The San Francisco call., 1909-01-17

their preliminary lines froQuon1lY
travelled for miles under q tanglswood
OF vines which let In but nesting
glimpBss OF the sur. From MazAk1an
to Topic the region Is . wilderness oe
wild wonders. II was on this section
that the route OF the American sn-
ginsers encountered the most dangers
and dffnculties. Before hnss could be
run paths had to be cut through thu
dense tanglewood OF vines and forest
growth by Mexican laborsrA The ma
tives all carry machstsA and Il IL
necessary for them sven In going from
place to place about their own homas
to cut paths through the undergrowth.
The heavy vegetation springs MP al
most In a night. The machetes also
serve the useful purpose OF a weapon
to defend themselves from the attacks
OF wild beasts which infest that region.
In some localities the Mexican lions or
pumas are so numerous and bold that
many small children are carried on
and eaten by them every year and It
Is dangerous for q grown person to
venture out OF doors after nightfall
Tall stockadss are built around some
Of the native houses to protect thu in
mates from the wild bsastA The Mexi-
can lions keep mostly to the noun
tains. but the Iowlands are infested
with leopards. panthers and wildcats.
Wolves and coyotes arc found In most
sections. az are also many kinds OF
small animals. such a. 'coons. rabbits.
squirrels and rats. Deer are found IN
large numbers all over the country.
Bears are found In the mountains. One
animal. called the "teJoni." seems to
be oross between coon and fox.
and IL very common In tho forests.
The rats live In large nests In the trees
which they build out OF twigs and
leaves. and the squirrels live In holes
In the ground. These homes OF the
squirrels resemble prairie dog holes.
One OF the most disagreeable features
connected with the construction OF the
new road Is the insect pest which
makes life burdensome in the marshy
districts adjacent to the coast. The
mosquitoes and small gnats make
savage attacks upon the men. At one
place where the pests were unusually
severe and vigorous IN their attacks the
Mexican laborers with the American
gang OF engineers went on strike be-
cause OF the unbearable pain caused by
the insects. A force OF rurales were
sent TO the scene to quell the strikers.
Most OF the engineering parties were
accompanied by detachment OF gov
ernment soldiers, detailed for that pur-
pose by the federal authorities, TO afford
protection from the lawless element and
TO ksep down trouble among the native
and other laborers. In the tents of the
engineers the work Of the craftsman
Is greatly lnterfered with by the mos
Quitoes and gnats. White cloths are
worn over their heads by the men to
protect them from the Insects.
The rough part OF the route OF the
new road begins near where It crosses
the Santiago river and continues from
there on to Orendain. crossing the
Sierra Madres- To cross these noun
tains the road must rise from a sea
level to an altitude OF more than 5000
feet. 1t Is planned to accomplish this
by a maximum grade OF 2 per cent.
Surveys OF available routes through the
mountains are still in progress and per-
haps q grade lower than per cent may
yet be obtained
Inc construction OF r0l3 rdllrOaQ pro-
ceeded without interruption or curtail-
ment In any OF its several departments
during the financial depression which
recently existed IN the United States.
The number OF men employed IN the
construction gangs has varied from
time to tina. according to the available
supply.
The grading and track laying forces
number from 5000 to 10000 men They
are gathered from widely separated
parts Of the world. There are hun
dredB Of Chinese. Russians. Japanese,
Maya Indians and native Mexicans en-
ployed upon the different divisions un-
DER construction. In the early part
OF construction several hundred YaQu1
Indians were employed. 1t was thought
that these Indians were using the
money which they made to buy arms
and ammunition for the warning mem
bers OF their tribe and the Mexican
government issued an order prohibit
ing their further employment. either
upon the railroad or in other work In
the states OF Sonora and Sinaloa-
The material used In building this
railroad IL assembled from all parts
Of the world. Many OF the crossties
are from Japan. The steel rails come
from Spain. Belgium and Russia The
cement used IN the concrete culvert
work Is from Germany. The steel
bridge structural timbers are from the
United States. 1t Is said to be the most
cosmopolitan built railroad IN the
world
This Hartman railroad down the
Pacific slope Of Mexico will place sew
era1 OF the deepwater ports OF this
country IN close touch with the otner
parts OF the republic The trade OF
0uaymas has languished for lack OF a
railroad outlet TO the south. which Is
now given that port. The road crosses
The Kansas City. Mexico and Orient
line at San Bias. q short distance above
the port OF Topolobampo. At Culiacan
the new line connects with the West
ern Railway OF Mexico. a short line
running to the port OF Altata- Farther
down the coast Is the port OF Mazatlan.
into which place the road viii soon be