Appleton's Guide to Mexico/Sections 6 to 17
SECTION VI.
The International and Interoceanic Railway.
(Compare with chapter on railroads.)
The full name of this line is the Mexican, Oriental, Interoceanic, and International Railway, although it is generally called the International and Interoceanic Railway. It is popularly known as "Jay Gould's road." So little work has been done thus far that the entire region which lies along the route can only be visited by wagon or on horseback.
The charter was granted on June 7, 1881. In May, 1883, this railway and the Mexican Southern Railroad, of which General U. S. Grant is president, were consolidated under one management. The two roads will henceforth be known as the Mexican Southern Railroad.
SECTION VII.
The Mexican Southern Railroad.
(Compare with chapter on railroads.)
The original concession for building the Mexican Southern Railroad was granted on May 26, 1881.
We will describe the route of the former International and Interoceanic Railway before sketching the line of the Mexican Southern proper.
The first-named road was chartered to run from New Laredo, on the Rio Grande, to the City of Mexico, a distance of 680 miles.
The following is a condensed itinerary of this route:
A station has been erected at New Laredo, and on September 1, 1883, about 100 miles of road had been graded, but only a half-mile of track had been completed.
From New Laredo the route follows the course of the Rio Grande to Mier via Guerrero.
Leaving Mier, the road goes southward to China. The company has the option of constructing a branch to Matamoros, 100 miles distant from Mier. There are wagon-roads from China to Monterey (60 miles), and also to Matamoros (90 miles). The line passes to the eastward of Teran and Linares, running almost due south from China to Victoria, 270 miles from New Laredo.
There is not much cultivation along this division of the railway till Victoria is reached. Here many kinds of fruit and sugar-cane, as well as wheat and Indian corn, are grown. Victoria lies on the border of the tierra templada. It is the capital of the State of Tamaulipas, and has a population of 8,000. The best hotel is the Hidalgo. This town is 271 miles from San Luis Potosi via Tula.
From Victoria the line will have a southeasterly direction, and it will cross the Rio Pánuco, near the village of Tanjuco, about 45 miles from its mouth. A good wagon-road goes from Victoria to Tancasneque, on the Rio
Tamesí. A small steamer runs from the latter place down the river to Tampico. The scenery along this route is beautiful.
The company has the option of building branch roads to the port of Tampico and to San Luis Potosí, but the Mexican Central Railway Company is pushing the completion of its line from this port westward to San Luis Potosí, and has now (October, 1883) about ninety miles of track finished. It is not probable, therefore, that the Mexican Southern will compete with the latter company.
Leaving the Pánuco River, the route will be southeasterly toward Tulancingo, and thence southwestward to the City of Mexico.
The line will be easy to construct as far as Victoria. South of this station it will extend through the mountains on the eastern edge of the great table-land, and will require rather heavy grades[1] and some tunneling. This division will traverse the Huasteca country, which is one of the richest portions of the Republic both in agricultural products and in mineral deposits.
The proximity of this railway to the seaboard should also be considered. This company has the choice of extending branch roads to Tuxpan and Vera Cruz. This scheme would, of course, be a formidable opposition line to the Mexican Railway Company.
Judging from the topography of the country, the new American road will be easier to construct than the Mexican Railway.
The southern division may be described as follows:
Leaving the City of Mexico, the Mexican Southern Railroad will run parallel with the Mexican Railway (as, in the terms of the charter, it is not allowed to cross it) to Irolo (45 miles). This division of the road will compete with the English line in the transportation of pulque, to the capital. It is said that the Mexican Railway Company makes a net profit of $1,000 a day on the "pulque" train.
From Irolo the track will be continued over a level country to Puebla (111 miles). Thence the line will run southeasterly to Tehuacan (183 miles). A tramway leads from this station to Esperanza, 31 miles distant. (Vide Section II.)
The road will go south from Tehuacan, following the course of the Rio Salado for several leagues to Arenal, where the Salado and Cuicatlan Rivers unite and form the Rio Quiotepec.
Arenal is 237 miles from the capital. Three bridges will be erected in the vicinity. A branch line is in process of construction from Anton Lizardo, on the Gulf of
Mexico, toward Arenal, via Amapa and Tuxtepec. Anton Lizardo is 142 miles from Arenal junction. The former town is the only good port on the Gulf coast. The harbor has recently been improved. The eastern division of the Mexican Southern Railroad will be extended to Vera Cruz, 23 miles distant. The merchants in that city are very jealous of this railway. They foresee that it will eventually divert the foreign commerce to Anton Lizardo.
But little artificial grading will be required on the eastern division, and the heaviest grade, according to the surveys, is seventy-two feet to the mile.
From Arenal the main line will run almost due southward along the Rio Cuicatlan through a well-timbered region to Sedas (301 miles). Thence it will go to Oaxaca (350 miles).
The highest point of the route is 5,500 feet above the sea-level.
OAXACA.
Population, 26,228; elevation, about 5,000 feet.[2]
Hotels.—Nacional, De la Paz.
The city is the capital of the State of the same name, and it has recently received the surname of the illustrious Juarez.[3] Señor Busto, the well-known statistician, calls it Oaxaca de Juarez. The word Oaxaca was formerly spelled Guaxaca, being derived from the Mexican name of the city and valley of Huaxyacac in the Tzapotec country. After the Conquest, Cortes received the title of Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca, and some of his descendants are still living in this State, under the family name of Monteleone.
Places of Interest.—The Cathedral and the Palace.
Sugar-cane, maize, wheat, and barley grow in the vicinity.
The ruined palaces of Mitla lie about 25 miles east of Oaxaca. These ruins, except the teocallis, are the most accessible in Mexico. They are described in Chapter V in Part First.
Leaving the city of Oaxaca, the railway will run southward with a descending grade to Amatlan, Ejutla and Miahuatlan. The latter town is about 65 miles distant from Puerto Angel, the principal port of the State. The Pacific Mail steamers touch there. It is also about 420 miles distant from the national capital.
From Miahuatlan the road takes an easterly course over a rugged country to the town of Tehuantepec (523 miles), which is only ten miles from La Ventosa, on the coast. The Pacific Mail steamers stop at the adjoining port of Salina Cruz. This place has a good harbor, and will become the terminus of the projected railway across the isthmus. The Mexican Southern Railroad will make connection with the Tehuantepec Railroad at the station of that name. The former road will be extended eastward from the town of Tehuantepec (population, 12,000) to Tonalá on the coast, (See Section IX.)
Tonalá lies in the State of Chiapas, and the steamers of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company call at this port once a month, the distances to San Francisco and Panama being 2,204 miles and 1,223 miles, respectively.
Leaving Tonalá, the main line bifurcates. One branch runs northeasterly to San Cristobal, and the other extends to Tapachula,[4] and thence will probably be continued to the city of Guatemala.
The region traversed by the southern division of the main line of this railway lies mostly in the States of Vera Cruz, Oaxaca and Chiapas. It is very rich in mineral deposits and in agricultural products. The climate is salubrious, and the vegetation is luxuriant along the greater part of the route. The State of Oaxaca contains valuable mines of gold, silver, iron, copper, and mercury. The cereals, brown beans, and tobacco, are grown in abundance. This State is also noted for yielding a large supply of cochineal. Petroleum is found near Puerto Angel. The States of Vera Cruz and Chiapas are rich in coffee, sugar-cane, cocoa, tobacco, indigo, vanilla, and India-rubber. We may add that the former State ranks foremost in Mexico in the production of coffee and tobacco, and second in that of sugar.
