Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-03-24

GAMBOA, Mexico.-The Pan-American
railroad. lately completed between this
point and the Guatemalan frontier at
Mariscal, gives Mexico railway connee-
lions from its southernmost border to the
Rio Grande 1t adds nearly 800 miles to-
ward the final fulfillment of the genera
tion-long dream Of an, intercontinental
railroad which will unite the Americas
with bonds of steel. There remains
small section to be filled in between the
Guatemala Central, 1t then will be posi-
BILE to make the journey from any point
in the United States tC Guatemala City
by rail. The gap Between the Pan-Amer-
lean and the Guatemala Central Will be
filled in as soon as the two lines can
settle their differences concerning a
bridge that spans the river between Mar
iscal and Ayutla.i The distance is less
than 50 miles, and the territory through
which the road is to be constructed is
not difficult one.
The dispute aboutcthe bridge spanning
-the Suchiate river involves an interesting
international question When ID. e.
Thompson was ambassador of the Uni
ted States to Mexico, he secured the
confidence of the Guatemalan govern
ment by assisting in bringing about an
amicable settlement of a dispute between
the two governments, which threatened
to result in war. After terminating his
diplomatic service, he secured the con-
cession under which the Pan-Ameriean
railroad has been built. This carried 1t to
the middle of the Suchiate river,
where the boundary between Mexico and
Guatemala is encountered. Thompson
went to the Guatemalan government and
obtained a concession for the extension
of the bridge to the rGuatemalan shore
and it's operation hereafter. In the con-
cession, however. was a clause specify
ing that this should not conflict with
the rights of any third party. There
seemed to be mo third party with whose
rights it could conflict SO the Thomp-
som syndicate completed the bridge.
At this juncture the Interests behind
the Guatemala Central came forward
with the assertion that they held
prior concession, and that the thompson
concession is in controvention or thelr
rights. So the matter was carried 70
President Cabrera. He heard both SIDES
of the argument and at the present mo-
hnent the outcome is uncertain. How
ever. the interests behind the Guate-
mala Central are the interests that have
been powerful enough to prevent the
United States from calling Cabrera 70
account for some of his official acts
and n Is probable that the final decision
will be in favor$ of those interests.
When the gap between the Pan-Amerl-
can and the Guatemala Central Is nlleo
| in, the next gap will be the one Denver,
the Guatemala Central as Escuintla ana
4 the salvador railway, or the new rail-
road being built north from LaUnion
in the lower part of Salvador. From
here a line would have to be punt 10
! Chinandeea.. Nicaragua, crossing the HI
tie strip of Honduran territory between
Salvador and Nicaragua. the govern
ment railroad in Nicaragua woulo IoIn
the link as far toward Panama as Gra an
ada Between this latter point anu tne
railroad in Costa Rica there is wloe
gan with no immediate plans for hlling
q Between the railroads of Costa Hlca
ana the proposed extension of a ROAD
from Panama to, David, there is announcer
wide gap, with no greater prospect "a
THE recent statement of an ex-assistant
secretary of state to the effect tnat lnele
will be a through Pan American system
to Panama In FIVE years Is not acSe -
serioiistv bv the railroad builders OF Cen
t,ai America. These men are matter-ot-
fact railroad men, to whom profits look
more inaportart than sentiment, ana tney
| ossert = that such q through system
would not pay at the present time NO
one who has travelled from the mexican
border TO washington cares to do II a
| second time. and any one who has travel
ed over the railroads of Central America
would never plan such trip as a pleas
ure outing Freight hauled py ran LOT
such q distance would have pronlD .1s
tariffs to encounter. Therefore local
t~af,c would have to support the sys-
! fem. and in Central America the natural
lanes of traffic lead from the interior
tn the seaports. The proposed Fan
| American would cross these natural
channels OF trade at right angles.
Even when the day comes that the gaps
/ in the proposed system are filled In, II
will be Impossible to take through tram
II the roads now built or seriously pro-
iected south of Guatemala are to be con-
sidered in the construction or the Fan
| American system. Almost without ex-
oeption they are narrow gauge roads, and
| their construction has been projected on
such a basis that nothing but rebuilding
would serve to transform them into
standard gauge lines.
So far as the Pan-American of Mexico
is concerned, 1t will serve its part admir-
ably in the ultimate plan of projecting a
standard gagged railroad south or Pan
anna. 1t has been Ialu Win % anu W
pound steel rails, it's bridges are built on
granite foundations, its ties are of ma
hogany and other hard woods, and its
gradients are suited to comparatively
heavy traffic. It spasses through an UNI
developed country wonderfully rich in its
resources, coastal plain in places nearly
a hundred miles wide
The Pan-American is built under 90
year concession, and the Mexican govern
ment gave its builders subsidy of ap-
proximately $4,000 mile, our money. to-
ward its construction The terms of the
mortgage under which It is built pro-
vdes for a bond issue of $4,000 mile,
with the reservation that the issue shall
not exceed $1,000 mile until such time
as the net earnings are twice as great
as the interest charge on the total au-