The age-herald., 1901-11-25
PLANS ID CONNECT
 TWO CONTINENTS
Senator Davis Outlines Scheme
 for a Railroad
IS NOT IMHRACTICABLE
South American Governments Should Grant Liberal Concessions to the Proposed Road and Ad-
 init Material Free.


 Mexico City, November A.-The report of ex-Senator Henry c. Davis to the Pan- ternational American conference, will be submitted to the session of the confer ence on Wednesday next.
 MT. Davis suggested that a sub-com- mittee be appointed to study his report, but his colleagues would not hear of any thing of the sort, and adopted his report unanimously. MT. Davis says in his report that there is nothing impracticable nor visionary in the construction of the road stock He remarks that each of such sys- tems as the Pennsylvania, the New York Central the Southern Railway and others have a larger mileage than is now neces- sary to assure the realization of the inter- continental railroad, while the bonds and shares outstanding of each of such sys- tems are in excess of the sum estimated as necessary for the construction of the railroad in question.
 The Russian government has just com pleted, says the Senator, a railroad through Siberia at a cost considerably in excess of the American estimates as nec- essary for the completion of an American inter-continental railroad, and in so doing has overcome greater natural difficulties than are to be looked for in the construc- tion of the latter. MT. Davis also refers in complimentary terms to the great trunk lines built in recent years by Mex ico.
 Difficult of Travel.
 In dwelling on the expediency Of con structing an international railroad. Mir. Davis mentioned the fact that some of the South American delegates In order to reach Mexico for the present Pan- American conference, had to make the journey via Europe or New York A let ter mailed in the United States for some of the South American republics goes t1rst to Europe and thence to it's destination MT. Davis estimates the mileage of the inter-continental rail-cad to be construct ed at 5000 miles in order to link existing system and calculates tn cost at $2OO,- coo 900, or at the rate of $49,e0O per mile
 The report terminates with the follow ing recommendations
 1. That a railroad connecting all or the greater part of the nations represented in the conference will contribute power- fully to the development of the material relations and interests of the said na- tions.
 9. That the said railroad ought, as far as common interests permits, to connect the principal cities situated along its route.
 B. That if the direction of the railroad cannot be changed for the object stated in the foregoing article without great inconvenience, branches should be built to connect the chief cities with the main line.
 f. That in order to lesson the cost of work, existing railroads be utilized as far as possible and as far as compatible with the location and purposes of the intercontinental railroad
 B. That all the material necessary for
 
 the construction and operation of the railroad be declared free from import duties, while taking suitable measures to prevent abuses.
 6. That property, real and moveable. of the railroad, employed in construction and operation of the road, be exempted from all national. provincial, state and municipal taxation.
 Work Should be Encouraged.
 T. That the realization of work of such magnitude deserves to be encour- aged by means of subventions, land grants or guarantees of minimum rate of interest.
 R. That the railroad be declared for ever neutral in order to assure freedom of traffic.
 g. That the delegates to the conference recommend with all possible earnestness to their several governments the grant ing of liberal concessions to the enter prise. in such form as may appear most suitable to each government.
 The suggestion is also made that the United States send a competent person to all of the republics of America to study the resources of the several coun- tries, the location and status of existing railroads present trade conditions. pros- pective traffic of the inter-continental railroad, when built, and what conces- sions each government would be disposed to grant. It is also suggested that the committee become permanent and sub init a report to the next conference and be given power to call meetings to in crease the number of its members and to appoint subcommittee in order to se- cure all reports and all aids and en- couragements necessary for the realiza- tion of an inter-continental American railroad.
 Another U. s. Ship Aground.
 Manila, November 24.-The United States distilling ship Iris has been aground on a reef mar Iloilo for three days past. The United States cruiser New