Several very wealthy and influential capitalists are stock-holders in the Mexican Southern Railroad Company. It is now believed that the main line will be completed at an early day. Señor Matias Romero, in an article on Rail-ways in Mexico, published in the International Review for November, 1882, states that the inhabitants of Oaxaca are very anxious to have this road finished as soon as possible; and that the merchants threaten to withdraw their capital from the State if the construction of the railway is delayed much longer.
SECTION VIII.
The Morelos Railway (Ferrocarril de Morelos).
(See chapter on railroads.)
This line has two divisions — one goes to Texcoco and Irolo, and the other to Cuautla. Both are the same as far as Los Reyes, 17 kilometres from the capital.
1. From Mexico to Cuautla; distance, 138 kilometres, or 85½ miles; time, nine hours. Two passenger-trains daily. Fares, first class, $2.70 ; second class, $1.38.
Leaving the station of San Lazaro, the track goes easterly past the Lake of Texcoco to Los Reyes. The old stage-road lies near the railroad, and runs parallel with it for several miles. The railway now forks, the northeastern branch being built to Texcoco (42 kilometres), and thence toward Irolo.
Texcoco is famous in the history of old Mexico, or Anahuac. (Restaurante Universo.) It was the chief city next to Tenochtitlan. Many of the ancient kings lived here, and since the Conquest it has become an important place for the manufacture of woolen and cotton goods. The ruins of three teocallis are still visible. But to give a complete history of Texcoco, with its relations to the Aztecs, Toltecs, and their predecessors, would require a volume, so we will not dwell upon it here. This branch extends to Irolo, in the midst of a maguey region, and is to some degree an opposition line to the Mexican Railway in the transportation of pulque to the capital. It is worthy of remark that trains of a dozen cars on the former road are often loaded with pulque in barrels between the stations of Irolo and Mexico, a distance of 77 kilometres. (See p. 293.)
From Los Reyes the train runs eastward to Ayotla (25 kilometres). It then turns to the south, and skirts the Lake of Chalco, passing the stations of La Compañia (35 kilometres), Tenango (47 kilometres), and, after ascending a heavy grade, reaches Amecameca (58 kilometres).
AMECAMECA.
Population, 10,000; elevation, 8,223 feet.
Hotel.—At the railway-station, and meson, on the plaza.
Places of Interest.—1. The volcano of Popocatepetl. 2. The Sacromonte.
No tourist visits Amecameca for any other purpose than to ascend the great volcano. It is the culminating point[5] of North America, being 17,720 feet above the sea-level. The trip to the summit and back requires two days; but, if the traveler wishes to ride and walk rapidly, and possesses extraordinary physical powers, a day and a half will be sufficient. He may leave the capital in the morning, and arrive at the ranch of Tlamacas, on the ridge-line between Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl, the same evening. The next day the great volcano may be ascended. The traveler can return to Amecameca in the evening, but not in time to take the afternoon train, unless he makes fast time on foot and on horseback.
Before setting out, it will be advisable to obtain permission to sleep at the cabin of Tlamacas from the owner, General Sanchez Ochoa, who now (1883) resides in the Hotel Iturbide, at the capital. If the tourist fail to see General Ochoa, he can sleep either in the open air or in a dilapidated building at the ranch. The house which is generally used is a framed structure, with a loose board floor, and is not provided with beds nor mattresses. There are, however, earthenware pots, a few plates, and glasses—all of which are, of course, convenient even for a single night.
On arrival at Amecameca, the traveler should lose no time in engaging horses and guides, and he must also provide himself with blankets, provisions, and an alpenstock. Señor Francisco Noriega, who keeps a large store on the north side of the plaza, will assist the stranger in procuring the wherewithal for the trip. An extra servant, or mozo, should accompany the party, to take charge of the horses during the ascent of the volcano. One guide to each traveler will be necessary, and it is unadvisable for a party of three or four persons to climb the peak with a single one. The cost of each guide will be five dollars, and of a mozo three dollars. Horses can be hired for a dollar a day.
Having made the necessary preparations, the tourist will take the road leading out of the southeastern corner of the town, and travel nearly due east toward the Sierra. Fine wheat-fields are passed on the way, and the soil is well watered by the melting snow of the great volcano. The path soon rises, and enters a magnificent forest—a rare feature in the scenery of the table-land—where lofty pines, spruces, and firs abound. Proceeding farther, the trail from Puebla soon joins the main path from Amecameca. We now reach a growth of thick grass, and, after crossing the crest-line of the ridge and descending the eastern slope for about three hundred yards, the ranch of Tlamacas lies before us. The distance from Amecameca is about twelve miles.
In starting out for the summit of Popocatepetl, the tourist is advised to leave the cabin by 4 a. m., if possible. A horse may be ridden to the edge of the snow-line, about half a mile distant. The ankles should be protected with stout gaiters or pieces of flannel, and the boots should be well greased, with a view to keeping the feet as dry as possible. The guides will generally attend to the needs of the tourist, and will carry an extra wrap or cloak, together with wine and provisions, on their backs.
The lower part of the peak of the volcano has a slope of about twenty degrees, while the angle increases in ascending until it reaches about forty-five degrees just below the summit.
Travelers should keep their alpenstocks on the upper side of the incline while ascending the peak; and, in case of a slip, the weight of the body must be immediately thrown on the alpenstock. Tourists are not tied together by a rope, as in Switzerland. The air is so rarefied that one is compelled to walk very slowly. During the latter part of the ascent it is difficult to make more than two hundred yards in an hour. In general, six hours will be required to reach the top of the peak from Tlamacas. The upper part of it is covered with ice, and is practically a glacier, having a very uneven surface.
The crater is not visible until one arrives at the edge. A rough estimate of its dimensions would give the diameter at 500 yards, and the depth at 150 yards. There are several fumaroles in the crater from which sulphurous-acid gas is emitted, and a small pond is to be found at the bottom. According to the author's thermometer, the temperature of the air on the summit, at ten o'clock a. m., was 32° Fahr. Clouds usually envelop the peak of Popocatepetl after ten o'clock in the forenoon, and the tourist should endeavor to reach the summit by that hour.
We have not space to describe the view, which is so extensive that a region of about 100,000 square miles in area is visible. Suffice it to say that the Gulf of Mexico (150 miles distant) may be seen on a clear day. On account of the highly rarefied atmosphere, not longer than one hour should be passed on the summit.
The descent may be made in one hour and a half. If the snow be tolerably soft, the tourist can sit on a petate, or piece of matting, with the guide, and slide down the slope. A rope is attached to the front part of the petate, which is held by the señor, and the guide, who is seated behind, steers with his alpenstock. The operation is similar to coasting.
Should the stranger fail to ascend the mountain the first time, he can spend two nights at the ranch of Tlamacas, and make a second attempt on the following day. The
sooner the lungs become accustomed to the atmosphere at this great elevation the easier it will be to climb the peak. It is hardly necessary to add that the ascent of Popocatepetl is well worth the trouble and expense which it involves.
