The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-04-23
MEXICAN RAIL WAY
SYSTEM VERY VAST
Say the National Geographers
although Built Up in Only
Forty-Five Years.

Vly-tItC C0l De
WASHINGTON. April 22.-The
railways Of northern Mexico, the use
OF which was ~fraught with grave
moment to the punitive expeditionary
force under General Pershing few
days ago. because Of the serious Ques-
ton of transporting supplies, is the
subject Of an informative bulletin Just
issued by the National Geographic
Society Of Washington.
THE railway system Of Mexico has
a mileage which exceeds by twenty
five per cent the combined mileage OF
all other countries OF North and
9outh America, with the exception Of
Canada, the United States. Argentina
and Brazil" says the bulletin. This
vast system has been built UP in
forty-fve years, for while there was
a tiny track from Mexico to the sub
urb of Guadalupe as early as 1864,
1t was not until 1873 that President
Lerdo inaugurated the first import
ant line, that which runs from Vera
Cruz to the national capital. Presi-
dent Lerdo. was opposed to the build
ing Of railways across the desert
plateaus of northern Mexico, for he
believed, 1t Is said, that these arid
plains afforded q certain security
against the political and commercial
influences Of the United States.
President Porfirio Diaz had a far
broader vision, however, and during
his long regime railroad building was
one of his chief concerns, SO that
when he retired from the presidency
these steel arteries Of commerce had
crossed the United States border at
six places-Laredo. Ell Paso, Nogales,
Eagle Pass, Preside, and Browns
Vile. and 100000 people were
carried annually, together with H.
100000 tons of freight.
Interesting Feature
Zone Of the most interesting feat
ures Of the railway system under Diaz
was his insistence that the American
managers Of the merged Mexican
national railways should employ,
whenever possible, Mexican conduc-
tors. brakemen, telegraph operators,
tiagmen and section foremen. In
this way he hoped to build up a
substantial middle class from among
the poems, one Of the crying needs
Of the country.
1.-THE first railroad connecting Mex
leo City with the United States was
that to Ell Paso, opened by President
Diaz thirty-two years ago last month.
This line has been extended in recent
years to Tampico on the East and to
Guadalajara on the West, and now
embraces system Of 1000 miles.
1.-THE shortest line from Mexico
City to the United States $500 miles)
is that Of the National Railway, which
crosses the border at Laredo.
When the four important railways
systems known at the Mexican Gen.
trail. the National, the International
and the 1nteroceantc were fused into
the National Railways Of Mexico, the
government retained a majority of the
capital stock Of 615.000.00O pesos.
American Equipment.
All the railways In northern Mex
leo are equipped with American
locomotives, passenger and freight
cars, and Pullman accommodations
are to be had on most of the lines.
The drst-class passenger rates are
slightly higher than on American
lines, but there Is a lower second
class rate, by which the poems profit.
Distances are measured in kilometres
IA cents first class and 1 1-2 cents
second class. Restaurants at the i'm
portant stations serve table d'hote
meals for 81. and the trains usually
make twenty-five minute stops for
breakfast, luncheon and dinner.
THE poems are like children in
their eagerness to ride on the trains
and in mining. sections where small
lines are used in handling ores It is
a difficult matter to keep the natives
of the cars.
Although Mexico produces large
quantity of coal 1t is of a cheap grade
and the railways as rule either
import their fuel Of else burn oil,
which is produced in great abund-
ance. especially in the Tampico
region.
THE lines in the north are oper-
ated on Mexican time, which is
twenty-four minutes faster than Am
erican time at Ell Paso and thirty
six minutes faster at Laredo.
Most Interesting Line.
The most interesting railway in
Mexico is that 1872 mile stretch of
track which connects the Atlantic and
Pacific seaboards across the isthmus
OF Tehuanepec. 1t was here that
Eads dreamed Of a ship railroad
which could lift vessels by huge der
rlcks from the harbor at Salina Cruz
and swing them on trains which
would transport them across the con-
tinent to Coatzacoalcos, where they
would be lowered into the roadstead,
THE proposed Pan-American rail-
way, being built by American capital,
is expected some day to establish a
direct rail communication between
New oYrk City and Buenos Aires"
A Maine newspaper recently pub
lished long wedding report, COM
plete In every detail, except that it
did not mention the name OF either