The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-08-06
UNCLE SANS RAILWAY
MOST PROFITABLE ONE,
Only % Miles Long, But is Worth Twenty-Five Million
Dollars-Pays Profit Of s34 900 a Mie-How it is
Managed.

tttH Il PAY ing INSTITUTION. 1t began
to wed dividends IS soon IS the first
rails We're laid, and for nlole than 4
generation it proved to be a gold
mine TO its owners. II was started
by an American company at the time
that the California gold excitement
was at its height, and before the
forty-seven miles which formed the
first track WAS conpl"ted i earned
81, 600 ,O0o. Within four years after
that its earnings We're $4,000, 900,
which was four times III the road
cost to construct amt il has kept on
paying for itself again ard again. 1t
has always charged Wei for ITS serV-
ices. Beginning with its oLeI inc in
1885, It's freight rates were something
Ilk $3.50 per ton, or more than IS
per ton per mile, and passengers paid
SIS for a single ticket which took
them from one side Of the isthmuS to
the other. These rates prevailed for
about thirty years.
mini Of paying SIS for a fifty
mile Journey. Tho rate VAS more
than so cents a mile. At the same
charge it would cost you SIG &c go
from New York to Boston, and the
fare to Chicago would be $3.50. The
cost across the continent on the rail
road would be $500, and at the
cost something like SIS an hour to
ride on the cars. Today the frst-class
rate on Uncle Sans Dad is bou 5
cents q mile, and second-class pas
sengers pay 2 cents, while mileage
books cost YOU one-half cent more
per mile than in the United States.
notwithstanding all this, the isthmus
is hot and the walking is not over
good, and SO every one rides.
Across the Isthmus by Railroad.
We can buy first-ciass tickets from
Colon to Panama for about two dol
lars and a half and we shall take 2
run over the road before We look into
its management. We shall take the
new line which is now being con
. structed to go aroun Gutun lake
!, high above the canal level. The ole
track ran through the bed of the lax
, and it has long since been swallowed
up by the waters held back by tn
dam. The new road is we'll built. be
ing equipped with underground rail
and for the most part with ties o
: pine and cypress soaked in creOsote
The first road was built with ties Q
: mahogany and lignum vitae, whic]
: are the only ties that will WithStan'
: the ~woodeating ants. There are som
: hardwood ties in the present roao
8 That wood is so tough that the spike
:. cannot be driven without holes ar
first bored for them. They are put i
q with special boring machines, an
/ patent tie plates and screw spikes at
in use. The telegraph poles are Q
steel to withstand the white ants.
= The cars are excellent. The first
class, where we ride. has rows c
wicker seats on Zach side Of the aisl
that runs through the center. an
o t>re is room for two passenger 0
; each seat. We find the ears fillet
and that with pay passengers.
y Going on to the second class, "
find them rOwded with silver Ell
plOyes. mostly Negro eS. The sea
here run under the windows, hF
those Of a street car, and as a resu
about CUB the numbe are CARRIE
n The conductors are whites. A car,
q full record is made OF the tickets
&c both ends Of the journey. There II
> gates through which Q must go
enter the cars. and turnstiles throG2
which you pass out when you leaN
the terminal station. The number
passengers is thus registered, and TT
n officials know exactly how many Pc
pie travel each day.
a scenic Route.
vs. But the train has left ColOn al