Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1921-09-29
RAILRoADLEsS CAPITAL.
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Remote
and Inaccessible.

site for it's capital far from the
beaten path, the newly formed
federation of Central America
has selected one that is even
more remote and inaccessible. "
says bulletin of the National
Geographic society.
"Tegucigalpa Ga name which
when properly pronounced brings
to mind the 'goosey-goosey- gan
der OF nursery rhymes) is now
the capital of Honduras. one of
the members of the new union"
Tie bulletin continues. 1T might
b. termed the Lhasa of the
West, but not because it is for
hidden city by the edict of man.
Its citizens have their share of
the hospitality for which Latin
America is noted. but nature has
placed rough country between
the city and the two oceans that
Dathe the shore of Honduras. and
man has done little to overcome
the handicap. 1t is the only cap
l1al on the North American con-
tiEent that has never echoed TO
the more or less musical blast of
"a railroad locomotive and one of
the few rallroadless capitals in
the Western hemisphere. Nor
may one yet travel to the new
national capital by automobile.
"Tegucigalpa is some 50 miles
inland from its pacific port, San
Lorenzo, OH highlands more than
5000 feet above sea level. A road
men Is more than IL trail but
less than IL highway connects the
two points. The most ambitious
Name that it can lay claim to
Is cart road. Travellers do
the 50 miles i'll three days by
mule back. and if they are trav-
cling light they may take their
belongings along by pack mule.
runkS must loIlow even more
slowly by OK cart. In the inte-
rlor of the country. with it's
flanks in the air. as Il military
than might describe it. is So
mile highway in good condition
extending between Tegucigalpa
and the second most important
town of Honduras. Comayagua.
over this road automobiles one
rate regularly.
'Tegucigalpa is more than 100
miles from the Atlantic. or rather
the Caribbean sea, but Americans
can reach the capital more quick
ly from the Atlantic than from
the Pacific side. due to the fasl
steamer service from New Orleans
ard Mobile. Puerto CortcZ is the
north shore point. From there ::
railroad extends for ii short dis.
tance toward the interior, and
from the rail head the journey by
mule back to Tegucigalpa occu-
pies five or six days.
The capital is as quiet ii place
as It's maccessibility would ;ndi-
cate. Its population is variolsly
estimated at 10000 to $1,000.
Most of its buildings are OF one
story with walls of adobe or ma
sonry and roofs of tile.
Though it is isolated now,
Tegucigalpa does no, mean 10 re-
main so and perhaps its cholc, as
capital of the new Central Amer
lean Federation is an earnest that
IL Will soon have rail connections
with the outside world. The GOV
ernment of the state adopted an
ambitious railbuilding program IA
generation ago, but financial r'Iin
overlook the enterprise. In re-.
cent years number of railroads
have been built from the nrrth
coast by large banana companies
and some of these are being slow
ly extended toward the capital.
The Federation of Central
America. consisting now of Qua
temala, San Salvador and EOn-
duras, hopes in the ned: Sr;Ure
to enroll Nicaragua and Costa
Rica among its members. II these
two countries to the south JOIN.
Tegucigalpa will be almost cx-
actly at the geographical center
of the 'new federation s terri
tory.