The Washington times., 1914-04-23
Winding Railroad
Leads to Capital
Big Cities on Route of Line Which Stretches 1853
Miles Up the Mountains From Vera Cruz to
Mexico City-Many Dangerous Passes
and High Bridges on Way.

bridge spanning the Atoyac river. z
roaring. leaping torrent IL the wet sea
sons The ascent becomes sleeper and
sleeper, the railroad following a grade
Of 4 per cent that makes the engines
snort and wheeze amid the hills. Cane
fields. bananas, coffee, orchids. and the
rank Vegetation Of the tropics hem In
these danger spots on all sides. The
elevation ascends from Lilo feet to 2,i1(
feet within twenty miles.
At JOG kilometers from Vera Cruz the
line passes through Cordoba, a town OF
1000 population. founded in 1913 by or
Fernandez de Cordoba II lies ana feet
above the sea on the slope Of little
hill called Ntango in the fertile valley
Of the Rio Seco. 1853 miles from Mexico
City. II is one of the most important
towns In the state Of Vera Cruz
Here amid weirdly grand scenery, the
railroad passes one Of the most fear.
sorno points on the line, slowly and
cautiously gliding down one steel side
Of the deep Metiac Barranca. On the
other side a yawning ravine In the
its way, In another line Of rails on 9
terrace cut FROM the side Of the preci-
pice and at an angle similar to that OF
a tobosgan slide. Five tunnels inter-
rupt this line before it reaches the
higher lever and turns the fang OF
the hill The train glides slowly across
the Metlac bridge. skilful piece OF
engineering work $50 feet long. built on
curve OF 36 feet radius on n 9 per
cent grade ninety-two feet above the
river. Eight cast and wrought iron
pillars uphold II. Trainmen dread the
pass and consider 1t the most danger
Gus on the line.
0rizaba Next Big Town.
After leaving Metlac bridge, the train
passes through tunnels so numerous
that often the locomotive win be IN
one and the last car Of the train In
another. From the last Of these tun-
nels the train emerges on an extensive
table land.
Orizaba, a quaint provincial city OF
IS 900 population. 40es feet above sea
level. and 1S4 kilometres from Vera
Cruz. is the next big town. There the
Americans will find excellent beer and
fine homegrown cigars. There are also
huge cotton mills. The town is a fav-
orite winter resort, and one Of the most
important coffee centers in the land.
After leaving Orizahs the railroad en-
ters gloomy barranca called Ell In
fiernillo the Little HELD and crosses
dizzy activities. passing through trn-
nels and over streams that have worn
deep chasms into the traprock. Black
crosses hard by mark the last resting
places Of unfortunates who have fallen
there, and warn wanderers of a SINH
lar fate II they slip from the winding
track above. The landscape Is beauti-
full, with pretty waterfalls and cas-
cades.
From Maltrata. 152 kilometeys from
Vera Cruz. and 5.544 feet above the sea,
the railroad can be seen In retrospect
doubling and twisting and looping its
way downward among the CALLERS, often
, as many as six lines Of rails being dis
eernible. with many aerial spider-like
fumes =. At Alta Luz, fourteen kilo-
meters further on. the railroad cuts al
5 per cent grade through rock gorges
with ferns hanging .hickly overhead
and giant cacd clinsing to the noun
Here on rainy days the train OTTER
passes through low-lying clouds. A
little further on II approaches Win
ner's bridge, ninety feet long. one Of
the most dangerous on the line, SPAN
ming yawning chasm that gives a
view Of surpassins grandeur of a val
ley many-colored and rich with vege-
tation, 1900 feet below. In the valley
lie houses that here seem like match
boxes, and cows grazing that seem no
bigger than dogs. Tho ride is a giddy
one along perpendicular cliffs and ma
testic natural amphitheaters spannsd
by daring bridges.
Over q Level Plateau.
At Boca del Monte the railroad has
attained an altitude OF one AMI oDe-halt
miles above Vera Cruz and the fortress
of San Juan de Ulua- The next station
is Esperanza. Then comes San Andres,
9o3 kilometres from Vera Cruz, from
which point the run to the Mexican
capital Is across the Central Plateau,
which Is practically level tlereabo1t.
Forty kilometres further on the road
touches San Marcos, where is a juno
ton with the Interoceanic Railway, and
where the natives of old tested the
prowess OF the Spanish invaders in a
fierce battle There follow tie stations
Of Apizaco. where there Is a junction OF
the branch railroad to Puebla. and the
station OF Guadalupe, 800 kIlometers
from Vera Cruz, and the highest POINT
on the line. 1888 feet, 9ss feet higher
than Mexico City. This place Is noted
for its marvellous wilderness CT huge
| century plants that fill the plain.
At Irolo. 3E kilometres from tie start.
ing point, the road meets branch of the
Hidalgo and Nordese railroad. Twenty.
two kilometres further It reaches
Otumba. on the plain near which was
fought one Of the fiercest battles be.
tween the Indians and the Spanish In.
| vaders after Cortez and his men ha6
| been ignominiously expelled from the
Aztec city and were retreatiuS to VeIa
Cruz to recuperate
At San Juan Teotihuacan. ten Silo,
| meters further on. the great ancient
pyramids can be seen on the right OF
the road. and at San Cristobal. twenty
| kilometers beyond, the railroad passe:
several hills like ancient rampsrts. with
the spires OF Guadalupe on the right
| This town. 40 kilometres from Vere
and the sea. by its squat md dreary.
! looking houses and neglected churche.
| used as storerooms. advertises the sub,
| urbs of the Mexican capitsl. and soor
after reaching II the train draws Tn II
Mexico CITY at the Buena Vista station
Work Night and Day
IN Shells fOrH 6 ARMY