Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-29
NICARAGUA,
VI Means Of Commu-
niCatiOn.
By Frederic J. Haskin.

Nicaragua for many years has had gov
eminent ownership OF most of its public
utilities Principal among these is the
railroad system of the country. which
consists of one railroad having 100 miles
of main line and twelve miles of branch
line. The rails on the main division are
of forty pounds-to-the-yard weight. while
on the other division they are thirty
pounds to the yard. The maximum grade
on the road is twenty eight feet per mile.
The line is built upon bed OF volcanic
ash, and globe trotters concede that II is
the busiest railroad in the world.
The rolling stock is American built. and
reminds one Of the pictures of railroad
trains seventy-five years ago. There are
about fifteen engines. all of them wood
burners. and none Weighing more than
twenty tons. The smokestacks apparent
ly are as large the boilers. The en-
gines are not designated by numbers as
they are in the United States. but each has
it's own name. Sometimes they ara
christened with as much ceremony as
might be expected at the launching of a
modern American dreadnought.
The road has ten first-class cars,
eighteen second-class seventy-two box
not more than thirty feet long and seem
not to have enjoyed a coat Of paint since
they We're first put in commission. some
Of them more than twenty years ago.
The construction of the railway was be-
gun in 1873, and that section from Corinto
to the shores Of Lake Managua was com
pleted in 1884. and extended to Managua
in 1885 and to Granada in 1886
The fares on this national railway are
said to be the cheapest in TIE world.
Owing to the fiuctua
Cheapest Fares ton in the currency
in the World. o Of the country the
rate has dropped below / cent per mile.
The distance from Corinto to ManaSua is
lightweight miles The fare is $3.50
Nicaraguan money. AT the prevailing
rate of exchange this is less than 81
cents, American money. 1t costs much
more to check ones baggage than to buy
a ticket. There is no free checking, and
baggage Is sent just as Americans SEND
EXPRESS matter. The distance between
Corinto and Leon IS less than forty
miles, and yet an ordinary travellers
baggage for this distance will cost him
about $40 in Nicaraguan money. His
passage does not cost as much by half
For years the national railways of Mic
aragua were operated directly by the
government. NicaraGuan officials We're
SO liberal. however, with free transpor-
tation for passengers, baggage and
freight that each year showed "A large de-
felt and the abuse grew the years
went by. Finally German named
West who had resided for some years in
the United States. and who had enjoy
ed some practical railroad experience,
entered into an agreement with the Mic
araguan government tn rent the railroad
from the government at fixed annual
rental. BY abolishng the free Transport
tatiOn abuse to large extent he was
able to put the road upon paying basis
and to pay the rental called for in the
agreement.
Later President Zelaya connived at the
organization of company which took
the lease from
West West, the president be-
coming a large share
FORCED Out. holder in this company
Stories differ as TO how this happened and
what brought it about. West declares
that in ehabilitating the road he became
financially embarrassed, and went to Ze-
laya for some money to carry on the
work. He says that Zelaya agreed to
put up half the amount required, pro-
vided he could raise the other half some
where else This West was able to do
and in order to secure Zelaya and the
bankers to furnish the money he organ.
lied the operating company and gave
them each a certain share in the stock.
Others declare that when Zelaya saw
that West was making a profit out OF
the railroad he was informed that Ze-
laya was entitled to a share in these
profits and must be taken care of in some
way. However this may be. everybody
concerned agreed that during the opera
ton of the road by West it was profit
able investment to the government, some
thing that it never was before and never
has been since.
When the Estrada government came
into power it Immediately took the road
out of the hands Of the operating COM
pany and began to operate it directly.
Since then the old abuse of free trans
portation has crept In and the road is
going in debt every day it operates.
Nicaragua levies heavy burdens upon
imports. and those encountered at the
custom houses are not
Heavy Freight the greatest. for the
rL railroad assists materi
06e0' ally in levying tribute
against imports. All freight made up Of
imported goods is charged for at higher
rate than domestic products Where the
freight charges on consignment of do
nestle products would amount to 81. so, on
imported articles it would amount to SIS.
Considering the poverty stricken condi-
ton of the people of Nicaragua, they are
a much-traveled people. During the last
year for which data is available the road
carried $4,000 passengers and 5000 tons
of cargo. The receipts from passenger
traffic were $79SOOO. Nicaraguan, and
from freight traffic 81 ,234.O0O When the
railroad rates under which this traffic
was handled We're made a dollar gold
would buy six dollars Nicaraguan. To-
IL will h11N two I've 90 tha2 in,