The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-07-16
THURSDAY.

/ sleeping porches.
OF course. a serious handicap as the
average wholesaler in the United
| States does not care about extending
q line OF credit to firms Going bust
ness in Mexico, especially until such
/ time as this government gives official
recognition to the government Of
| Oregon.
| During the period of revolution
| down there the equipment and motive
/ power of the Mexican lines were al
| most totally destroyed. by dynamite.
| the torch and total neglect Neither
| the equipment or motive power were
replaced by new equipment. and re-
pairs were made only in rare cases.
This necessarily worked a tremendous
| hardship on those who were trying to
! rehabilitate the country, as It could
/ only be done with the assistance of
| the rail lines.
Ports We're Blocked.
| The ports of entry became to-
| tally blocked with loaded cars that
| could not be moved and the business
of the country. as a consequence, was
practically paralyzed.
! When arrangements were made to
allow the equipment handling freight
to go across the river from this coun-
| try, the conditions were made some
| better, and later when arrangements
I were made TO DuTs OF lease IuOIlN6
| power from the lines in the state the
congestion at the ports OF entry were
gradually relieved until at the~pres-
emit time the conditions are fairly
| good, and rapidly improving.
II counted sixteen heavily loaded
| freight trains between Mexico City
and Laredo, on my way out, all south
| bound, and do not know how many
we met in the night, this being Just
for the daylight hours. The National
railways have n large number of en-
/ gines from the Katy, Illinois Central,
/ Gulf Coast lines and the 1. & 6. ".
/ Train Service Improves.
Passenger train service in Mexico
is not at all bad now. A thru Pullman
1 is run from Houston via Gulf Coast
lines, thence Texas-Mexico to Laredo.
and thence I o Mexico City via Ma
/ tfonaI lines. Another thru sleeper is
being operated from San Antonio to
Mexico City These PuI1mans are
equipped with what they term 'broil-
ers,' meals being served in the cars
and the service is fairly good.
1T is no longer necessary to carry
l armed guards on the trains and the
present government has hunted down
ousIy that the country Is more nearly
I in q peace condition than for many
years. There has been a few spas
modic uprisings OF late, but they have
been quickly put down.
"Bolshevism has tried hard to OBJ
tain a foothold in Mexico and many
OF the apostles OF Bolshevisn1 have
been sent to Mexico to proselyte
among the natives. but the government
has taken a strangls hold on most Of
them and put them out of business
kaltho some are left in Mexico City, and
it is an almost nightly occurrence tt
see a big crowd drsnched with a fire
hose to dispense the meeting, and thii
modus operandi has proved very sue
cessfuI IN stampeding them.
Mines Are in Operation.
Many of the mines that were CLOSED
some time back on account of the low
. price Of silver and lack of transports
ton facilities are opening up again
There has been a long continued
drouth in Mexico and water for powel
, had commenced to be a very seriou
problem. The City of Mexico, for in
stance, gets all of its power for light
ing and street car and factory opera
tons from the. Falls Of Necaxa, som
, rs miles distant from the city. How
ever the rainy season commenced OF
the 9Th OF June and rains have re
. plenished the water supply.
Before the revolution in Mexic'
there were many private power plant
furnishing power for sugar mills
haciendas, nixtamais and many othe
=
during the long continued period o
outiawry. Many contracts are beinl
: let in the states for plants OF this na
ture.
"A friend OF mine, a Mexican con
:. lstructing engineer. in the employ o
. the government. told me in Mexic
:: City that he knew OF contracts alread
let for power plants and other I'm
:. provementz OF like nature. that woul
!: total over $10o,o09,ooo Americas
:. money.
About 500 Americans There.
"a recent check made by the gov
eminent IN Mexico City shows abou
500 Americans there, and upwards o
3 $4,000 other nationalities, fnciudin
j Spaniar1s.
New agencies are being opened u
/ almost daily in Mexico City represent
& | ing American firms and manufacturer:
Il Such concerns as Montgomery Ward
Peck and Hills and concerns Of Xix
nature