The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1909-04-30
TW07z1T ~ TIE C6IE-WzZzANG ZYBE GRWl5T c0Ry g

Much interest has been excited BY
the announcement that an extensive
Esrea of Northwest Mexico is to be
exploited by British-Canadian enter
mise, with, however, American and
Mexican cooperation, which is valued
for its intimate acquaintance with the
country.
Northwest Mexicos attractiveness
as promising field for enterprise
has long been manifest, inasmuch as
it borders the United States, and is
known to possess great natural re-
sources as well as a fertile soil and
a perfect climate. 1t has certainly
leen trayersed-at wide intervals
BY American lines running southwark
TO the Mexican capital or westward to
the Pacific coast, but those lines have
been more concerned with their ter.
ninals than with the development OF
the counuy's resources.
Indeed, the best areas are off the
beaten tracks and lie westward of
Chihuahua, fhe capital of the state
so named and the chief city of North.
ern Mexico. In that region-which
has been sparsely served hitherto
are magnificent pastures and arabic
lands unsurpassed for fertility in
North America. But still more impor-
talt are the immense forests of white
pine and the great abundance of min
erals which has made the Sierra Madre
region famous even in the primitive
times of mule transport.
Local lines operating west and
north of Chihuahua have disclosed
the great possibilities that lie beyond.
These lines are now the germ of a
|farTeaching system. Having taken
over the existing lines, extensions
will be built which will not only give
2 sreat impetus to local development
butt connect with the American and
Mexican trunk lines running north
Ind south, east and west, from the
great cities of Americas middle states
~ tie Mexican capital in the former
Frection, from the gulf ports to the
|Faeific coast Oh the other. The ex,
ended system will form connections
d various points.
It would be difficult to convey by
mere verbal recital what those vari-
Gus extensions and connections i'm
piT but system so advantageously
situated, and working from the inter-
iOFof far-reaching network of rail-
RaEs-one which will have 600 miles
q lts own by the beginning of 1911,
q which zoe are in actual operation
AoV--can scarcely be a negligible
quantity as principal or auxiliary. 1t
seenls, indeed, to supply the key to
kseaI problems in Transportation, and,
ancng other possibilities of the flu
saIe to assure that there shall be eff
EetlYe northern competition with the
eaafla canal. Considerable timber
ZIG and milling profits are assured
~kne new railroad by it's ownership
q magnificent forest lands and saw
AlIls 1t will convey the immigrants
sn are already streaming to the in
sSslof, and 1t will carry their produce
ahQ their cattle to the markets of
Aeierlca or for shipment to Europe.
'ssMill create new industries for the
s0a % the country and it's own profit
Mllg new centers of activity into
ss'ag, and stimulate towns that have
.aask alshed for lack of communica-
ions
Mlhlng has hitherto been carried
y Ahder difficulties, which would
!. ssss been insuperable were it not
'a'as ores rich enough to bear the cost
n mule transport to the shelters
rye available. Inferior ores which.
sea mere been railway, might have
sssh profitably shipped were thrown
Is 1ne dumps as useless, and mines
lefs neglected which, under more
sasonable conditions, would have
seA excellent propositions. A trans.
slaaaIion in that respect will be
s'oaght when the railway is ready
6 serve the highly mineralized areas
s'as development begins in earnest
r modern lines
se'lalslng is already assuming
II sSlsance In view of the rapid alien. |
a y the cattle lands in the United
ss lot agricultural requirements |
sIs ~ consequent southern migra. |
|tSs IA & 'ne ranchers to Mexico, where |
~ IDEAL conditions for the sue.
prosecution of their industry. !.
S IS drawback to its rapid deyel- /
nas been the lack of trans
IS s'lsies IN reasonable contiguity
nnest pastures-a handican