1000062609_037

INTERNATIONAL AMERICAN CONFERENCE.

167

From the City of Mexico there is another route. The Mexican Railway may be

aken to Vera Cruz,

263

miles, and then the Alvarado road to Alvarado, 34 miles, or

297 in all. This latter road has a concession for an extension to the Isthmns of

Tehnantepec. The Continental Railway, projected from Matamoras along tbe

Gulf coast, will also follow this route soutb of Vera Cruz. None of this latter line

has

be~:~n

surveyed, but for a portion of the distance tbere is a level strip of land be·

tween the coast and tbe mountains whicb would permitof a railway, yet tbe monnt–

ains at places approach the coast very closely. From Alvarado to Minatitlan, on the

Isthmus, would be about 110 miles. At this point tbe Tehuantepec Railway migbt be

used to Tebuantepec, or a sontheasterly direction, following the cart roads into the

interior to the city of San Cristobal,

200

miles further, or

607

miles in

all

from the

City of Mexico, and from that point the same general direction to the frontier of

Guatemala. The heights on the Isthmus are moderate, but the country to the east–

Wttrd has not been surveyed. As an alternativa line,

tbi~

would not be any more

difficult of constrnction than the Mexican Southern; that its length is less makes its

worthy of consideration, and being in the interior, it would have a healthier situa–

tion.

The coast may still be followed by the first route through the State of Guatemala.

It is said that a survey is being made for a line from Guatemala City to connect with

the road from Tonala, but it has not been announced yet what route it will take,

however, it is probable that jt will follow the coast, gradually ascending from Tapa–

chula to Retalhuleu, meeting tbe railway from Champerico, thence to Escnintla, 1,450

feet above the sea, which is a point on the railway from San Jo

to Guatemala City.

Contracts have recently been made for the extension of this latter line to Santo

Toma-s, making it a means of interoceanic communication. The distance from Ta–

pacbula to Escuintla is about 145 miles.

From Escnintla the line may again follow the coast through tbe State of Salvador

toSan Miguel orLa Union, the distance to the latterpoint being about 218 miles, but

there are few inhabitants along the coast, and branches would have to be built to tbe

capital and other important cities; hence it would be better to go at once from Es–

cuintla to San Salvador 126 miles, crossing the railroad from Acajutla to Santa Ana

at Sonsouate, then the higb land can be followed through the importa.nt cities ofCo–

jutepeque and San Vicente toSan Miguel.

Such a line wonld reach the greater por–

tion of the population and would be in a healthy location. The grades would not be

too heavy, as shown by the elevations determinad by the French expedition. Tbe

tra.ffic of the conntry is carried by the cart roads along about the same r?ute. From

San Salvador to San Miguel is above 90 miles.

Taking up again the interior route at San Cristobal in Me:rico, a generalsoutheast–

erly direction might be taken to Totonicapan, Solola and Guatemala City, a total of

about

205

miles from San Cristobal. While this ronte reaches tbe mass of the popu–

lation and the fertile reigons, yet the topography is sucb as to make construction

dü–

ficult.

is mountainous. tbe spurs or chains running in a direction almost perpen–

dicular

the line, with deep valleys between. However, it is again to be noticed

that tb('l distance is apparently less from the City of Mexico than by the coast route.

From Guatemala City the line may then proceed by the shortest ronte to the city

of Santa Ana and San Salvador, whence the ronte previously described may be fol–

lówed, or the line may go from Gnatemala City to Jntiapa, and theuce down the valley

of the Lempa in a general direction parallel to the coast,

with

branches to the prin–

cipal cities. Such a railroad has been spoken of by the capitalista of Salvador and

has iudeed been projected. A line is said

be nnder construction from San Miguel

to La Union, which is no doubt part of the general project. The distance throngh

this State is abont 170 miles.

From San Miguel tbe line may go directly west over almost leve! ground to the

river Goascoran, ero sing tbe projectedHondnras Interoceanic Railway for whicb sur–

veys were made as long ago as 1853, and which clearly show the natura of the oountry

this

vicillity.