Smyrna times., 1933-05-10
HIGHWAY TO
MEXICO CITY
Opens Up Our Southern
Neighbor For Complete
Tourist Travel
77O MILES OF ROADS

Washington.-Mex is pushing
forward its greatest highway prof
ect-an improved road linking the
United States border at Laredo,
Texas, with its capital, Mexico
City. The federal highway commits
sion of Mexico states that this TO
mile section, opening up northeast
ern Mexico to tourist travel and
trade, will probably be ready for
through traffic in June, 1888.
A bulletin from the National Ge-
ographic society describes the chief
cities and scenic features along
this picturesque route, which will be
a part of the proposed 10000
mile Pan-American highway link
ing Washington, D. c., with BuenOs
Aires. Argentina, and other Latin
American capitals.
Motorists seeking new roads to
conquer will find that this farthest
south for a continuous highway
journey from the United States is
a roadway of spectacular variety"
says the bulletin. "The route ira
verses deserts, mile-high mountains,
ranch country. lush tropical jun
giles, and, in places. runs through
deep canons where the highway is
a mere scratch on the steep noun
tainside.
Ties UP With United States.
"FrOm San Antonio, Texas, a
paved road southwark to the twin
border cities of Laredo and Nuevo
Laredo ties in the new Mexican
highway with the improved road
system of the United States. Nuevo
Laredo. in the Mexican State Of
Tamaulipas, and the first city to
be reached after crossing the Rio
Grande, has developed amazingly
in the last two years, since pave
ment was completed to Monterrey.
This 151-mile section compares ia
vorably with the best American
highways. One stretch runs As
miles across the desert without
curve.
Monterrey, the capital of the
state of Nuevo Leon, is surrounded
by mile-high peaks, the most con-
spicuous being its famous Saddle
mountain Monte de la Silia).
"An improved gravel road leads
from Monterrey over the mountains
to the west of Saltillo. capital of
Coahuila, a region of ranges where
long-horned cattle Craze. This even
tually will be part of a through
route to Mexico City via San Luis
POtOsi.
THE main highway today. how
ever, strikes south to Ciudad Vic
toria. This 1S0-miIe section Is
about a quarter paved and the rest
is all-weather gravel. Here the
road winds through one of the chief
fruit-raising sections of Mexico.
Paradise for Hunters.
From this point to the little town
of Wales, In the state of San Luis
Potosi, the road surface alternates
between gravel and graded earth.
This region is a paradise for hunt
ers-wild boar, deer, raccoon, quail
and turkey being plentiful. Coffee.
cotton, rice and vanilla beans are
the principal crops.
''In the rugged mountain section
between Wales and the village of
Jacala, in the state of Hidalgo. con-
structiOn work has been moving for
ward slowly since April, 1881. Here
the road climbs from the dense
tropical jungles and swamps along
the Tamuin river. where parrots fly
overhead, and gorgeous flowers and
banana groves border the highway.
to the tableland
''From Jacala southwark an i'm
proved highway will carry the
route through Pachuca, an impor-
tant silver mining town, into Mex
leo City. Rapid progress has been
made here in recent months, and
what some travellers once charac-
terized as the most dangerous road
in the world may soon be a mod
ern boulevard, monument to engi-
neering skill. Near Pachuca are
great basaltic formations some
times called the Giant Causeway of
America
''From Mexico City modern roads
are branching out in all directions
The longest, of all-weather gravel
construction, extends over the Old
Spanish Trail to Acapulco. Another
carries the Pan-American highway
southwark to the city of Pueblo"