The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-03
INTO NEW LANDS
Fhe Vera Cruz and Pacific Railroad
Now Building Opens the 18th.
mus of Tehauntepec.
An All-Rail Route From Canda to a
Point Near Guatemalan
Border.

Austin, Texas, Dec. Sin less than
thirty days it will be possible to travel
all the way by rail from the most north
erl railway point in Canada to the 18TH
mus OF Tehuantepec, in far southern
Mexico, not far from the Guatemalan bor-
der. + -.
All that is now lacking to make this
railway route complete is the construc-
ton OF less than four miles Of the Vera
Cruz d Pacific railroad in Mexico. The
incomplete part Of this road is through
an apparently bottomless swamp which
swallowed up many hundreds Of feet OF
ping and tons Of rock riprap work be-
fore footing could be obtained for the
structure upon which the rails are to be
placed The gap is slowly being closed
and the date for the formal Inauguration
of this important link in the all-rail route
that Is ultimately to connect the United
states and Mexico with the distant coun-
tries of Central and South America will
soon be fixed.
The Vera Cruz s. Pacific is an American
enterprise. 1t runs from Cordova, Mexico
to Santa Lucrecia, a distance of about
l60 miles, traversing one of the most
highly productive. though at present I'M
developed, regions In the tropics Of that
country. 1t has a branch line running
from Los Naranjos. on the main line, to
the port of Vera Cruz. At Cordova the
road connects with the Mexican CVera
outlet to the City of Mexico. where con-
nection is made with the Mexican Ma
tlonal and the Mexican Central, both
leading to the United States border.
Before the construction of the Vera
Cruz & Pacific road the trip to the 18TH
mus of Tehuantepec had to be made
either overland or by water from Vera
Cruz. Owing to the, fatigue incident to
such long and rough overland journey
and the fact that during the greater part
OF the year yellow fever exists at Vera
Cruz, many people were deferred from
making the trip. Americans have located
on the 1sthmus during the past few years,
however, and are making a success Of
coffee growing. These settlers are To-
Gated IN healthy part of the isthmus
country on the line Of the National Te-
huantepec railroad.
The Vera Cruz & Pacific road connects
with the National Tehuantepec line at
Santa Lucrecia. thereby obtaining direct
outlet to the Pacific port of Salina Cruz
and the Atlantic port of Coatzacoalcos.
Another railroad, which is also backed
by American capital, is now being con-
structed from a point on the National Te-
huantepec road east to the Guatemalan
border. This road is called the Pan
American. It has more than twenty-five
miles completed and in operation. The
promoters Of the enterprise, it is said,
obtained a concession from the Guate-
malan government for building the line
through that country.
The report has been current in railway
circles Of Mexico and Texas recently that
the Hartman interests are negotiating for
the purchase of the Mexican (Vera CRUZ
and the Vera Cruz & Pacific roads. Such
purchase would give the Hartman syn
dictate a through and direct line Of rail-
way from New Orleans, Kansas City and
other points in the United States to the
1sthmus Of Tehuantepec in connection
with the Mexican National and the United
States roads, which this syndicate owns
and controls.
By the purchase Of the two roads named
It would gain an entrance to the ports of
Vera Cruz, Coatzacoalcos and Salina Cruz, !
and be placed in a position to combat the |
advantages obtained by the Mexican Gen. |
trail in owning the only two roads enter |
Ing the Port of Tampico. |