Evening star., 1909-03-11
OPENS NEW RAILWAY
Republic of Colombia Now Has
a Line to Bogota.
DOES AWAY WITH BIG CLIMB
Removes Necessity of Carrying
Freight by Mule Back.
VOYAGE TO DORADA BY BOAT
Americans Attempt Unsuccessfully
to Provide Means for Rail Trans
portation From Buenaventura.
DOES AWAY WITH BIG CLIMB
VOYAGE TO D0RADA BY BOAT
BY WILLIAM ECLRTIS,

BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald.
Washington's birthday was celebrated
by our friendly neighbor, the republic of
Colombia. by the opening Of a railway be-
tween the Magdalena river and Bogota,
which makes it possible to reach the city
without climbing up mountain trail for
three days on horseback Hitherto the
capital of Colombia has been difficult of
access. and the journey has been very IA
tiguing, and all freight has been carried
up the mountains on muleback: but here
after the entire distance may be covered
by boats and railway cars.
The new railway begins at Girardot
at the head Of navigation on the Magdale-
ma river, an elevation of GOO feet above
the sea, and ends at Facatativa, 1900 feet
above the sea, where it unites with the
Sabana railroad, which runs across
level plain 1900 feet above tidewater
to the Colombian capital The distance
between Girardot and Facatativa in an
air line is only siXty-tWo miles. but the
railway rise of S.4O0 feet requires about
ninety-five miles of difficult and expensive
construction through rocky gorges and
zigzagg across the mountainside. 1t
has been building for many years by an
English corporation with subsidy from
the government and guarantee of inter-
est upon the actual investment.
From Facatativa to Bogota.
The railway from Facatative to Bogota
across the Sabana has been in operation
about fifteen years. 1t is twenty-five
miles long. the grade is almost dead level
and it was built by Gonzales Vasques,
Colombian engineer, and laid with iron
rails, part of them rolled by the natives
in mill which stands beside a rich iron
mine on the Sabana only a few miles
from Bogota. No steel has ever been
made in Colombia. but furnace and
rolling mill have been operated from time
to time by private company as iron has
been required. The difficulty and expense
Of transporting heavy freight on mule
back over the mountain trails to Bogota
has given this local enterprise cOnsidera-
BILE Importance, but the demand for iron
Is comparatively small.
The greater part of the passengers and
freight have entered and left Colombian
territory from an English dock at the
at the mouth of the Magdalena river. But
a sandy island which has been formed by
the silt has blocked the entrance, SO that
communication between the river and the
ocean is difficult. All freight and passen-
gers have to cross the bar upon a little
railway to the town of Barranqnilla.
which is the terminus of lines Of stern
wheel steamers like those plying upon
the Ohie, the Tennessee and other
branches of the Mississippi. There We're
formerly three lines. two Of them owned
by American capitalists. but they have
been recently consolidated into one COM
pany under German control. There are
now forty-two steamers, which were built
In Germany and England and brought
across the Atlantic in pieces. The largest
has freight capacity of $50 tons, and
the remainder will average $50 tons. Their
capacity is increased by the use of bon
goes or launches holding 30 tons OF
freight, two or three Of which are towed
alongside the steamers. Some of these
are fitted up quite comfortably for pas
sengers.