A visit to the Sacromonte, one of the most famous shrines in Mexico, will be found interesting. This mountain lies on the western side of the town of Amecameca, and rises about 300 feet above the plain. A paved pathway leads to a chapel on the summit. There are fourteen "stations," each having a cross and inscription in Spanish, along this path. Many ex votos are seen at the door of the chapel. Some of them are in the form of oil-paintings, while others consist of silver arms and legs, which are hung in a glass case. An image of Nuestro Señor de Sacromonte is placed on the high altar. The saint wears a gold-embroidered cloak of velvet. Ribbons of various colors, giving the size of the head of Our Lord of the Sacred Mountain, are sold at the entrance and also at the foot of the pathway. The hill is covered with a dense growth of cedars.
Leaving Amecameca, the railway runs almost due south past the stations of Ozumba (70 kilometres), Nepantla (95 kilometres), Yecapixtla (111 kilometres), and reaches Cuautla (138 kilometres). The chief object of interest on the road is the bridge at Ozumba, which is 618 feet long and 41 feet high.
Cuautla, the principal city of the State of MoreIos, has a population of about 14,000. The name is derived from Quauhtli—i. e., delightful hills—a term given to the town by its founders, the Tlahuicos. It was conquered by the Spaniards in 1521, and was created a city in 1829. The objects of interest are the parochial church. City Hall, and Alameda.
2. From Cuautla to Acapulco, about 200 miles.
The railway will be extended from Cuautla to Cuernavaca, and thence to Acapulco via Chilpancingo. Cuernavaca is described in Section III. From a point about 25 miles south of this town, the line will run entirely within Guerrero, a State that possesses immense mineral wealth, which is almost totally undeveloped. All tropical fruits, and corn, beans, peas, cotton, and sugar-cane, are grown in this State. There is also a great variety of timber in Guerrero.
The region lying along the proposed line of railroad does not possess many places of interest to the traveler. Chilpancingo, the capital of the State, is celebrated in history as the town where the first Mexican Congress assembled, on September 13, 1813, after the cry for independence had been raised by Hidalgo. This town has a population of 3,800 inhabitants. (For description of Acapulco, see Section IV, p. 236.)
It is said that the MoreIos narrow-gauge road will be built to the port of Vera Cruz, via Perote and Jalapa, at some future time. We are of the opinion that this part of the line will not be completed for several years.
SECTION IX.
The Tehuantepec Railroad.
(Compare with chapter on railroads.)
During the last fifty years plans for establishing a communication between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans via the Isthmus of Tehuantepec have been discussed. The Mexican Government in 1841 granted a concession to Don José de Garay to make a connection between the two oceans, provided that the grantee should make a survey, at his own expense, of the ground and the direction which the route should follow, and also of the ports which might be deemed most convenient from their proximity. A survey was duly made, and reports were published. But the route was not necessarily to be a canal, although Señor Moro, the engineer, based his operations upon this assumption.
Soon after the termination of the war with the United States, the franchise of Señor de Garay became the property of Mr. P. A. Hargous, of New York, who, in connection with a company organized in New Orleans, assumed the rights and responsibilities of the Garay grant. After negotiations with the Mexican Government and unavoidable delays, it was agreed that a railroad would be more practicable than a canal. Accordingly, a survey for a railway across the isthmus was made in 1851, under the direction of the late General J. G. Barnard, of the United States Army, who was detailed for that purpose. The surveys demonstrated that a railway would be feasible at a moderate expense; that the grades did not exceed 60 feet per mile, except at \ the Chivela Pass, where they were 116 feet per mile for the distance of eight miles; and that the summit was 720 feet above the sea-level.
In 1857 the railroad project was resumed, and a new survey was executed under the direction of Colonel W. H. Sidell, of the United States Army. Owing to various reasons, this line was never constructed.
In 1870 the Tehuantepec Railway Company was formed in New York. Mr. Simon Stevens became its president, with the late Hon, Marshall O. Roberts as promoter. New surveys and explorations were made, but the road was not built under this administration. Upon a reorganization of the company, with Mr. Edward Larned, of Pittsfield, Mass., as president, and under a charter from the State of Massachusetts, a modified concession was obtained from the Mexican Government on June 2, 1879, to build the Tehuantepec Railroad, A subsidy of $7,500 per kilometre was included in the concession. The track was not to exceed 300 kilometres (186 miles) in length.
The Tehuantepec Railroad was not finished by the above mentioned company. It is said that not more than forty kilometres were constructed by this foreign corporation.
In 1882 the Mexican Government made a contract with private individuals for the completion of the Tehuantepec line; and in January, 1883, the track was finished from the mouth of the Goatzacoalcos[6] River to Minatitlan, a distance of 25 miles. The route of the projected railway is about 170 miles in length. The work of construction from Minatitlan to the port of Salina Cruz is now being pushed vigorously by the Government. It is believed that the road will be finished and opened for traffic in 1885. The line runs due north and south, and it will traverse the southern portions of the States of Vera Cruz and Oaxaca. The adjacent country may be concisely described as follows:
The depth of water at low tide is thirteen feet on the bar at the mouth of the Goatzacoalcos River, which is navigable for a distance of 30 miles. Placer gold-deposits are said to exist in the interior of the isthmus, although the country has not yet been geologically explored. Large beds of asphalt also occur. The vegetable productions of this region are indigo, tobacco, sugar-cane, cocoa, cotton, coffee, Indian corn, vanilla, sarsaparilla, ginger, and India-rubber.
The terminus of the road will be at Salina Cruz, three miles west of La Ventosa, on the Pacific coast, which is considered a safe harbor. It is said that work on the western section of this railway has begun. Winter is the best season for visiting the isthmus, as the summers are very hot and a great variety of insects abound. Some of them are poisonous, and the tourist should exercise extreme caution to avoid being bitten while traveling through the jungle or in camping out.
Humboldt, in his Political Essay on New Spain, has referred to the possibility of making the Isthmus of Tehuantepec an avenue of travel at some future day. He gives the width of the isthmus at 118 miles. The connections of the Tehuantepec Railroad with the Mexican Southern Railroad are mentioned in Section VII.
Captain J. B. Eads has recently visited England, to procure capital to build the Tehuantepec Ship-Railway.
The advantages to commerce of a means of communication across the isthmus (either by land or water) can hardly be overestimated. This route lies between latitude 16° and 18°, and, unlike the malarious climate of Panama, the region is comparatively healthy all the year round. While the commerce between Europe and the Pacific Ocean will be carried on via the Isthmus of Panama for many years, the greater part of the trade between the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of the United States must needs be conducted across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec as soon as the railway is finished.
It is hardly necessary to say that the latter route will soon become a very formidable competitor to the Panama Railway as regards passenger traffic.
The distance from New York to San Francisco via Tehuantepec is 1,477 miles shorter than via Panama, and that from New Orleans to San Francisco is 2,334 miles less by the former than by the latter route.
SECTION X.
The Sonora Railway.
From Benson to Guaymas. Distance, 353 miles; time, 19 hours; fare, $21.
As already stated, the Sonora Railway connects with the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fé and Southern Pacific Railroads.
(For a full description of these routes, see Appletons' General Guide to the United States.)
