The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-11-28


States ambassador 10 Mexico, did re-
GENTLY when he bought tho Pan 'Amerl-
can railroad This sum is IN American
gold and not Mexican currency. NO
one except Mr.. Thompson most lnt-
mate friends and business associates
knew that he was looking for rail
road bargain until tho announcement
was made that his deal for the pur-
chase of the Pan American was prac-
tcally accomplished .,s
II represented no one but myeeh
in tho transaction - Mr.. Thompson as
serted. "I bought tho road as z prl'
waite, individual investment.
He saws that he considers the Pan.
American the most promising railroad
on the American continent. The long
talked of through railroad llne between
tho United States and the more south'
crn part of South America is rapidly
nearing fulfi]lment, aud tine Pan amerl-
can which Mr.. Thompson owns IS dcs-
tined to become one of the links IN
that important intcTcontinental route,
Mr.. Thompson S road is 4l6 kllo.
meters long This is equivalent TO 296
miles II was built by American caPl-
tsI and was completed to the Mexico.
Cnatemala border only a few months
oro. Il holds n very valuable con
cn,siop from The Mexican government
givinr il the exclusive right to occupy
wide strip of territory extending
from the Pacific ocean back 10 the
range of mountains in the state oil
Cbiauas. II is the sole occupant OF
sropc of territory which affords the
only available route between Mexico
and Gnstemala. Its strategic position
IS uneXcclled.
Direct Outlet.
Tho Pan.Americau connects with the
Tehuantcpcc National railroad at Gam
boa and IS given direct outlet over
the latter line to tho ports of saline
Cruz ON ;hc Pacific and Puerto MeAico
ON the Atlantic. The general oillceS
or ihc road arc at Gamboa. Mr.. Chomp.
son has given notice that he will retire
from his diplomatic position about De
ccmbcr He viii then devote much
of his time to his new railroad prop
crtv. The Guatcmalan and Mexican
governments recently granted the road
a concession for the construction ci Il
bridge across the river which forms
thc BOUNDARY between the Two "oun.
tries at thc proposed crossing place ot
Tho ynad On the Mexico side OF the
rivrr IS The. Town cf Nariscal and OPP
rositc is Ayutla. Guatemala.
Tho Guatemala Central railroad Is
filling in n gap of about tWcniNi!N"
miles which will give it connection with
,hc Pan American at Avutla, thus form,
ING an allrail route between the United
States and the Interior of Guatemala.
Rail connection will also be had with
Port Harrios 'on the Atlantic and the
rort OF Sau fGsc on the Pacific: rms
connecting link viii be finished IN
few months.
the present terminus of the Pan Nmeri-
can on the Guatemala border TO the
lsfhmDs of Panama. This IS figuring
tho distance on straight llnc. II vs.
claimcd by engineers who haNe nis9f
preliminary surveys Tor an extension or
his road to tho Panama Canal that the
most feasible route is hy following close
10 the Pacific coast through Guatcmaia,
Salvador. Nicaragua aud the upper paTt
nf Costa Ricg Al the town of Escasu
in Costa Rica the proposed route turns
southeast aud crosses that eountryNto
the Atlantic, passing through BoeaS del
Toto and running close 10 fhc coast
through the IStbmus of Panama 10
Colon. The route crosses u narrow strip
of Honduras territory which reaches
down 10 tho Gulf of Fonsera. situated
between Salvador aud Nicaragua.
Doing Ey5gsal Ey5gsal-r P..z;a1ssszaaA Psa1sss
Mr. TtomrLa Weet NJ Pan, Ain'Eh,
eau 10 M2Nlfo ..uI what ii IL today ana
vlat Jt will become within the ueNt
few tnunths when il rs connected up
wifhlthc Guatemala Central. Althoueh
tho yuad is new and is rot IN well-set-
ilcJ physical condition IT is DONG hnc
business both in freight and passenger
Nnfic. 1t traverses territory OF vast
r ,-rrin richness. The resources OF the
lands which slope gently towards the
sea and of the mountains winch form
towering background arc very great
and have received scarcely touch on
development mp 10 this time II ls
one OF the most attractive parts OF Mex
icu for MANY kinds of investment, II
is claimed Until the building of the
Pan. American il was a region OF. mNs
tery. H. was visited by few outsiders
aud its native population were content
30 live the same lives that had been
followed by their people for untold gen
crafious. The lack of transportation
facilities made il useless 10 grow prod
ucis more than were necessary for then
simple needs There was no marke
for tho surplus. Their lands had lit
tic valuo for the reason that there wa
40 demand for any kind Of propert'
IN The isolated and remote region
II was well Known that the mountain
were timbcrcd with forests of hardwood
and other trees and that beneath rhci
surface were precious minerals |
abundance of richness but except !
isolated cases 10 effort was made (
profit by this knowledge.
Change in the Map.
wonder change has already bee
wrought as ! direct result Of the builc
ing of the road The ancient India
villages, with their picturesque settings
have found themselves suddenly con
verted into thriving uiarts of trade
Euterprising Americans have been flow
ing steadily into the territory opcne
up by the road and many choice tract
OF land have passed into the hands 0
these foreigners. The autlquated mctl
DDS of agriculture and stock raisiu
have been cast aside by these uewcou
ers and the most modern IDEAS apple
10 the conduct of these respective liuc
OF business. The awakening has oul
begun. Much must still be accomplish
ed before tho great natural wealth an
resources OF the region are realize
and fully developed. 1t is claimed thu
as 2 cattle raising country tho Ian
bordering this road has no superio
Mr.. Thompson is enthusiastic over tn
possibilities Of the region as a plac
FOR the successful raising of live stoc
of nearly all kinds. Already u numb'
Of large ranches are scattered alon
81. 4 l.. Il,