The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-08-08
TEE RR1TIsH scHEMR.
Building Railroad to Compete With
Nicaragua Canal

British capital is pushing the Te-
huantepec railway in Mexico. by means
of which Great Britain seeks TO estab-
hsh an interocean line across the
American continent. The promoter of
the project is Sir Weetman Pearson, NJ.
P, of the Westminster firm of S. Pear
son & Son. Ever since 1892 the Pear
sons have been carrying on mammoth
works of improvement in Mexico. They
have inaugurated a system of drain
age in the City of Mexico, converted
the harbor of Vera Cruz into great
marine port, esta blished river fleets on
400 miles of inland streams, recon
structed the Mexican street railway
systems, and in other ways interested
British capital prOhtably in that coun-
try
PearSon's work in Mexico has given
him the confidence of President Dia.z
one result of which has been the re-
vival of the Tehuantepec railway
scheme, in which the Mexican govern
ment has in the past sunk many mil
now leased the route for so years and
Will push it to completion During the
life of the lease they will operate the
railway IN connection with the govern
ment, the latter sharing in expense of
construction and in the profits, while
the Pearsons retain active control.
This route IS the one originally Sc
lected by Engineer Eads for his IA
nous ship railway over which ocean
steamers We're to be hauled on NAM
moth trucks from the Atlantic to the
Pacific. The distance between Coatza-
cOalcOS, the Atlantic port and Salina
most of the route is reasonably level.
When the present contractors took over
the track in 1899 they had simply a
skeleton of a line and a fragile local
had everything to solidify, and no
fewer than 900 wooden bridges to re-
place with structures of iron. steel or
m asonry But this, after all. was but
child's play, as the heavy work lay in
the construction of the terminal works
and the harbors of Coatazcoalcos and
Salina Cruz
The Atlantic port. like many others
on that coast, needs special treatment
in view of a sandbar at the mouth;
and to surmount the difficulty training
walls are being constructed by means
of which to set UP ''scour'' which will
effect a depth in the channel fully suf-
hcient for the largest ocean going YES
sells. Salina Cruz will possess a dock
of so acres, with quays of 1000 feet in
length as commercial accommodation.
a breakwater 1000 feet in length and
formed of blocks of granite 40 tons IN
weight will protect the entrance to the
dock. Electric power provides for the
manipulation OF freight, and with
tariff of So to 81 per ton for the transit
from ocean to ocean, the projectors
think no canal can rival the advantages
offered. A total cost of $40 00O. 900 is
involved The operations include great
building projects, such as the erection
of a new town, and drainage systems
upon the most modern and improved
plan
The possibilities of the railway are
not limited to the direct connection be-
tween the two oceans, but all the in
ternal developments will be conducive
to its prosperity. The influence upon
interoceanic transit. however, must be
enormous, as will be seen from the fact
that the Tehuantepec route saves 1000
miles on the journey from New Orleans
to San Francisco; 10026 miles from
New York to San Francisco (via Cape
Horn). and 1857 miles via Panama:
nearly $500 miles between Liverpool
and San Francisco, via Cape of Good
Hope. 1886 miles via Panama: New
York to Yokohama 10000 miles, via
Cape Horn. 5000 miles via Suez LOO
miles via Panama; New York to Ma
Mia, 1,61S miles, via Suez. and 1893
miles via Panama.