Elevation of Benson, 3,578 feet; distance from San Francisco, 1,024 miles.
Leaving Benson, the line takes a southwesterly direction through the lower part of Arizona to Nogales on the Mexican frontier, 88 miles distant. The train stops thirty minutes here. The line between the points just mentioned is called the New Mexico and Arizona Railroad, the stations along the route being: Canisteo, 7 miles; Contention, 15 miles; Fairhanhs, 18 mile; Brookline, 23 miles; Huachuca, 29 miles; Elgin, 40 miles; Sonoita, 49 miles; Crittenden, 58 miles; Sanford's, 68 miles; Calabasas, 77 miles; and Nogales, 88 miles.
The road from Nogales to Guaymas is the Sonora Railway proper. It was completed on November 25, 1882. The stations from Nogales southward are: Encina, 94 miles; Agua Zarca, 100 miles; Cibuta, 109 miles; Casita, 115 miles; Imuris, 130 miles (fifteen minutes' stop); Piersons, 135 miles; San Ignacio, 137 miles; Magdalena, 142 miles, Santa Ana, 153 miles; Llano, 160 miles; Puerto, 183 miles; Querobabi, 189 miles; Posa, 205 miles; Carlo, 217 miles; Pesqueira, 239 miles; Zamora, 247 miles; Junction, 260 miles; Hermosillo, 263 miles (thirty minutes' stop) ; Willard, 274 miles; Torres, 289 miles; Moreno, 307 miles; Ortiz, 323 miles; Santa Rosa, 333 miles; Maytorena, 338 miles; Batamotal, 345 miles; Long Bridge, 348 miles; Batuecas, 350 miles ; Guaymas, 353 miles.
a rugged mountain of limestone. Magdalena has a population of 3,000. A wagon-road leads thence to the town of Ures. Another line of railroad will soon be constructed
from Hermosillo via Ures, Arispe, Baclmachi, and Espia to Paso del Norte.
The famous Mulatos[7] mine lies about 120 miles east of Ures.
There is a fine Alameda at Arispe. The capital of the State was formerly located here. In 1832 it was removed to Ures, which now has 9,700 inhabitants.
Guaymas, the terminus of the Sonora Railway, has a population of 6,000. The hotels are the Cosmopolitan and Central. Plans for building a railroad to this town have been discussed for many years. Now that the line is finished, Guaymas is destined to grow rapidly.
The completion of this road is a very important event, as it establishes the third interoceanic route on this continent. When fast trains are placed on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fé line, the Journey may be made from New York to Guaymas in five days and a few hours. The fare by rail is $108.40. The new line is expected to facilitate communication with Australia, while it will also give the traders of the Mexican, Central, and South American coasts an opportunity to send their products quickly to the Mississippi Valley, the East, and the large cities that lie between the Gulf of Mexico and the Great Lakes.
The Sonora Railway also affords Americans a short route to the ports on the Pacific coast of Mexico.
The city lies in latitude 28° north and longitude 110° 40' west of Greenwich. It is situated at the foot of a ridge of mountains, and is well protected from winds. Its land-locked harbor is one of the best on the Mexican coast.
The entrance to the port is encompassed by islands. The bottom is covered with a very soft mud, so that masters of vessels intending to remain a long time in the harbor are obliged, to raise their anchors occasionally to prevent them from smking too deeply.
The depth of water in the inner harbor is from two to four fathoms, affording safe anchorage for vessels drawing from fifteen to eighteen feet. The depth of the outer harbor is from four to seven fathoms, allowing safe anchorage for vessels of twenty-two to twenty-eight feet draught. The bay abounds in a great variety of fish.
Guaymas is built along the shore of the bay, its length being about one mile, and its breadth not exceeding a quarter of a mile. The houses are of stone, brick, and adobe.
The climate is exceedingly hot in summer, but delightful in winter. The atmosphere is dry, except in the rainy season, which lasts from June to September.
Steamers leave Guaymas every twenty days for Manzanillo, touching at Altata, La Paz, Mazatlan, and San Blas.
A wagon-road extends from Guaymas to Buena Vista on the Rio Yaqui, about 100 miles distant, and thence to the mining town of Alamos, in the southern part of the State.
There is immense mineral wealth in Sonora, which will be developed by the new railroads. Mines of gold, silver, iron, lead, coppper, antimony, tin, and sulphur are found in the region adjacent to the Sonora Railway, and to the branch road running toward the State of Chihuahua. Deposits of carbonate of soda, alum, salt, marble, and gypsum are also abundant along these routes. The same minerals occur at Oposura, Saguaripa, Altar, and Alamos, the last named town containing the richest gold and silver mines in the State.
For many years the depredations of the Apache Indians have interfered materially with the development of the metallic wealth.
One of the most important mineral deposits of Sonora is anthracite, which has recently been discovered at Barranca, on the Yaqui River, about 100 miles from its mouth. The coal is found in sandstone and conglomerate, and is said to contain 90 per cent of carbon. It is probably the largest and richest bed of coal in Mexico.
The agricultural products have already been briefly mentioned, but it may be remarked that good crops of sugar-cane, tobacco, rice, and brown beans are also cultivated. Such trees as the rosewood, ebony, logwood, and Brazil-wood grow in abundance.
SECTION XI.
The American and Mexican Pacific Railway.
The corporate name of this company is “The Texas, Topolobampo and Pacific Railroad and Telegraph Company." Its charter was formed, under the general railroad law of Massachusetts, on the 8th of March, 1881.
The concession from the Mexican Government was obtained on the 13th of June, 1881, and amended on December 5, 1882. The leading provisions are as follow: The right to construct or operate for ninety-nine years a trunk-line of railroad from Topolobampo Bay to Piedras Negras, on the Rio Grande; also to extend branches from the main line to Alamos, in Sonora, to Mazatlan, in Sinaloa, to Presidio del Norte, on the Rio Grande, and to other points—a total of about 2,000 miles. A subsidy from the Mexican Government of $8,064 per mile upon all of its lines—making a total of about $16,000,000. The freight tariff per ton for each kilometre of distance is not to exceed six cents on first-class, four cents on second-class, and two and a half cents on third-class goods, and one and a half cents on every ton of coal. The passenger rates per kilometre must not exceed three cents, two cents, and one cent and a half for the first, second, and third classes, respectively. The Federal Government agrees not to subsidize any parallel railway within a limit of twenty-five leagues on either side of the company's lines.
Wood is abundant along the greater part of the route. Pines and oaks are found at an elevation of 4,000 feet and upward. Cedars and firs grow on the crest of the Sierra Madre, above 6,500 feet.
The State of Chihuahua possesses fine grazing-land (see p. 285). There are much fertile soil and valuable timber in the portions of Sinaloa adjacent to the line.
This curious plant is common in various parts of Sonora. The stem is from one foot to two and a half feet in diameter, and the height varies from twenty to fifty feet.
The following is a condensed itinerary of this line from Topolobampo to Piedras Negras:
Gonzalez City, on the north side of the inner port of Topolobampo Bay, will be the site of the western terminus of the railway. The projected
city has a water front of 7½ miles. It lies in north latitude 25° 32'. The harbor is 18 miles long, and from one to six miles in width. It consists of two great basins, which are connected by the straits of Joshua. The water is 21 feet deep on the bar at low tide. Topolobampo is a far better port than Mazatlan.
