The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-04-15

<fXXSs:N>'
FRANK G. CARPENTER.
turned It's engines from coal-burning
to oil-burning, while the Southern Pa
cifc has been improving it's roadway.
This work has, of course, been out
side the region of active rebellion.
Mexico's Railway System.
Few people appreciate how rapidly
Mexico has been moving during recent
years along railway lines. In com
parison with the character and num-
Der Of its population, it has been
building such lines faster than almost
any other country. II has nov more
than twice as many miles Of railroad
as either Spain or Italy, it has 1000
miles more than Austria and an equal
amount in advance of the Argentine
Republic. 1t is far ahead Of Brazil
and there Is not a Spanish American
country lon this hemisphere which
approaches it in railway construction.
The lines now built are more than
$1,000 miles and their cost has been
over $500, 100000 in gold. OF these
roads, 20 per cent were constructed
under American auspices, IS per cent
by the English and other foreigners
and Is per cent by the Mexicans.
The general idea is that the gov
eminent WINS or controls all the
roads. This is not so. The Mexican
railways are now operated by forty
independent corporations. The gov
eminent has the majority Of the stock
Of h National railways Of Mexico
only which have altogether about s.
600 miles, and it operates some other
railways, such as the 1nter-Oceanic,
under longtime leases. The govern
ment is improving these lines, and
1t is now building eight branch lines
which aggregate over Lilo miles.
The most important of these is q
road from Tampico to Vera Cruz, with
a short line connecting with Mexico
City.
The government roads are known as
the National Railways of Mexico. They
consist chiefly of three main lines
which were merged into the one sys-
tenn in 1909. These lines are the old
: National railway, the old Mexican
Central railway and the old Mexican
International railway. In addition to
T this, they include the Vera Cruz and
Isthmus railways n the Pan-Ameri-
: can railway, which has been built to
the Guatemala border. These lines
belong to the government in the sens
. that it owns the majority of the stock
0 The bonds are held abroad, as is also
a little more than 40 per cent of the
stock. The b~ondholders are operat.
e ing the property, and the chief Off
Gals are Americans. h net capital,
n zation Of the road, including bond.
e and stock outstanding, is bout $135,
900 per mile, upon which it had IL
n 1911 a net income Of 3 per cent. Pre-
@ ferred stock pays a 4 per cent divi
q dend.
The Southern Pacific Railway in
h Mexico.
is Outside Of the National railways
j. the most Important system in the re
d public is that Of the Southern Pacif
e. Company Of Mexico. This was pro
jected by Hartman as a connection
with our Southern Pacific, and in
le cludes a number Of lines along tn
At west coast. 1t has now almost a thOu
he sand miles Of railroad, and has con
he cessions which entail the building Q
about five hundred miles MORE. TIL
~ road has been seriously injured dur
i ing the revolution, but many Of tn
bridges destroyed have been replaced
ne and improvements will be made a
ne sOon as possible and the road col
be pleted. The Southern Pacific line
1t connect h northwestern part OF tn
On country with tne port of Guayma
e and Trey are now in operation as f.
south as Topic. They will be extend
ed to Guadalajara in connection wit
a short strip of the National railway
n as soon as conditions are settled.
u Mexico's Oldest Railway.
The first railway in Mexico was
TIL line W. and one-half miles Ion
Iey which ran from Mexico City to II
of Shrine OF Guadalupe. This was blu
st. in 1854, and three years later the CO,
uck cession was granted Cor the old Mex
Ing can railroad, which ran from We
nd Cruz to Mexico City. This was bu
ray by English capital under a good CO
it's cessiOn, and it was completed in 1Sl
mas having at that time received som