The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-09
GOVERNMENT TAKES A HAND
Mexico Trying to Force Mexican
Central to Sell Out.

Austin, Tex, March e-Advices were
received here today from Mexico that
Jas. Speyer of Speyer & Co. of New
YORK and H. Clay Pierce, chairman of
the executive beard of the Mexican
Central, will make a trip over the lat
ter system this week 1t is stated that
| their visit to Mexico at this time is to
confer with the Mexican government,
ana 1t is believed in well-informed
financial circles of Mexico that the
Mexican Central is about to be added
to the governments system of rail-
roads. 1t is considered significant that
Mr.. Speyer whose firm represents the
Mexican government interest in the
National railroad company of Mexico
should visit Mexico in company with
Mr. Pierce of the Mexican Central
board.
MEXICO WANTS TO BUY.
| Austin, Tex, March 9.-The plans of
the Mexican government for establish
| ing a great railroad system in that
country, and in which it shall have
controlling financial interest, are being
gradually unfolded. The fulfillment of
these plans necessarily means an in
| jury to the earning capacity of other
competing roads, particularly the Mex
| lean Central. 1t has been charged that
the Mexican government is purposely
directing its efforts towards preventing
| che expansion and development of the
business of the Mexican Central in or
| der that it's stock may thereby be de-
preciated and then bought up by the
government. There may be something
in this charge, but, whether there is or
not, the fact is apparent that the Mex
lean Central is being blocked more and
more effectually every day by the
fsteady extension of the National rail-
road of Mexico, which is a government
property.
1t has already been related how the
Mexican government put stop to the
Mexican Centrars proposed short-line
h. ID nv
granting the National railroad COM
pany of Mexico concession for the ex-
elusive occupancy of a strip of land
thirty miles wide bordering on the Rio
Grande from point near its mouth to
a point opposite Del Rio, Tex, a dis
tance of about 400 miles. This cOnceS-
sion, it is said, was granted in order
to prevent the Mexican Central from
building its new line to the border. The
work on this extension was stopped, al
though the route had been surveyed
and the contract for constructing part
of the road had been let.
| The National railroad also began the
construction of a branch road about
that time, to run from Monterey to
Matamoros, situated opposite Browns
vile, Tex Rapid progress has been
made in the construction of this line
and it will be completed and placed IN
operation in about six mouths. 1t will
afford a new and direct route between
the United States border and the inter-
ior of Mexico in connection with the
San Antonio and Arkansas Pass and the
ST. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico
roads, which are now being built to
Brownsville. The National already
connects with the Gould system at
Laredo, Tex, and since the work of
widening it's gauge was completed a
few months ago it is doing a very large
freight and passenger business to and
from Mexico. The new line which 1t is
building to Matamoros will give it
additional facilities for handling this
traffic.