Leaving Gonzalez City, the railway will have a northerly course as far as Fuerte. It will then enter the "foot-hills" of the Sierra Madre, traverse the southeastern corner of the State of Sonora, and run northeasterly, near the rich mining districts of Urique and Batopilas, to the town of Bocogna (elevation, 7,300 feet), in Chihuahua. From this place the line will take an easterly direction to Nonoavas, and, through the valley of the Rio Conchos, to a point near Parral. Thence the road-bed will descend to Jimenez, on the Mexican Central Railway. Leaving this station, the track will be continued across the Bolson de Mapimi, and through the State of Coahuila, to Piedras Negras, on the Rio Grande.
From this point, connection can easily be made with lines for Gralveston, New Orleans, or the South Atlantic coast.
This road will traverse a region in which Americans have invested large amounts of capital. The projectors of the railway hope to obtain much of the overland traffic from New York to Australia and New Zealand, as the distance to Auckland is 530 miles shorter via Topolobampo Bay than via San Francisco, Cal. Hon. William Windom is the president of this new railroad company. It is said that the preliminary surveys are nearly completed, and that the work of grading will be commenced immediately.
SECTION XII.
The New York, Texas and Mexican Railroad (better known as Count Telfener's Railroad).
This line begins at Rosenburg Junction, in Texas, and runs to Brownsville, on the northern side of the Rio Grande, via Wharton, Victoria, San Patricio, and Banquete.
There are two hotels in Brownsville, Miller's and the Rio Grande. The objects of interest are: Old Fort Brown, the United States Cemetery, the battle-fields of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, and Point Isabel.
The road will cross the Rio Grande at Brownsville, and, entering Matamoros, it will extend southward to Tampico, a distance of about 275 miles.
There is no hotel in Matamoros. The places of interest are: The Government buildings, cathedral, theatre, Plaza mayor, the city walls, and the garden and zócalo at Santa Cruz Point.
The climate is very hot in summer. In winter the thermometer occasionally sinks to the freezing-point.
Communication with Brownsville is made by row-boats. A chalau, or flat-boat, is used for freight.
The Matamoros and Monterey Railroad is completed and in operation as far as Reynosa, a distance of 50 miles. (See p. 157.)
Count Telfener[8] expects to continue this railway along the coast to Tuxpan, and thence to the City of Mexico.
The distance by this route from New York to the Mexican capital will be no less than 600 miles shorter than by the Mexican Central, and 300 miles shorter than by the Mexican National Railway.
Leaving Matamoros, the line will trend southwesterly across a flat country via San Fernando and Santander as far as the twenty-fourth parallel. At this point the track will be extended eastward to the port of Soto la Marina, which lies about midway between Tampico and Matamoros. The harbor of Soto la Marina is said to be navigable for large vessels up to a distance of half a mile from the shore. In this respect it is different from nearly all other Mexican ports, which have sand-bars at their entrance.
Count Telfener is reported to have stated recently that he intends to concentrate his working force and materials at Soto la Marina, and construct the railway northward and southward from this point. Soto la Marina was, during the reign of the viceroys, a flourishing town, but it has since dwindled into an unimportant village. It is situated on the bank of the Corona River, about 35 miles from the Gulf of Mexico.
A few American merchants have established themselves here. Soto la Marina is celebrated in history as the spot where the unfortunate Emperor Iturbide landed in 1824.
The main line will run almost due south from this port to Tampico, via Cruces, Realito, Bejarano, Sanapa, and Aldama; while a branch will be extended via Padilla[9] to Victoria, the capital of the State of Tamaulipas, where it will connect with the Mexican Southern Railroad. (Vide Section VII. ) The New York, Texas and Mexican Railroad will also cross the eastern branch of the Mexican Central Railway at Tampico. (For description of Tampico, see p. 157.)
Proceeding southward from this point, a bridge will probably be constructed across the Panuico River, and thence the railway will run in a southeasterly direction to
the port of Tuxpan, about 125 miles distant. This division of the route passes through the northern part of the State of Vera Cruz, which is noted for valuable wells of petroleum and bitumen. (Vide pp. 157, 158.) The region lying between Matamoros and Tuxpan is fertile for the most part.
Tamaulipas yields extensive crops of sugar-cane, barley, maize, wheat, cotton, rice, ixtle[10] and tropical fruits. It also contains excellent grazing-lands. The mules raised in this State are said to be the best in Mexico. There is good farming-land in Northern Vera Cruz. Extensive forests, consisting of a great variety of woods, are found along the route.
Leaving Tuxpan, the railroad will have a southwesterly course through the northern part of the State of Puebla and the southern portion of the State of Hidalgo, after which it will be continued to the District of Mexico. The last-named tract of country possesses valuable silver-mines. The famous ore deposits of Pachuca and Regla, in the southern part of Hidalgo, are described on pages 196, 197. The maguey is planted very extensively in this region. The cereals, brown beans (frijoles), and potatoes are also grown. (Up to November 1, 1883, if our sources of information are correct, no rails have been laid on the road-bed of this railway, although it has been graded in several places.)
SECTION XIII.
The Mexican International Railroad.
This line is being constructed under the so-called Huntington concession. Its northern terminus is at Piedras Negras, in the State of Coahuila. An iron bridge, which is 930 feet long, crosses the Rio Grande at this point, and communicates with Eagle Pass, Texas. Here connection is made by a branch line with the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railroad at Spofford Junction, 34 miles distant.
Leaving Piedras Negras (elevation, 720 feet), the railway runs southerly to Monclova. The stations are Nava, 25 miles; Allende, 33 miles; Sabinas, 73 miles; Hermanas, 125 miles; and Monclova, 148 miles. There is an iron bridge over the Rio Sabinas (elevation, 1,400 feet). The population of Monclova is about 3,000, and the elevation is 2,030 feet. A wagon-road leads to Saltillo, 121 miles distant. (See p. 245.)
From Monclova the railroad will trend southwesterly toward the "laguna country," where the mean elevation is 4,000 feet. The line will pass within a few leagues of Parras and Mazapil. Connection will be made with the Mexican Central Railway in the vicinity of Durango.
The greater part of the region traversed by the Mexican International Railroad is fertile. The cereals, sugar-cane, and cotton are cultivated at various points.
On November 1, 1883, about 120 miles of track had been laid, and it is expected that the road will be completed to Monclova by the end of the current year.
SECTION XIV.
The Sinaloa and Durango Railroad.
This line was begun in November, 1881. It will run from the port of Altata, on the Pacific, to the City of Durango, via Culiacan and Cosalá, a distance of about 225 miles. (See p. 9.)
A branch, will be extended from Culiacan to Mazatlan.
At present (October, 1883) the railway is completed from Altata to Culiacan, a distance of 38½ miles.
The population of Altata is about 500. The town was destroyed by a cyclone on October 3, 1883.
The stations are Guasimillas (735 miles), Bachimeto (14 miles), Limoncito (15½ miles), Navalato (18 miles), Yevarito (2245 miles), San Pedro (26710 y miles), Bichihualto (3225 miles), Flores (34 miles), Culiacan (38½ miles).
CULIACAN.
Population, 10,000; elevation, 165 feet.
