The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-05-05
RAILROAD NEWS.
Lines Of Mexico Are Reaching
Over the Land
Roads Stretching Out to Develop
a Great Country.
TAP RICH TERRITORY.
Mineral Deposits Hitherto Tn
available to Be Touched.
Gossip and Matters Of Interest
in Railroad Circles.
TAP RICH TERRITORY.

Writing from Monterey. Mexico, to
the Chicago Record Herald. William
Z. Curtis has this to say about the
railroad development in that country:
There is a great deal of railway con-
struction going on in Mexico, and it is
the most noticeable consequence OF
the adoption of the gold standard.
During the next ten years Mexico will
undoubtedly be the theater of great
commercial and industrial develop
ment and internal improvements; and
they are stimulated by the government
with subsidies, amounting, as rule,
to $l2.50 per mile fer standard, and
$500 per mile for narrow gauge lines.
The government has obtained control
OF the National lines of Mexico, a sys-
tenn Of something over 5000 miles,
and extending from the Rio Grande to
Vera Cruz on the gulf side and to
Uruapam, on the Pacific, and Tlan-
cualptcan in the coffee regions Of the
south 1t also has a controlling in
terest in the International railroad in
the northern part of the territory.
which formerly belonged to the South
ern Pacific system. and actually owns
the Vera Cruz and Pacific and the
Tehuantepec roads which give it a
straight line between the two oceans
and reach nearly all of the important
points in the republic. There are
now 1910 kilOmeters of track in
Mexico. The increase last year was
nearly 1000 kilometers. This year it
viii be even greater
The most important propositions
now under way are:
1. The P'an-American railroad from
the Isthmus of Tehuantepec to the
boundary of Guatemala which I have
already described in several letters.
2. A line from Guaymas on the Gulf of
+ california following the foothills Of the
/ Mother Range on the Pacific coast to
the city of Guadalajara.
3. The extension Of the Mexican Cen
trail to Manzanillo on the Pacific coast.
d. Tie construction of the Kansas
City. Mexico and Orient railway across
the states of Chihuahua and Sinaloa to
the port of Topolobampo.
There are various rumors down here
bout the plans of B. F. Yoakum and
the Rock Island company. cannot
learn anything about them here or in
the capital. bir. Yoakum has recently
been down to the City of Mexico, where
he had several interviews with Presi-
dent Diaz and Mr.. Fernandez, the min
lister of communications. but they are
not ready to give out Information con-
corning the projects he has proposed.
The run1or on the street is that they re-
late to the northeastern part of Mexico:
that Mr.. Yoakum will build east and
west from the coal regions on the Rio
%rIdLIe anu SOuLn from san ANTONIO
to NJ nterey in connection with the
roads he is now constructing in the
southeastern corner Of Texas. Every
body knows that Mr.. Yoakum is a com
'prehensive mcn and the Mexican gov
eminent is disposed to give him every
possible encoura cement.
The railway down the west coast
which is extremely important for MANY
reasons. is being built by the Occi
dental Construction company Of New
York which is another name for E. H
Hartman and his associates. It is t,
be $50 miles long and is to receive
subsidy of $7.5OO.0OO gold, to be pail
one-third in bonds of the government
of Mexico. and the remainder in tel
annual equal cash installments. It /
to be a part of the Southern Pacific
SYSTEM will touch several importan
points and have branches to severa
ports upon the Gulf of California ant
the Pacific ocean, connecting with tn,
Mexican Central al the City of Topic
from whence it viii use the Contra
tracks as far as Guadala lara. TIL,
most important ports reached will b.
Altata, Mazatlan and San Bias. all o
them now visited regularly by the Pa
cihc Mail and other lines Of steamers.