The L'Anse sentinel., 1923-08-03

prepared by the National Geographic So
ciety. Washington. ID. CO
The rival Of Panama when both re-
gions were dependent on railroads as
connecting links between the Atlantic
and the Pacific, Mexico's Isthmus Of
Tehuantepec is not so important now
that the canal Is In operation. But its
well-constructed, standard-guage rail-
road is still carrying on its concen-
trated transcontinental way some Of
the goods of the world when quickness
Of shipment Is the chief consideration
and steamer trip of a thousand or 80
miles Is worth eliminating.
Cortez, conqueror of Mexico, was the
first man to have the idea that the
Isthmus Of Tehuantepec might solve
the problem Of a passage between the
oceans. Even In the midst Of his busy
life as warrior and governor he at
tempted to find way across, and ex-
plored the Coatzacoalcos river to it's
headwaters. He did not find q water
passage across the divide, of course,
but he realized that some day COM
merce would pass through this relative
ly low, narrow region, and he asked
the king Of Spain for grant of lands
In the isthmus. The request was
granted, and few years ago his de-
scendants still held the lands.
Baron Alexander Won Humboldt, who
Travelled in Mexico in the beginning
Of the last century, saw at once the i'm
portance Of the Isthmus of Tehuante-
pee and called it "the bridge Of the
worlds commerce"
Half century ago the first attempts
were made to dig canal, and many
railroad schemes were proposed from
time to time, including "ship rail-
way" for the transportation Of vessels.
The first work on railroad was under
taken by the Mexican government In
1882, but it was not until 1907 that the
Tehuantepec railroad was formally
opened, after a succession Of failures
and after years Of unremitting labor.
The road as II now exists is well
constructed line about 100 miles long.
1t Is In fair condition even after years
of revolution and instability In Mexico.
Salina Cruz, the Pacific terminal, was
given excellent modern port facilities
by the Diaz regime, and became In
fact probably the best port on the Mex
lean west coast. The latest loading
and unloading machinery was installed.
Puerto Mexico, at the Atlantic end Of
the railroad, had In the mouth Of the
Coatzacoalcos G river an excellent nat
ural barbor.
Great OIL Field There.
Along the Coatzacoalcos river Is
Mexican oil field rivaling that Of Tam
pico. Derricks pierce the sky on ev-
cry hand and the hustle about wells,
and loading tankers gives an unex-
pected Yankee touch to his once
sleepy tropical region.
Before the days of the pioneer and
forest roads, the CoatzacOalcos river
(the river Of the Winding Snake).
emptying into the Gulf Of Mexico, was
the favored highway, and dug-outs
poled by dusky natives carried freight
and a few passengers up and down
the river and It's tributaries. Here and
there a narrow mule path trailing
away from the banks of the river
marked the entrance to some lonely
plantation or village. Today, however,
the new stands side by side with the
old. Fine steel boats run on the river,
but the native still poles up and down
In his dug-out canoe. Good roads and
mule paths have been made from one
to another, but the old-time
OK carts have not yet been discarded.
The town of Coatzacoalcos. at the
mouth Of the great river. has under
gone the greatest change. Once YER
table fever hole. It Is now rapidly be-
Ing modernized and brought into some
semblance Of sanitation Long wharves
tut out from the water front, and
nreproof warehouses and electric
cranes give to the town a business-like
appearance.
From Coatzacoalcos the road gradu-
ally begins to climb the Cordillera.
which divides the gulf slope from that
pf the Pacific. Much Of the route lies
through wild and beautiful country,
With tall manaca palms (Attalea CO
huns) and forest trees topping Z thick
ly-matted jungle. and here and there
] quaint little Indian village on the
banks of q shaded. shallow river. The
picturesque, Malatenso canyon, with lts
rocky chasms, ID followed BY the Chi-
vkla pass, entered at Z height Of 736