Hotels.—Ferrocarril and Diligencias.
A diligence runs to Cosalá, 97 miles from Culiacan. The city of Durango lies about 130 miles east.[11]
On November 1, 1883, there were in the Mexican Republic about 2,500 miles of completed railways.
The concessions made to American capitalists to build railroads in Mexico amount to nearly 13,000 miles, as follows:
| National | 2,000 |
| Central | 2,000 |
| International (Huntington) and Southern Pacific (two concessions) | 4,000 |
| Sonora | 265 |
| New York, Texas and Mexican | 500 |
| Southern | 1,600 |
| Sinaloa | 350 |
| Topolobampo | 2,000 |
| ———— | |
| 12,175 |
SECTION XV.
Table of Distances (chiefly by Rail).
| Miles. | |
| New York to Laredo, via St. Louis | 2,187 |
| New York to Laredo, via New Orleans | 2,400 |
| New York to Mexico City, via St. Louis and Laredo | 3,007 |
| New York to El Paso, Texas, via St. Louis | 2,456 |
| San Francisco to El Paso | 1,286 |
| El Paso to Mexico City | 1,200 |
| Laredo to Mexico City | 820 |
| Corpus Christi to Mexico City | 983 |
| Monterey to Acambaro , | 478 |
| Acambaro to Manzanillo | 443 |
| Acambaro to Mexico City | 172 |
| Vera Cruz to Mexico City | 263 |
| Puebla to Mexico City (by rail) | 115 |
| Querétaro to Mexico City | 152 |
| San Luis Potosi to Mexico City | 312 |
| Guanajuato to Mexico City | 252 |
| Guadalajara to Mexico City, via Lagos | 425 |
| Zacatecas to Mexico City | 340 |
| San Blas to Mexico City | 661 |
| Durango to Mexico City | 529 |
| Morelia to Mexico City | 222 |
| Oaxaca to Mexico City | 350 |
| Perote to Mexico City | 237 |
| Acapulco to Mexico City, via Chilpancingo | 290 |
| Minatitlan to Tehuantepec | 135 |
| Benson to Guaymas | 353 |
SECTION XVI.
Guatemala.
Prior to the year 1823, Guatemala and Mexico were ruled by the same government. Together, they formed the viceroyalty of New Spain. Hence the resemblance which, in many respects, the two republics bear to each other. Much that has been stated in Part First, concerning the climate, the history, language, literature, religion, education, jurisprudence, tariff, money, weights and measures, immigration, agriculture, geology, zoölogy, botany, and the future needs of Mexico, is in general applicable to Guatemala.
GEOGRAPHY.
Area, 50,600 square miles. Population, 1,200,000,[12] which is composed of mestizos, negroes, Indians, and whites. The last-named are about 12,000, of which perhaps 1,000 are foreigners.
Boundaries.—Guatemala is bounded on the north by Yucatan; on the east by Balize, the Bay of Honduras, and the Republics of Honduras and San Salvador; on the south by the Pacific Ocean; and on the west by the Mexican State of Chiapas.
The greatest length from north to south is 320 miles, and the greatest breadth is 280 miles.
Mountains.—The larger part of the surface of Guatemala consists of an elevated table-land, which is a continuation of the plateau of Yucatan. It has a mean altitude above the sea-level of 5,000 feet.
The Sierra Madre, which is a prolongation of the Andes of South America, traverses the country from southeast to northwest, at a distance from the Pacific coast varying between 30 and 50 miles. The mean height of the range is 7,000 feet. The greatest altitude is in the western portion, which bears the local name of the Cuchumatanes
Mountains. The descent of the Sierra Madre on the southern side is abrupt, while on the northern side it is gradual until it subsides into the plain.
The Cordillera is divided into four sections, viz.:
The Sierra de las Minas;
The Sierra de Santa Cruz;
The Sierra de Chamd; and
The Sierra del Merendon.
the valley of the Rio Polochic and the Lake of Izabal, and on the south by the Rio Motagua. The range is formed mostly of igneous rocks. In the western portion it contains mines of some importance, whence it derives its name.
2. The Sierra de Santa Cruz rises to the north of that of the Minas, from which it is separated by the valley of the Rio Polochic. 3. The Sierra de Chamá lies between the rivers Cahabon and Sarstun on the south, and the Rio Pasion on the north, ending in the Cockscomb Mountains of the territory of Balize. This range, as well as the last-named one, is composed of limestone.
4. The Sierra, or Mountain of Merendon, forms the boundary between Guatemala and Honduras. It branches off from the main body of the Cordillera in the department of Chiquimula, where its various spurs receive separate and distinct names.
A series of volcanoes, about twenty in number, extends across the country. They are not found in the main Cordillera, but occur in the extremities of its southern branches. A line drawn from northwest to southeast passes through the principal ones, and may be called the volcanic axis of the Cordillera of Guatemala. These volcanoes are divided into three sections—the western, the central, and the eastern. The first section comprises the two extinct volcanoes of Tacaná and Tajumulco, which are situated in the department of San Marcos. From the latter sulphur is mined.
The central section contains several active volcanoes, beginning with the group of Quezaltenango. The most important is the Cerro Quemado, which has an altitude of 10,200 feet above the sea-level. The last eruption of this volcano occurred in 1785. This group is bounded on the south by the volcano of Santa Maria (elevation, 11,480 feet). Going toward the southeast, one sees on the shores of the Lake of Atitlan the volcano of San Pedro (elevation, 8,200 feet), which is separated from that of Atitlan by an arm of this lake. Eruptions from the latter volcano took place in 1828, 1833, and 1852.
The next group is in the vicinity of Old Guatemala. To the southwest of this city lies the highest mountain in Central America, the extinct volcano of Acatenango, which is 13,612 feet above the sea-level. To the north is another volcano which is less elevated. This group is bounded on the south by the Volcan de Fuego, 13,120 feet high. Its
last eruption was in June, 1880. On the opposite side of the valley of Old Guatemala lies the Volcan de Agua, which has an altitude of 12,286 feet. To the eastward of this volcano is the group comprising Pacaya (elevation, 7,680 feet), which is separated from it by the valley of the Rio Michatoya. The last eruption took place in July, 1775. This system includes the two small extinct volcanoes called the Cerro Redondo, from the round conical figure of one of them. In the department of Santa Rosa lies the only outlier of the Cordillera toward the south, the mountain of Santa Rosa, which is between the rivers Michatoya and Esclavos. The southern end of this mountain is formed by the volcano of Tecuamburro.
The eastern section of the volcanoes of Guatemala is situated in the departments of Jutiapa and Chiquimula. The northernmost member of this system is that of Ipala, whose height is 11,808 feet. To the southward lies the volcano of Monterico, which is somewhat smaller. In the same direction and beyond the Rio Ostúa is the volcano of Santa Catarina, or Suchitan, in Jutiapa.
The minor volcanoes of Culma and Amayo are situated on the south-southwest, beyond which is the mountain of Moyuta.
The easternmost volcano of Guatemala is that of Chingo, having an elevation of 6,560 feet. It is located near the frontier of San Salvador. As in Mexico, the country is divided into three zones, as follows: The tierra caliente,
between the sea-level and 1,300 feet; the tierra templada, between 1,300 and 4,900 feet; the tierra fria, between 4,900 and 8,200 feet. The Atlantic shore-line is very irregular in shape, while the Pacific coast is bordered with lagoons. The former measures 150 miles and the latter is 260 miles in length.
