The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-11-04
FROM GUYAQUlL TO QUITO.
An Entsrprisins American to
Build a Railroad Across
the Andes.

TN Ecuador. a land which most Of us
II think of only as conglomeration of
- tropical foliage. bright -hued butter
flies and half-nude natives, serpentine
lire OF steel track is quietly stealing
through winding valleys and fertile farm
ing lands, rich with Southern verdure; Is
gradually creeping onward through
swamps and everglades. dank with moist.
green vegetation. is slowly climbing up
ward over the almost impossible heights
of the naughty Andes. that have stood for
centuries forbidding barriers to the puny
devices Of man. only to be conquered final
iy by Yankee ingenuity. syndicate of
wealthy Scotchmen and Londoners dis
covered the possibilities OF this land OF
promise; the next thing was to open up
avenues Of commerce and human travel.
James p. Mcdonald. a New York con-
tractor. In the man selected to be at the
head Of this great engineering enterprise.
Mr.. McDonald's experience In railroad
building has been wide and varied. Many
thousand ties have been laid and many
hundred miles of steel rails fastened UNI
der his supervision. Born In New York.
he prepared for college in the South. and
finally took his degree from the Univer-
stty OF Tennessee. The road from Guya-
gull to Quito. which he is now engineer
Ing, IL to be but 800 miles long, but the
difficulties In the way make the task one
requiring unusual perseverance and
knowledge, and involving enormous ex-
pense. Fully s25,0900 900 will be required to
carry this project to conclusion. Stone
work and masonry that II is necessary to
use to great extent are largely respon-
sible for this heavy outlay. At many
points along the route the roadbed will
reach an elevation of 1900 to 1900 feet
above the sea level Though there are
at present but 1900 men pushing the work
forward. this number WIN soon be swelled
by 5000 native Jamaicans, with whom Mr.
Mcdonald IL now contracting. Sixty-five
hundred half-clad natives diligently ply-
ing Ak. hammer, pick and shovel will In
deed be scene worthy of the Yankee
push and Industry, which are behind II;
and these men work. too. as contentediy
as though they never had care In the
world. yet their wages come to meager
81, rs day In the silver currency of the
country. which II the equivalent OF much
less measured by the gold standard, and
wages have been lately raised at that.
twenty American engineers accompany
Mr. McDona'd Young men. who will
themselves. perhaps. carry on even more
sfeantic enterprises some day.
II Guyaquil were 1000 miles from ou,to
the people could be scarcely more en-
pectant and anxious for their connection
man are the inhabitants of these two
tropicai cities. The population of Oulfo Il
about $1,000. while Guyaaull will doubi.
tnat hgure. Yet these people ara iiv,n,
IN .ne days OF quick transportation. WITH
oniy the forest trails and mountain ma sse.
"aus' ana pack animals an vehicles
80. o"necuon or the two cities. how
ever. - not the ultimate obiect =, III.
enterprise. Along the whole in. =, .hs
roao hes a country Just bursting - -
openeo up and developed, thar ~ NAV
eo money for English and America
sL me main product OF this tarr,-
lory VIII be coal. and the m,re. ,,,A,.,
VII oe eventually put in Operation ehan,a
nse employment 70 thousands 81 yror
- ~ country so little deyeloned
:, eo" ,,l and mining center thar
,tah,s s.,r All tropical countries. a YER
d.. larry lnnd of beauty and riche,
hut the company which "a oarr,.,u,.
me financial part OF the ENTERPRISE r. ~.
ainihg any poeticaI ideas about :,
p,esent. fhis organization Is connosas
=. sn1ewd' hard-headed capi.aiists- vho
eApect 70 make fortunes hut IN . -,
prosaic way, and they have done we,, -
sur'ns tne services OF Mr.. Mcpona,a
oy we way, should NOT be cor
M WIN John n Mcdonald. the man
underground railroads in New w. a., OF
ana VINO Is In no way related - ~.
equally successful namesake. "'
IN conversation with Mr.. johnson. q,
,he James p Mcdonald company. n was
learned that this concern was incornn.
rated under the laws Of New Jersey FOR
the special purpose OF constructing this
south American railroad. The government
OF Ecuador, on account OF valuable con-
cess'ons made 10 the syndicate before re-
ferred TO- required deposit OF 10000 as
surety OF good faith. The government
In return granted the syndicate a fran
chise for scventy-hve years, but for many
years after that has expired this wonder