International., 1926-01-17

geles Times issued January /, des-
cribing the Southern Pacific de
Mexico construction work under
way between Tepic and La Que
mada.
The article reads as follows:
Ear up along the sheer rock
faces of. high cliffs and through
: the hearts of mountains in Maya
rit and Jalisco 1000 men are hand
carving railroad. There the
Southern Pacific of Mexico is clos
ing the last gap in its remarkable
line to Guadalajara. Soon after
the middle Of the year, if the pro-
missed schedule stands, the new
scenic route, of a character that
the world cannot match, will be
opened. 1t will be the master key
to agricultural and mineral wealth
beyond reckoning, resources as
yet barely touched.
"This international link, bond
ing with shining steel the great
Pacific Coasts Of the United
States and the sister republic,
welding ever closer the friendship
Of the two peoples, making for
enormous mutual trade, and reach.
ing to the City Of Mexico and uni
ting the western and eastern di-
visions Of the southern country,
is rated the most important rail
development on the western hemis-
phere in a quarter of a century.
All conditions considered, it pro-
badly establishes a record a. the
most difficult construction Of simi-
lar extent anywhere. It is built
for permanency and will rank with
the best-a criterion of general
modern progress in a land that has
been slow to realize it's limitless
possibilities.
"Oldtimers in the game will tell
you that with the passing of Hun
tington, Hill. Harrimaq and Epes
Randolph, "the man who couldn't
leave Arizona" died also the ro-.
nance Of rail- pioneering. It did,
MT. Never was so much romance
attached to any new road as is in
terwoven with the final trium-
phant stages Of s. P. de NJ. The
dream of Col. Randolph until his
death its chief executive, and back
ed by the faith and millions Of
Hartman to the latter's last hour,
il now is being energetically put
through by President Fl. B. Tit
comb, making the dream come
true. And the finishing touches
are on the very spot where Ar
thur M. Wellington, famous loca-
ton authority, long ago pronounc-
ed it ecomically if not physically
impossible?
"The momentous extension, on
which work has been vigorously
prosecuted nearly three years, is
from Tepic to La Quemada, 1O3
miles, and just completed from the
former point to Ixtlan, with supply
trains running the seventy-one
miles. This leaves only the thirty
two miles from Ixtlan to La Que
mada-but about the hlowest,
toughest, most disheartening pro-
position imaginable. 1t includes
twelve miles through the rugged
Barrancas bluffs, precipices,) and
there is concentrated much of the
total estimated cost Of $12,500,-
900. The mile average is at least
100000, and in a stretch Of five
about 100000 per mile.
"There are thirty-one tunnels,
mainly in the Barrancas, ranging
from 1T to 1878 feet and aggre
eating four and half miles;
many steel and concrete bridges,
one 240 feet high and $50 feet
long to span Salsipuedes Canyon,
meaning "get out If you can;"
this alon costing $350,O00; nom
erous deep cuts and fills and three
dozen massive retaining walls of
expensive rubble or concrete-up
to $25, 900 each. The formation is
!. volcanic and does not stand with
out support, SO that the bores are
treacherous in the making and re-
quire strong timbering. They are
twenty-five to twenty-four feet
high and seventeen wide, heavily
lined with concrete, and the con-
crete and cut-stone portals would
do credit to a city building front
"The titanic magnitude Of the
operation is immeasurably increas-
ed by the fact that virtually every
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