Rivers.—The country abounds with brooks and streams, some of which are navigable. The chief rivers are, the Pasion, Usumacinta, Chixoy, Negro, Folochic, Motagua, Margarita, Maria Linda, Guacalate, Madre Vieja, Samala, Michatoya, Paz, and Esclavos.
Lakes,—The principal lakes are: Izabal, Peten, Amatitlan, Ayarza, Lacandon, Atitlan, Cuitlan, Guija, and Itzan. Lake Izabal is the largest (area, 860 square miles). Peten ranks next (area, 160 square miles). The latter is well stocked with fish, and contains a species of alligator. The altitude above the sea-level of Lake Amatitlan is 3,890 feet; that of Lake Ayarza is 3,100 feet; and that of Lake Atitlan is 5,110 feet.
Climate.—Excepting in the vicinity of the marshy lagoons along the Pacific coast, the climate is considered healthy. The rainy season lasts from May to October. The annual rainfall at the capital is computed at fifty-four inches. The rains are heaviest in the tierra templada.
Springs.—Hot and cold springs are abundant in the country. Some of them contain sulphurous water. Important saline springs occur in the departments of Chiquimula and Santa Rosa.
Ports.—The ports on the Atlantic shore are: 1. Izabal, on the south side of the lake of the same name. It lies in north latitude 15° 24', and longitude 89° 9' west of Greenwich. The Rio Dulce forms the outlet of the lake, and the bar at its mouth prevents the entrance of large vessels. 2. Santo Tomás, on the southern end of the Bay of Amatique, in the Gulf of Honduras. It is situated in north latitude 15° 38' 3", and longitude 88° 35' 6" west of Greenwich. It is one of the best ports in Central America, although insalubrious. It is the chief seaport of the eastern coast of the Republic. The depth of water in the harbor is six fathoms, and large ships can anchor close to the shore. 3. Livingston, on the left bank of the Rio Dulce, near the mouth. It lies in north latitude 15° 48' and longitude 88° 46' west of Greenwich. This port was established in 1878, when the custom-house of Izabal was removed to it.
The main ports on the Pacific coast are: San José, at the mouth of the Rio Michatoya, in the department of Escuintla, in north latitude 13° 56' and longitude 90° 42'
west of Greenwich; and Champerico, in the department of Suchitepéquez, which lies in north latitude 14° 17' and longitude 91° 57' west of Greenwich. There are a few minor ports, such as San Gerónimo, Tecojate, and San Luis, in the department of Escuintla, and Los Esclavos, in the department of Santa Rosa.
Political Divisions.—The following table, from Foledo, exhibits the twenty departments into which the Republic of Guatemala is divided, their estimated areas, their respective capitals, their population, and the population of the capitals. Altogether, the Republic contains 10 cities, 22 towns, 304 townships, and 1,794 hamlets, etc.:
| DEPARTMENT. | Area, square miles | population, | Capitals. | Population |
| Guatemala | 700 | 100,000 | Guatemala | 50,000 |
| Sacatepéquez | 250 | 48,000 | Antigua | 15,000 |
| Amatitlan | 200 | 38,000 | Amatitlan | 14,000 |
| Escuintla | 1,950 | 30,000 | Escuintla | 10,000 |
| Chimaltenango | 800 | 60,000 | Chimaltenango | 6,300 |
| Sololá | 700 | 80,000 | Sololá | 15,000 |
| Totonicapan | 700 | 114,000 | Totonicapan | 25,000 |
| Quiché | 1,300 | 75,000 | Santa Cruz del Quiché | 6,300 |
| Quezaltenango | 450 | 94,000 | Quezaltenango | 22,000 |
| Suchitepéquez | 2,500 | 69,000 | Suchitpéquez | 11,500 |
| Huehuetenango | 4,550 | 90,000 | Huehuetenango | 16,000 |
| San Márcos. | 750 | 100,000 | San Márcos | 12,600 |
| Peten | 13,200 | 14,000 | Flores | 2,200 |
| Verapaz | 11,200 | 100,000 | Salamá | 8,000 |
| Izabal | 1,500 | 3,400 | Izabal | 750 |
| Chiquimula | 2,200 | 70,000 | Chiquimula | 12,000 |
| Zacapa | 4,400 | 28,000 | Zacapa | 4,000 |
| Jalapa | 450 | 8,600 | Jalapa | 4,000 |
| Jutiapa | 1,700 | 38,000 | Jutiapa | 7,000 |
| Santa Rosa | 1,100 | 38,500 | Cuajiniquilapa | 5,000 |
| Total | 50,600 | 1,198,500 |
MISCELLANEOUS.
In the year 1524 Guatemala was subjugated by Pedro de Alvarado, who had been the trusted lieutenant of Cortes in the Conquest of Mexico. In 1527 Charles V appointed a captain-general to govern the country.
Simultaneously with the achievement of Mexican Independence, the people of Guatemala threw off the Spanish yoke, and annexed themselves to the so-called empire under Iturbide. Upon the fall of that usurper in 1823, Guatemala became united to the Central American Federal Republic. Eight years later, Guatemala seceded from the remaining states and proclaimed itself an independent republic.
In 1871 a religious war broke out, which led to the banishment of the archbishop and the suppression of the order of Jesuits. President Barrios, a man of enlightened and progressive views, was elected to the chief magistracy on May 9, 1873, and has continued to fill the office from that day to this. Since the revolution all religions have been tolerated.
The public debt on January 1, 1882, was $7,139,169. The annual revenue amounts to 17,479,719, and the expenditures are slightly in excess of this sum. The largest export trade is with the United States, and the largest import trade is with Great Britain. The main exports are coffee,[13] India-rubber, woolen cloths, hides, sugar, specie, timber, cochineal, cocoa, sarsaparilla, and fruit. In 1882 the exports of Guatemala amounted to $3,719,210, and the value of the imports was $2,254,574.
During 1882 the entry of vessels in the three principal ports was as follows: San José, 67 steamers, 25 sailing-vessels; Champerico, 50 steamers, 14 sailing-vessels; Livingston, 41 steamers, 13 sailing-vessels.
On January 1, 1883, there were in the Republic 811 primary schools, in which 37,469 children were taught by 972 instructors, at a cost of $283,000. Evening schools for mechanics and working-women have also been established. There is a governmental School of Arts and Trades, numbering 15 professors and 150 scholars.
The Government is now encouraging immigration.
The mineral deposits of the country consist of gold, silver, iron, copper, lead, antimony, zinc, coal, gypsum, and marble. Most of the mineral wealth is found in the department of Chiquimula, where the far-famed Olotepeque mines are still worked. The department of Izabal contains auriferous gravel-beds and veins of bituminous coal. The latter are found near the volcano of San Gil.
The vegetable resources may be briefly described as follows: A large portion of the Republic is covered with dense forests; valuable woods, like ebony, logwood, walnut, India-rubber, and mahogany, abound. There are many medicinal plants, among which may be mentioned jalap, ipecac, Sassafras, and sarsaparilla. Various kinds of gums, resins, and balsams are also found. The cereals, Indian corn, cotton, vanilla, sugar-cane, rice, and all tropical fruits grow in the country.
