Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1904-07-28

DlDlo5Na - 4
mite New York with the Argentine
Republic, Charpes M. Pepper, special
commissioner of the United States to
report on this road, says:
If there were n government from
Mexico to the Isthmus OF Panama,
and another from the lsthmus TO the
Straits Of Magellan, the linking OF
the continents together by a steel
highway might be simple, for rail-
WAYS might be built as they have
been constructed by Russia. But
since this condition does not exist,
the next best thing is to secure uni
form action within the borders OF the
different countries, so chat their rail-
way policy will be adapted % reach
ing the territory Of their %neighbors in
the manner to form ultimately a
through trunk line. In plain words,
the railway is to zigzag from New
York or from Hudson Bay to Buenos
Ayres by means of through connec-
tions. The United States, with its
numerous lines extending into Mex
leo. already has the basis for further
communication southwark. What it
is doing now in the official sense Is
to furnish the information for cap
italists of the opportunities which lie
to the south both for railway build
ing and for general trade and internal
developments.
1t is a long stretch to cover 4,ioo
miles or Whereabouts, which Is the
total of the gaps now existing be-
tween New York and Buenos Ayres.
The practical question is the abil-
ity of the various countries to give
sufficient aid by subsidies and other
mea for constructing ~unproductfye
railway lines in order that great pro-
ductive regions may be opened up.
They are doing this now with consid-
cradle success, notably In the Argen-
tine Republic.
To the query SO often made as to
when the Pan-Ameriean railway will
be built, the answer is TO look AT the
man and see how it is now building,
There is real significance in Mexico
extending its lines to the border OF
Guatemala, and the Argentine Repub'
lie actually crossing the frontier OF
Bolivia under an International treaty
and prolonging its system into the lat
ter country. There is also signifi
canoe in completed sections of rail
way along the intercontinental route
in Peru and in Guatemala. 1t is oni,
within a few months that these lines
which some years ago We're declared
to be mere dreams, have been finish
ed.
/ do not venture to say e {
through trip may be taken from thu
Hudson Bay to Buenos Ayres or San
tiago by rail, but the prophecy cai
be made that it will not be man!
years till the railway journey from
New York to Panama will be accomp
lished, and also when it will be pos
sible to go by rail from Bueno
Ayres to Lima in Peru. By the tim
this becomes feasible 1t Is more thai
likely that further progress will b
made in railway building from Per
northward toward Ecuador and fror
panama south through Colombia I
Ecuador. 1t also will be possible I
cross the Andes from the Atlantic Z
the Pacific-that Is, from Bueno
Ayres to Valparaiso.
Sceptics who deal in general doubt
and decline to recognize concrete eli
cumstances always will scout thi
idea OF a Pan-American railwa!
Those who have faith will seek fo
detailed information. In making a
official report as late as March of TN
present year, | had occasion to con
ment IN the plans Of the Chilan go'
eminent for piercing the Andes an
to make a statement Of the legasl;
tion that had been enacted for tha
purpose. This information was me
with the objection that political re,
sons would keep Chill from openin
up through railway communicate
with the Argentine Republic, an
that the motives which for a third {
a century had prevented the consun
nation of the plan would prevent
for another third Of a century or eve
a full century. The objection ha
hardly been given publicity when II
cable brought the news that the Chi
ian government had awarded the CO.
tracts to English and United State
firms for tunnelling the Andes an
closing up the railway gaps.
H