The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-23
VIA rEHUANTEPEC.

WARRINGTON, March 22.-TheTo 10 IN
oreasing interest In the so-caled Tehuan-
tepec line as q transportation route, n II
lie safe to predict that the interest will be
greater Ave years hence than 1t is to-day.
Its place as O competitor OF q completed
Panama canal lie q matter OF conjecture,
but there is no doubt Of its importance as
an interoceanio route before the cana ID
finished.
The line itself is practically completed.
Comparatively little remains to be done on
the harbor works at thet terminals to make
them available for such business. as is
likely to come before their full completion.
The line Is 100 miles in length from port to
port, Ia rock ballasted and equipped with
steel bridges where bridges are needed.
Ample dockage is provided, and the docks
will be supplied with facilities for the speedy
loading and unloading Of vessels. Ar
rangements nave already been made for
steamship service on both sides OF the
Isthmus, and 1t Is the intention Of the man
agement to quote rates Of transportation
that will attract traffic.
1t remains to be seen whether the line
will fulfil the hopes OF its projectors, but
the probabilities are in its favor. The
argument, supported by figures, is that as
compared with Panama the time OF ransit
between New York and San Francisco or
Puget Sound ports is three or four days
less by Tehuantepec than by Panama Tor
all ordinary freighting steamers. 1t is
believed that the cost OF transfer, loading
and unloading will not greatly, If 1t does
at all, exceed the canal tolls. For certain
classes Of freight, such as sugar from
Hawaii, for instance, this will probably be
the case. On paper, at least, the line prom
ises to be q rival Of the canal enterprise.
There appears to be some m~isconception
regarding the proprietorship Of the route
An article which has had q considerable
circulation calls it an English enterprise
established by British capital. This is only
partially true. 1t is a Mexican enterprise.
for many years a favorite project OF Presi-
dent Diaz. Various concessions have been
granted during the last sixty years. In
1888 the Government undertook the oon-
struction OF the line, and an alleged railway
was virtually completed during the next
twelve or fifteen years. In 1898 a contract
for q properly built system was made with
the English firm Of Pearson & Sons. The
arrangement was virtually a partnership
to which the contracting parties contrib
uted an equal share as a loan until the
National T~ehuantepeo Railway Company
should be In position to market its bonds,
This is now being done. The road 10 prac-
tically leased to the Pearson company fol
a term Of fifty-one years dating from July
1902. But the line is a Mexican line, and al
the expiration Of the Pearson contract II
reverts to the Government.
In q way this line is likely to prove g
useful aid to'the Panama canal enterprise
during the progress Of the work. 1t will
divert some Of the traffic which now con-
gests the Panama Railway by opening q
new route between Atlantic ports ano
Panama City. There is no occasion what
ever for alarmists to get busy. The Te-
huantepec route will probably get SOM
business, and we sincerely hope that it will
get a large business; but there will be
very comforting little pile of traffic left fol
the big ditch when it opens it's lock gates.