Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-24
BY REX COLLIER.

Will the day come when one may go
rolling down to Rio" In the family
touring car?
Perhaps not lust that. but at the rate
Latin America Is developing its highway
system a South American automobile
tour may not seem so fantastic to future
generations of the motoring public as
1t seems TO the present.
President Hoover during his recent
good will journey below the Equator ap-
peared impressed by the possibilities of
automobile travel on the southern con-
tinent, and 1t was indicated he thought
8 Pan-American highway system not
beyond the realm of reason.
A railway line connecting the two
continents long has been advocated by
the Pan-American Conference. AS early
as 1890 the conference proposed a Pam
American railway extending from the
United States to Patagonia. and the
ambitious project has received support
from each succeeding meeting of Latin
American representatives. It has be-
come increasingly apparent however.
that the building of railroad of such
extent calls for so tremendous an out
lay of capital as to make contamination
of the plan extremely doubtful. AS
business proposition the railroad has
little appeal to the capitalist.
Auto Comes Into Its Own.
While the railroad project has been
languishing these many years. however.
the automobile has been coming into
its own in the field of Pan-American
transportation. In its wake has come a
movement for good roads that has
quickened the pulse of progress through
out Latin America Various Of the Cen
trail and South American nations have
promulgated sizeable highway pro-
grams. Unconsciously, there are being
forged valuable links that some day will
be hooked together into a single high
way chain connecting these progressive
republics.
AT present there are some weak links
III the chain. 1t will take years before
these weak spots are strengthened TO
the point where transportation en-
tity is achieved. The weaker links are
in Central America, but there are some
in South America, as well. Turbulent
political conditions, financial stress and
difficult engineering problems involved
are among the forces that have COM
bined to retard road progress south OF
the Rio Grande.
Mexico has given some serious
thought to the international highway
proposal, between revolutions, but has
been able to make little progress be-
cause of recurrent political upheavals.
A Federal highway program was laid
down three years ago. at which time 1t
was planned to construct motor road
from Texas through Mexico City to
Guatemala A crossroad to the Pacific
port of Acapulco was included in the
scheme If Mexico succeeds in carrying
out this program she will have provided
a potent stimulus for the Pan-American
highway movement.
Guatemala, the next country crossed
by the proposed road, is interested in
highway development and has spent
many thousands of dollars within the
past few years to provide good roads
for her growing motor cal. public The
automobile truck is beginning to replace
the mule for hauling raw materials to
market and the passenger car is gain
ing in favor as a means Of transporta-
ton.
Salvador Boasts of 1000 Miles.
Honduras and Salvador, on Guate-
n1ala's southern border, are swinging |
into action. The former country has |
about $50 miles of improved roads and |
the latter, although much the smaller. |
boasts of nearly 1000 miles of cement |
or macadam highway.
Nicaragua, like Mexico. has had SO |
many internal troubles that road i'm |
provement has suffered severe set
back. There are more than 200 miles
of improved road in the republic and it
is planned to extend this mileage when
economic and political conditions be-
come more quiescent.
Costa Rica has approved federal
highway program and is spending
money in furtherance thereof. Amer
lean automobile manufacturers have
found in this progressive country a
profitable market for their products
and large sales organizations have been
put to work there.
In Panama there remains much to
be done before Pan-American high
way can become reality. Much OF
the terrain which would be traversed by
the road is swampy or otherwise diff
cult Of highway treatment. The gov
eminent so far has done little in the
way Of road development
Below Panama, especially down the
west coast Of South America, highway
advancement has been marked within
the past four or five years. Colombia,
Ecuador, Peru and Chile have expert
enced the first thrills of transporta-
ton revolution induced by the advent
of the automobile and they are launch
ing definite highway enterprises as rap
idly as finances will permit.
Colombia, overcoming serious topo-
graphical obstacles, has constructed
more than $500 miles of roads and has
prepared comprehensive agendum
for future action.
Scenic Lure Is Cited.
Ecuador and Peru, once the empire of
the IncaS, could provide unrivaled scenic
and historic interest for the Pan-Amer-
lean tourist route. The highway could
be built over portions of the old Inca
trails, through country of rugged
grandeur and enchanting traditions.
President Hoover is known to have
suggested that highway connecting
Quito and Cuzco, northern and south
ern capitals of the Inca empire, would
be lone of the most interesting high
ways in the world"
quito, now the capital of Ecuador,
once was connected with Cuzco, in Peru,
by one of the famed Inca roads. con-
structed with marvellous engineering in
genuity by people who had mastered
the art of masonry to a finer degree
than the Egyptians. The former city
is built high in the Andean cordillera
and was almost inaccessible a quarter
of century ago. Today it Is linked
to the coast by highway and railway.
CHICO. SOutn america S most historic
city, also is high in the mountains.
Once the chief stronghold of the Incas,
il is a mecca for sightseers and archeol-
cgists. There may be seen what re-
mains of the great Temple Of the Sun
and other astounding buildings erected
by the artisans of old Peru.
Final Stretch in Chile.
The final stretch of the Pan-Amer-
lean highway would lie in Chile, the
California of South America. Chile al
ready has mere than $4,000 miles OF
reads, not all of which is available for
motor traffic, however. Development
of these roads is proceeding at an en-
couraging pace. thanks to the pro-
gressiye policies of the government.
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