The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-06-22
.t AN INTER CONTINENTAL RAILWAY ss

goats have an unlimited range of mag nihcent pasturage along the sides and dustry amounts to little at present, for the reasons already advanced. The price of beef as consequence is always high adnt and but Tilt little of # consumed on this ac- the hot climate. lack of ice and difficult ties in reaching market. Venezuela, Ursl- quay and Argentina are the only coui1- this direction, which has been stimulated by few short railways Into the interior. They raise cattle and sheep ex- siasively sns o,, for h: the value of hidss product of Mexico. the Pacific side of Central and South America produce scarcely any wool. although having every conditions to cope with tho greatest wool countries of the world. i
 Possibly the most stupendous develop- ment and the greatest wealth producing these countries would come from their mineral fields. The mines of yet un- touched treasure slurabering in tho bow- els of the Cordilleras and Andes cannot be computed. but enough is known to convince all expert engineers that the mining industries of Central and South America are yet in their infancy. Out side of the precious metals found every where, coal has been uIscovered in nearly every country that would be traverscd by the pr oposed sntercontinenta1 railway. although exploited in only q few tn- from s o oe o p per sn and hs: made the operation of machinery very ex- pcnsive. The single item of money-sav- ing, for locomotive fuel, for such a long railway system. by developing some oe these coal fields, would be enormous, while it would prove the principal stim- uius to all other industries requiring steam and machinery
 The foregoing is only 9 small enumer- ation of many enterprises that would de- velop into enormous proportions. undE the inspiration of this great railway. possibilities of the sugar, industry. which could present many alluring features: thu various important hard woods dye woods and medicinal plants Cacao. indigo. CO., coa. and various vegetables, aspha1tumv naphtha and petroleum. tobacco. fihrons plants, forage and hundreds of 1essar things. but the subject Is one too broad and comprehensive to more than touch upon its many possibilities in the limits of a single article.
 The direct, incidental, consequential and remote advantages to American trade. by the building of this road, Is another fea- ture so stupendous and far-reaching that 1t would require volume to adequately and fully amplify, even as to the direct and material benefits we would receive. It is reasonable to anticipate that tt would turn the immigration of the world to the Western continent and furnish employment to not less than 15.000.0O0 more people. It would stimulate not alone the building of one main line of 5000 miles, but possibly double that amount of tributary lines as feeders. It would indissoiubly link the two grand divisions of this continent into com pact commercial, If not political union. and guarantee our control of an immense volume of trade that has heretofore gone to foreign countries. The road itself the outset. and would prove veritabIe bonanza to the business of other Ameri-
 Beyond all these direct and immediate advantages, the development of the ter ritory traversed and the new and fresh demands upon American enterprise, would naturally double. if not treble. the out-i put of many. of our factories. especially tural and mining machinery. coffee and sugar machinery. powder and ammuni- ton, glassware. carriages and wagons, silk textiles. drugs. oils. railroad sup plies. ice machinery. pianos. sewing ma chines boots and shoes, cotton goods, refrigerators. novelties. malt liquors and wines. telephone and telegraph supplies. and, indeed. nearly everything we have to sell in the United States. Instead Of our exports being only SS2,0O0,000 to these Latin-American countries, it would easily quadruple that amount, while therimportS would approximately increase.
 It has been computed that the proposed Inter-Continental Road will be 5 45s miles in length and will cost S74, 20 900. or
 
 Is accurate or not, it should not deter us from a serious consideration of an enterprise holding out such great possi- bilities to American trade. It Is not tn- probable that a great number of tunnels will be necessary, and that some of these will pierce many miles of solid rock. but such impediments are no longer serious problems to modern engineering. The route of such a railway would necessarily run along the western slopes of the Cor diileras and Andes, as that side presents the fewest difficulties. especially after tower to height of 14,Ooo feet Besides. the eastern slopes, after leaving the con- fines of Colombia, to the south of Cucuta. enter an 'meSplored region. inhabited by a serious hindrance to any exploitation. The road would naturally take the west ern side of the Andes. at distance of der to avoid the miasmic and fever-pro- ducing lowlands along the seaboards-
 As important adjuncts to the proposed inter-continental enterprise, there are all ready in existence several small lines of railway, in the several countries through which the Pan-American Road would pass. Mexico has but few short lines to the south of her capital city. tnrougn emala has lines leading from the coast. for short distances into the Interior. from Ocos, ,Champerfco Retalaheu and San Jose Salvador has short lines from Acajutla and La Lbertad- Nicaragua has one from Corinto and several shorter ones in the interior. Costa Rica has one from Punta Arenas connecting with several, centering at the capital Of San Jose. Colombia has the Panama road and several minor ones along the Caribbean and Pacific. aggre- gating a mileage of S46 miles. Ecuador has ,1S6 miles of railway. Bolivia 622. Peru i.Os7. and Chill 2.792 miles. Altogether the territory to be traversed, south of Mexico, has a railway mileage of $50 miles which would form important links and feeders to the proposed great trunk line. These existing lines already tra- verse a developed territory and would prove valuable adjuncts at the very out set. Both Guatemala and Honduras are now constructing roads that will connect them with both the Caribbean and Pd- interior lines. From Ecuador southward. through Peru, Bolivia and Chilli, it is highly probable that existing lines could be absorbed and used for the main line, for a distance of 1000 miles, by filling In a few gaps, changing guages and rem9d- cling the old lines. In this way perhaps one-sixth of the contemplated building could be avoided.
 In transmitting to Congress. on April State concerning the action of the Pan American Congress, in the City of Mex leo on the subject of this railyay, 10 connect the two continents, the PreSt- dent endorses the suggestion and says
 'I recommend an appr 1priatiOn by Con- gress of the sum of $200,000. or as much thereof as may be necessary to enable the President to appoint the commissions CTS to visit Central and South America into effect and to Investigate and report unon the means of extending the com