Cattle are raised to a considerable extent. The native dialects are the Cakchiquel, Quiché, and Maya. Some important ruins are found at Quirigua. The United States and Great Britain have ministers resident at New Guatemala. American consuls, or consular agents, reside at the capital, and at the ports of Champerico, San José, and Izabal. A transcontinental railway is projected by the Government from New Guatemala to Livingston, a distance of two hundred and fifty miles. The line will cost about $12,000,000. It is said that the work of construction will be begun in the spring of 1884. There are about 4,000 miles of telegraph in Guatemala.
ROUTES AND CITIES.
Route I.
1. From Tonalá, Mexico, to San José de Guatemala, 221 miles.
Leaving Tonalá, the Pacific Mail steamers touch at San Benito (102 miles) and Champerico (145 miles), (Champerico Hotel). A Californian corporation has recently constructed a railway from the last-named port to Retalhuleu, a distance of 30 miles. Retalhuleu is the capital of the department of the same name, and has a population of 5,000. There are two hotels here. There is no harbor at Champerico, but a substantial iron pier has been erected to facilitate the landing of passengers and cargo.
Leaving Champerico, the steamer proceeds to San José de Guatemala, 76 miles distant (Hotel, San José). An American consul resides at the latter town. This port is an open roadstead, and has a pier similar to that of Champerico.
Route II.
2. From San José to New Guatemala, 67 miles. Fares to Escuintla, first class, $4; second class, $2. Two trains daily. The maximum rates of freight can not exceed 75 cents a ton.
The Gruatemala Central Railroad Company[14] has recently constructed a narrow-gauge (three feet) line to Escuintla, 28•5 miles from San José.
The stations are San José, Naranjo, Masagua, and Escuintla.
There are eight barrancas, or ravines, which are crossed by bridges. The maximum grade is 4½ per cent.
The railway will be extended to the city of New Guatemala by the Central American Pacific Railway and Transportation Company, which has recently purchased a controlling interest in the above-mentioned company. The road will be completed during 1884. At present a daily stage-coach connects Escuintla with the capital.
GUATEMALA.
Population, 60,000 in 1883; elevation, 4,932 feet.
Hotels.—Del Globo, Gran Hotel, Aleman, Del Teatro.
Baths.—Granja del Ciprés, El Administrador, Matamoros, and El Zapote.
Banks.—International and Colomhiano.
Carriages, two horses, $2 an hour; one horse, $1 an hour.
Diligences.—To Escuintla, 36 miles; to Chiquimula, 50 miles; to Chimaltenango, 31 miles; and to Old Guatemala, 21 miles.
Newspapers.—Six are published in the Spanish language.
The City of Guatemala is the capital of the Republic. It is situated in north latitude 14° 37' 32", and longitude 90° 30' 47" west of Greenwich. It was founded in 1776, on the northern end of a broad plain. The streets are straight and cross each other at right angles, but they are badly paved. Owing to the frequency of earthquakes, the houses are of one story. The patios are usually ornamented with statuary or with shrubs and flowers.
The city has several squares. The largest, a rectangle, 625 feet long by 535 feet wide, has on the east side the cathedral and the archiepiscopal palace, on the west the Governor's palace, ministerial offices, etc., with the mint in the rear; on the north the City Hall; and on the south a line of shops. In the center is a fountain and basin formerly surmounted by an equestrian statue of Charles IV, the horse of which alone remains. A large part of this plaza is occupied by rows of miserable little huts, in which pottery, iron utensils, agave-thread, and other small wares are sold. The rent of these forms a part of the municipal revenue.
In the center of another square is the theatre, equal in size and elegance to any in Spanish America. Rows of
orange, oleander, and other trees of brilliant flowers and grateful fragrance surround the building, while a profusion of statues, fountains, etc., placed at intervals throughout the square, enhances the beauty of this fashionable evening promenade.
Foremost among the public buildings is the cathedral, built in 1780, of simple and elegant design, and occupying a space of 450 feet square. In the decoration of the interior, a chaste variety is observed. There are sculptures in wood, and some fine paintings by native artists. There are
twenty-four other churches, a hospital, a university, a medical school, and a prison. Guatemala has the largest number of educational institutions of any city in Central America. Many of the wealthy people of other States send their children here for instruction.
The capital can boast of an excellent police force, at the head of which is a former member of the municipal police of New York City, the uniform in both places being the same. There are twenty-five public reservoirs and many fountains. The water is brought to the city by two aqueducts, which cost $2,000,000.
The climate of the capital is mild though changeable. April and May are the hottest months. The mean temperature of the year is 65° Fahr., the maximum being 87° and the minimum 41° Fahr.
OLD GUATEMALA (la Antigua).
Population, 20,000 in 1883.
The city lies in latitude 14° 34' 58" north, and longitude 90° 44' 5" west of Greenwich. It was founded in 1524.
by Pedro de Alvarado. In 1541 it was destroyed by a flood of water from the adjacent Volcan de Agua, near the foot of which the ruins of the ancient capital are extant. The remains are now known as the Ciudad Vieja; i. e., Old City.
The city was soon afterward rebuilt on a spot a mile distant from the original site, and between the volcanoes de Agua and de Fuego. These mountains lie about twenty miles apart.
In 1773 the city was almost razed by earthquakes. Several years later it was founded anew in the Valle de las Vacas, 25 miles distant from the Ciudad Vieja, and the capital was transferred to New Guatemala. The modern city is embellished with numerous gardens. Several of the ancient edifices have been repaired, and the beholder is impressed with their former grandeur and solidity.
A small stream, the Pensativo River, runs near the city.
There are several schools, and one or two newspapers are published, in old Guatemala.
Coffee, sugar-cane, cactus, the cereals, and fruits grow in the environs.
The author wishes to record his grateful sense of obligation to Señor Don Antonio Batres, the present Minister of Guatemala to the United States, for the courtesy with which he has responded to his numerous requests for information regarding the condition and prospects of that Republic.
- ↑ Two-and-a-half percent grades.
- ↑ Estimated by the author.
- ↑ Juarez was a pure-blooded Tzapotec Indian from Oaxaca.
- ↑ Señor M. Romero, the Mexican Minister at Washington, has resided for many years at Tapachula.
- ↑ The original measurement of Mount Saint Elias—i. e. , 19,000 feet—has been found to be incorrect.
- ↑ Also spelled Coatzacoalcos.
- ↑ A million dollars was recently offered and refused for this mine.
- ↑ Count Telfener is an Italian. He is also a brother-in-law of Mr. John Mackay, of Nevada.
- ↑ Padilla is a dilapidated old Spanish settlement. It was on the plaza of this town that Iturbide, the first Emperor of Mexico, was shot in the autumn of 1824, in accordance with a decree of the National Congress. The population is about 1,500.
- ↑ Three million pounds of ixtle are produced annually.
- ↑ Since the chapter on railroads was in type, the author has decided to devote a separate section to each of the four last-named railways, for convenience in the preparation of future editions.
- ↑ In round numbers.
- ↑ About $4,000,000 worth of coffee is grown annually.
- ↑ This railway was begun in June, 1880.