New-York tribune., 1902-05-04

covered by railroad lines now in actual opera
ton.
There are at the present time two Mexican
railways that approach the Guatemala frontier
one of which runs from Puebla TO Oaxaci. on
the Pacific slope, and would require extension
of 40O miles in order TO reach the said frontier.
and another, which extends from Cordoba.
town situated on The line If the Vera Cruz Rail-
way on the mountain range that slopes toward
the Gulf of Mexico. In addition to the lines men
toned, there other railroads in course of con-
struction that viii connect with the Interoceanic
Railroad Of the IsthmUs Of Tehuantepec AMI
what seems to be of still greater importance in
this connection, the Mexican Government has
granted a concession, carrying with it liberal
subsidies, for the construction within period Of
two years Of railway which. starting from
the isthmUs a branch of the Interoceanie
Railway referred To, viii extend to the boundary
line of Guatemala This new development Of
railways in Mexican territory having been ac-
comPlished, the greatest of the difficulties in
extending the inJercuntinental railroad VIII nave
been overcome 10y connecting the railway lines
Of the Central American States. several sections
Of which can be utilized for the main line
II viii be sufficient 70 observe in this comes
tion that OF the l,lU7 miles that route On
the Pacific side viii have To cover in Central
America, from the Mexican 10 the Colombian
frontier. there are now constructed and in opera
ton 2ll,3 miles Of track particularly in Saliva
dor and Nicaragua, where the longest railroad
lines follow in the greater part Of their course
direction parallel in general 10 that Of he
coast.
In Guatemala there is a railroad extending
frcm the port Of Ocos to the village of AyutIa
near the Mexican frontier. and the lines con-
structed in this and the other Central American
republics aggregate 4 little less than one thou
sand miles. viz: In Guatemala 81; in sal
vador, I%3; in Honduras. 81, in Nicaragua I7j.
in Costa Rca. 49,. But in Costa T;iya, C;uata-
mala and Honduras the principal railway lines
follow transverse direction because they run
from the interior to the ports. Nevertheless.
branch lines are being constructed in The three
countries mentioned which within short time
Will not only Zee able To- add considerable length
10 the part Of the system already completed,
but VIII also insure in this manner the success
OF an intercontinertal railway by the increase
Of traffic that VIII always result from the
greater number of their connections.
Such favorable conditions did not exist n
Mexico when the construction OF the first rail-
way between the United states and that re-
public was projected. The undertaking. was
not favored by the public because it was
thought that it would not Dee profitable: and to-
day. twenty years having scarcely elapsed
there are three railway lines i'm constant opera
tion. fed by the growing commerce between the
TWO nations These iron highways rs "a ua--
ural consequence promote the mutual Develop
ment Of interests and encourage at the sIue
time the construction or otner railways with
which they viii connect. There is. then. no
reason to doubt in view Of these premises
which are PalpahIe facts that the extension
OF railways 10 the south will produce equally
good, if not better. results 10 capital exclusive
of the beneiIcent moral influence they VIII
exert on the future of the nations Of this con-
tinent.
The realization of the plan for uniting the two
great oceans by canal across the Central
American iSthmuS between Costa Rica and
Nicaragua seems near at hand: and if rs II