New-York tribune., 1903-03-12
PAN-AMERICAN RAILROAD
PROJECT TO BE PUSHED
Mr. Carnegie's Interest Creates En-
thusiasm among Diplomats.
TBr TELEGRAPH TO 7HB TRIBUNE.l

WASHINGTON, March 11-Corsiderable en-
thusiasm was created at the conference or the
diplomatic representatives of the South and
Central American countries on the subject OF
the Pan American InterCORtinental railroad at
the State Department to-day by the announce
ment that Andrew Carnegie had communicated
mis- approval of the plans and expressed desire
to know about the arrangements Tor
finarcin5 the scheme. Mr.. Carnegie has already
contributed $1,000 in addition to the amount ap-
propriated by Congress to defray the prelim-
mary expenses. and the intimaton that he be
lieved the affair to be practicable was taken TO
mean that he might be prepared to take imam
cial interest in the proposed railway system.
The conference to-day was eninently salts
factory. Qualification expressed by the
diplomats at the choice of Charles NJ. Pepper
commissioner to investigate and report OIL the
condition of existing lines and the feasibility of
the proposed ntercontinental railroad. An ad-
dress was delivered by ex-senator Henry G.
Davis, who represented the United States at the
recent Pan-American Conference in the City of
Mexico.
Maps have been prepared showing the route
of the projected railroad and the amount of
rail necessary to complete system from New
York to BuenoS Ayres. Roughly estimated, 1t
is believed that five thousand miles would COM
plete the connections From NewYork to the
! Guate.nalan frontier in Mexico lines already in
operation would be used. The Republic of Qua
tenlala has already announced its intention of
completing line from the Mexican boundary
through its territory. From the southern end of
this line there is Il considerable break, and there
the main railroad construction Will have to DE
done The line viii run along the Pacific slope
of the Andes after crossing the ISthmus Of
Panama. until 1t enters Peru. Here short
but hard line would have to De built across the
mountains and through Bolivia. connecting with
the Argentine system. which now completed
frontier. 4 branch ne would
connect with the Peruvian lines, and another
short link would connect with the fourteen hun
dred miles of Chilian railroad. II was estimated
at the conference to-day that S200.GG0OOO would
be necessary to construct the links and finance a
company 10 operate the new lines in South and
Central America.
Representatives OF the South American coun-
tries present to-day declared that they would
all their influence to secure generous grants
both of money and land from their governments
to aid in defraying the expense of building the
lines Commissioner Pepper, who is the
, way to Cuba Will soon go to South America. to
inspect the lines already completed and dis
cuss the project with the governments of the
various countries 1t the general opinion
of the diplomats at the conference that material
progress had been made toward the ultimate
success of the scheme
completion of the proposed intercontinental
railway" said one of the South American dpo
mats. would prove of incalculable value TO all
the South American republics and to the United
States. At the present time. he added We
are generally obliged to send our children to
Europe to complete their education. and the
ideas they absorb there are by no means cal
culated to promote the welfare Of the republics:
With continuous railway system to the United
States we could send our young people mere 10
compJete their education. and they would re-
Ceive a grounding In the principles Of liberty
patriotism and self government. AGAIN the Mt
arature Of Continental Europe now floods our
homes and in many instances poisons the
minds of our young people With more IN
+{r,at communication with the United states
tba Younger generation, at least. will rapidly
learn English and then can avail themselves
of the purer, healthier literature OF ths toun
a.. rhage advantages will prove of material
raIue for they will cultivate among the younger
Generation the habit of correct thinking anu
So For the general integrity and progressive
',nss ~ the sister republics in the southern con-