The Washington times., 1903-03-12
SENIOR CALVO FAVORS
PAN-AMERICAN RAILWAY

portance in1th!s connection. the Mexi-
can government has granted a conces-
sion carrying with It liberal subsidies
for the construction. within a period
Of two years, OF railway which, start
ing from the isthmus as a branch OF the
Intcroceanic Railway referred to. will
extend to the boundary line OF Guate-
mala-
Greatest Difficulties Overcome.
This new development OF railways in
Mexican territory having been accom-
plished. the greatest OF the difficulties
in extending the IntercOntinentaI Rail-
road will have been overcome by con
Meeting the railway lines OF the Cen
tral American states. several sections
OF which can he utilized for the main
! line.
Il will be sufficient to observe in this
, connection that OF the 1.107 miles that
a route on the Pacific side will have
/ to cover in Central America from the
! Mexican to the Colombian frontier there
are now constructed and in operation
211.3 miles OF track. particularly in Sal
vador and Nicaragua. where the longest
railroad lines follow in the greater part
OF their course a direction generally
/ parallel to that OF the coast.
In Guatemala there is a railroad ex-
/ tending from the port of Ocos TO the
village OF Ayutla near the Mexican from
tier. and the lines constructed In this
and the other Central American Repub-
! lies aggregate a little less than 1000
miles, namely, Guatemala, 342; Saliva
dor. 1872; Honduras, so; Nicaragua, 176:
and Costa Rica. 2S7.
But IN Costa Rica, Guatemala and
Honduras the principal railway lines
follow a transverse direction, because
they run from the interior to the ports
Nevertheless, branch lines are being
constructed in the three countries men
toned. which. within a short time, Will
not only be able to add considerable
length to the part of the system already
completed, but will also insure in this
manner the guaranty OF success for an
IntercontiDental Railway by the conse-
quent increase OF traffic that will al
ways result from the greater number OF
| their connections
Such favorable conditions did not ex-
/ ist in Mexico when the construction Of
the first railway between the United
! States and that republic was projected
/ The undertaking was not favored by the
/ public. because IL was thought that II
would not be profitable. and today
twenty years having scarcely elapsed
there are three railway lines in constant
/ operation, fed by the growing commerce
/ between the two nations. These iron
I highways as natural cop,nrvn.oo -
mote the mutual development OF inter
ests, and encourage at the same time
the construction OF other railways with
which they will connect. There is. then,
no reason 10 doubt, in view Of these
premises, which are palpabIe facts, that
the extension OF railways to the south
Will produce equally as good. II not bet
ter. results to capital, exclusive of the
oenefcent moral influence they will e.
ert on the future OF the nations of this
continent.
Increased Importance.
The realization OF the plan for uniting
the two great oceans by a canal seems
near at hand, and II. as IT is reasonable
to hope. the execution OF the same is
speedily decided upon. the northern sec
tion OF the Intercontinental Railway will
thereby greatly increase in Importance
At the second international confer
ence held in Mexico from October. 1901.
to January. 1902. it was resolved to rati
fy the resolutions OF the first conference
held in Washington and to recommend
among otfsr things. that the Govern
ment Of the United States OF America
initiate. by means of the diplomatic
representatives Of the American repub-
lies accredited in Washington, the meas
ure most appropriate for the sending
within year, of commissioners TO 70
port upon the railways completed. ana
the concessions that the respective
governments Will grant for the con-
struction Of a continental railway.
At the present time this idea is great
ly favored. and Il can be expected that
with the new impulse IT receives now.
the Continental Railway will soon ,,e
come an accomplished fact.
May IL be so for the welfare Of the
American republics