add at once three locomo-
tives aud abut $50 cars
In addition to the extension from Chin
no to Quito there VIII be a branch from
Quito to Riobamba, ten miles long.
The donkey highways, which in many
places are of excellent construction, VIII
be utilized in building the new railway.
The amount OF traffic in 1891. the date OF
The latest reliable record, was 2l0,O0 pas
sengers; freight from the interior consist
ing of cereals, vegetables, hides, leather
and general products, about 4,6g0O0)
rounds. and freight 10 the interior, con-
sisting mainly of imported goods, salt and
sugar, nearly 100000 pounds.
The rise in elevation between Chlmbo ana
simba is more than 5000 feet in the sixty
five miles Of distance. The country is en-
tirelv mountainous and densely timbered
with valuable species of hard woods. but
there are no settlements of any conse-
ouence. From Sibamba at an elevation
of 900 feet above the sea level. the road
rms through the center Of the great pla-
teau of Central Ecuador to quito, winch
has an elevation of $3.50 feet
The large towns are Guamote, with 12,-
OO0 inhabitants; Cajabamba, with 1900;
Piobamba, with $1,000; Ambato, with 10000;
I,acunga. with %, coo, and Machache, with
10000
The plateau is sixty miles wide and 10
miles long, with an average elevation of
about 2 500 feet, and is surrounded by more
than twenty SlioH-S"PPSN POAfAS' -
SHOWS feed the mountain streams, so that
there is an abundance of water available
all The year round and at convenient dis
tances to supply power for the electrical
oneration of the road, which is proposed
for some future time
There are, however, undeveloped coal
fields of considerable extent and richness
on the line of the road about 200 miles
from Guayaqui., at which place Austral-
ian coal sells at from $40 to $lS ton.
charcoal is brought in on mule back. Large
quantities. of oil are to be found in the
province of Guayas, north of Guayaquu.
and there is evidence Of large quantities
along the road
THE franchise of the road has been OBJ
tanned practically without cost, and In
cludes valuable concessions OF government
land