The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-03-28

&N>@ a4At eDhtA -S@a hGsaf ~@
the net earnings are twice as great as
the Interest charge on the total aE-
thorizsd bond Issue. \ son Of Presf-
dent Diaz Is one Of the directors OF the
road.
The trains Of the run
on a peculiar schedule. The trip from
Gamboa 10 Tapachula is too long 10 be
made in a single day: 50 the trains.
start in the morning. run as far a.
Tonala. stop there over night. and con-
tinue the journey e day. reaching
Tapachula by shutdown. on the Sec
ton between Tapachula and Mariscal
there is only one train a week. and
that runs on Sunday. However. the
operating officials OF he Pan-Amcri-
can. being from the United States. have
a warm spot in their hearts for ATneri-
can travellers. and often allow them
the privilege OF riding OF II construc-
ton train any day in the week.
The operation Of the Pan-American
has been taken over by the National
Railways of Mexico. and the line viii
become an integral part of that system.
A strong effort is being made 10 TX
plot the territory through which me
line passes. situated no farther from
the markets OF the eastern part Of The
United States than southern California
and many days closer 10 New York
and the Atlanti Seaboard via the Pan<
anna Canal, it is claimed that a great
luture in fruit growing is in prospect
The territory through which the -oad
passes is one of the famous coffee
sections of Mexico. 1t was
expected that the building OF the road
would result in all this coffee reaching
the markets of the world Via the Te-
~hauntepec route, and in this way the
Pan-American would prove a feeder
for that road. Some fear Is now ex-
pressed that the extension of the PAN
American to the GuateInalan frontier.
and its connection with the Guatemala
Central. Will result in much OF the
southern Mexico coffee seeking an out
let oVer the latter road and trough
the ports of Champerico and Port Bar
rios.
A trip through the territory covered
pE the Pan-American is an Interesting
one Its rolling stock is of good quail
lty: the engines, like all Central Amer
lean engines, being wood burners, with
very expansive STnokeStackS. The road
follows the old Canine Real. or royal
highway, built by the Spaniards to give
the city of Tehauntepec an outlet to
Central America A little way south
OF Gamboa one comes upon the lands
known as Las Marquisadas, now sub
divided into the vast haciendas. or
ranches, of La Nenta. Chicapa and
Tarifa- which We're presented to Cor
tez by the SpaniSh crown. The cattle
on these ranches are still rande with
the same symbol that was used in Cor
tez'S time.
Near Tonala, and only a few miles
from the railroad. are the ruins OF an
ancient city, which Professor Hewitt.
of the Smithsonian institutions, believes
constituted one Of the chain of cities
which included the Casa Grange ruin.
Of northern Mexico. the MiZtec palaces
of Militia. and the ruins of Yucatan. At
Tapachula one finds a customs house.
although the town IS inland. 1t is for
the port Of San BenftO, which is stu
ated on the coast. When the vessels
which call there come into port. Gus
toms. quarantine and port officers go
down from Tapachula and attend to
the business. When the clearance
papers are turned over. all hands re-
turn to T~apachula, leaving San Benito
deserted until the next ship comes in,
and that is usually a long time. With
the coming of the Pan-American the
glory Of San Benito as a seaport has
Oepatred.