The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1906-05-07
ROUTE PROPOSED BETWEEN
ALASKA AND PATAGONIA
The Dream of Charles III. Pepper,
United States and Pan-Amer-
lean Railway Com
missioner.

Years ago. when Cecil Rhoades was
IN the height Of his African successes
and was doing more than any Other
man to develop the British interests
there, he startled the world by his pro-
posal Of Cape to Cairo railroad, and
in spite Of the skepticism OF most peo-
pie. went steadily ahead with his plans
and to-day what people then declared
was but wild dream mas come very
near being reality.
In this country to-day we hear talk
Of an Alaska to Patagonia railroad,
and we think OF it as a bit Of
romancing. but its protector is just as
much in earnest as was Rhoades in re-
gard to his African continental road.
and he declares he expects to see his
plans realized some day.
The man who is 30 daring as TO sug-
gest such vast enterprise is Mr.
Charles N. Pepper. He is United
States and Pan-American railway com
missioner, and he maintains that his
project, far from being impossible. Is
already probable and the direct corol-
larry to the Monroe doctrine. He
quotes the late George NJ Pullman.
who, keen student OF railway develop
meni as he was. predicted that one
day there would be through sleepers
between Denver and Buenos Ayres.
Mr.. Pepper has seen Pan-American
conditions both as a newspaper corre-
rpondent and as a delegate to the Pan
American congress in 1901, and since
his appointment as railway commits
fioner he has made costly survey
with view Of a Pan-American rail-
road Such a road as he proposes In
wolves the cooperation of Is of the
South American republican, and the
rail- links necessary to complete such
a system would be 5000 miles in
length and would cost s200.000. 900.
To show that the plans for this gi-
gantic system have passed beyond the
proDiematic stage. Mr.. Pepper says:
1T may be said that in the Begin
ming of 1906 every Central and every
South American country has dennite
policy of aiding railway construction
as an integral part OF the Pan-Ameri-
can system, and some Of them, as in
the case of Peru and Bolivia, have
enacted special legislation. All Of them
are sympathetic toward an interconti-
mental trunk line, because 1t comedies
with their plans for internal develop
ment and external trade
The project as it appears on the pro-
ille of the map OF the survey made by
w. z. Skunk, as engineer-in-chief from
1892 to 1898, shows the general direc-
tion of the road to be northwest and
southeast along the giant chains Of the
Andes. The governing principle is
long continental backbone with branch
ribs in every direction, taking into
consideration mineral. agricultural and
timber resources, without omitting eli
matte conditions.
Mr.. Pepper has prepared a table
showing what parts OF the proposed
system are already in operation and
what parts are under consideration.
The road from New York to Laredo.
Tex, 2.lS7 miles, is in operation, as is
also that from Laredo to Mexico City.
From Mexico City to the Guatemala
border there are 730 miles OF road, Of
which $50 are being operated. In Cen
fral America there are 351 miles in op-
GRAFTON. 100 miles being built and 592
miles projected. In Panama 612 pro-
Jected. In Colombia, 20 miles in opera
fion and S45 miles projected. In Ecua-
dor 126 miles in operation, n miles In
construction and 455 miles projected.
In Peru there are 277 miles In op-
Grafton, 223 miles under con-
struction and 1885 projected.
In Bolivia 233 miles in operation, 1928
miles under construction and 1870 miles
projected And in the Argentine re-
public there are 1893 miles Of road in
operation and 1876 miles under CON
struction
In an imaginary trip over the future
system, Mr.. Pepper grows enthusias-
tic over the wonderful display OF ma
tural beauties along the line of the
road. When the Notwithstanding
tourist takes the through railway jour
ney, ''he will see the relation Of sea-
level plains, inter-mountain plateaux,
profound valleys. shallow depressions,
rushing rivers. mighty guiches, tortu-
GUS canyons. sinuous passes, the spark
ling verdure and the brilliant foliages
OF the tropics, the treeless regions Of
the Andes desert. naked cliffs and jut-
ting preciplces, fieece-hidden SUBMITS,
and the pinnacIed peaks Of the eternal
SHOWS. often passing from the rankest
wealth Of nature to its most sterile and
grudging gifts, almost as swiftly as the
imagination can conceive the change. n
When She Begins.