Page:Mexico under Carranza.djvu/48

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32
MEXICO UNDER CARRANZA

hazards to the extent of the Carranza control. Trains to Laredo run every day and those to Vera Cruz run about five days each week. This irregularity is due to rebel activities in the vicinity of Ometusco.

"The train equipment on these two roads is kept in good shape due to the fact that all of the equipment of the railroads of the Republic is concentrated on the two lines. Up to the present time, when the equipment was getting to be in bad shape, the government would confiscate another railroad and replenish, but now they have taken over their last road and the source of supply will soon be exhausted. To show how the railroad equipment has deteriorated, let us state the following facts:

"The Mexican railroad had in its service 100 engines. After nine months' operation by the government of Mexico, there are only 30 of these engines that are fit for service. Of the equipment of nationally owned lines, at least ninety per cent, is in the yards along the lines. Aguascalientes yard has 288 broken-down engines, San Luis 231, and all the other small yards are full. Steel for the repairing of the tracks is being secured from the old Central Railroad of Mexico.

"The Mexico City of to-day is not the Mexico City of six years ago. At that time, the people looked better, the streets were cleaner, the pavements were in good condition, the foreigners were all busy and provided employment for all the Mexican people who wanted to work. Their homes were kept up in good shape and showed evidences of prosperity and wealth. None of this