a northern branch open to San Juan, a further distance of 97.87 miles (157.5 kilometers). At Mendoza junction is made with the Transandine Railway, a narrowgauge road of 3' 3" (1.0 meter) which is being built to the Argentine frontier, a distance from Mendoza of 107.81 miles (173.5 kilometers), where connection will be made with the Chilean section of the same road, and upon the termination of the piercing of the tunnels in the Andes, a through route to Valparaíso, on the Pacific, will be finished. According to the latest reports, the Chilean section was completed eastward as far as Salto del Soldado, there being a gap between that point and the Argentine terminus at Punta de las Vacas of 46.60 miles (75 kilometers). Under the concession granted by the Chilean Congress in 1895, the boring of the numerous necessary tunnels is gradually approaching consummation; the unfinished link now requires some 17 hours to traverse, 12 by coach and five on mule-back, the whole trip from Valparaíso to Buenos Aires occupying four days, but when the line is open to traffic the time for making the journey will be reduced to about 72 hours.

THE INTERCONTINENTAL RAILWAY.

To carry the Intercontinental Railway from the high puna of Bolivia to the low pampa of Argentina will require a descent of the southern declivity of the tableland, and it has been proposed to effect this by running a line from Quiaca to Jujuy. The distance between these two places is about 125 miles (201.16 kilometers), and the difference in level is 6,816 feet. Although surveys and estimates have been made, this office is not in possession of the resulting data, but it is apparent that this section will be difficult to construct and require considerable development to overcome the heavy grade. The total distance across Argentina from Quiaca to Buenos Aires is 1,061.66 miles (1,708.56 kilometers), of which 936.66 miles (1,507.40 kilometers) have been built, leaving about 125.00 miles (201.16 kilometers) to be constructed.

Another route for reaching the pampean region of Argentina would be to leave the proposed Paraguayan extension at some point to the southeast of Pomabamba, and proceeding in a south-southwesterly direction via Orán, strike the railroad now in operation at a convenient point between Jujuy and Tucumán. Still another alternative presents itself, namely, to branch off from the Antofagasta Railroad at some place between Calama and Ascotán, and proceeding via Atacama and the reputed convenient pass of the Portezuelo de San Francisco in latitude 26° south, altitude 13,123 feet (4,000 meters), reach the main artery of Argentine traffic near Salta, Jujuy or Tucumán.

From all that precedes, it is evident that the total distance from Ayutla across the ten republics of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, El Ecuador, El Perú, Bolivia, and Argentina, would be 6,489.76 miles (10,444.17 kilometers), of which 1,494.63 miles (2,405.36 kilometers) are in operation, leaving 4,995.13 miles (8,038.81 kilometers) to be constructed.

XI.

EL BRASIL.

In consequence of the exhausted state of the funds of the Commission it is imperative to deal with the remaining countries of South America in the most summary manner. Concerning Brazil, the most extensive and populous Republic south of the Río Grande, it must suffice to say that the scheme of the Intercontinental Railway included an extension across the eastern flats of Bolivia to Corumbá, on the upper Paraguay; then ascending the Río Taquary via Coxim, to attain the valley of the Paranahyba, and after crossing that stream, ascend the valley of the Río Grande to Uberaba, the most northwestern town of Brazil in railway communication with the Capital, Río de Janeiro, and the seaport of Santos. The railway system of Brazil, centering at Río de Janeiro and Santos, will be found graphically represented upon Map VII, accompanying this report.

XII.

EL PARAGUAY.

For connection with Paraguay it has been proposed to descend the left bank of the Río Pilcomayo from the Bolivian boundary to the Paraguay River and then cross that stream opposite Asunción, the Capital of the Republic.

XIII.

EL URUGUAY.

In order to bring the Oriental Republic of the Uruguay into the Intercontinental System, it is intended to utilize the railroad already in operation from Asunción via Paraguari and Villa Rica to Pirapó, near Yuty, a distance of 155.3 miles (250 kilometers), and then the extension to Villa Encarnación, on the Paraná

River. A passage of that stream to Posadas, on the further bank, would be effected, and the proposed Argentine line used to Monte Caseros. At this point a crossing of the Uruguay River would be made, and Santa Rosa, on the left or eastern bank, once attained, a through connection with the Capital, Montevideo, would be secured.

XIV.
CHILE.

For reaching the Republic of Chile the Antofagasta Railroad, already in operation from Bolivia to the seaport just mentioned, furnishes the necessary connection. In addition, the Transandine road, between Santiago and Buenos Aires, would afford another junction with the Intercontinental Railway System.

XV.
VENEZUELA.

Although the lack of funds prevented Corps No. 2, while in the field, making the necessary surveys for establishing the practicability of a Venezuelan extension, it may be remarked that this branch, starting at Medellín, was expected to run via Pavas and Puerto Berrío, Bucaramanga, Pamplona, San José de Cúcuta, La Grita, Mérida, and Trujillo to Valencia, where a union would be effected with the railroad now in operation between that point and Caracas, the Capital of the Republic.

NORTH AMERICA.

I.

The extensive railroad system of the United States embraces lines which cross her southern frontier into the neighboring Republic of Mexico at four different points, namely, Laredo, Eagle Pass, and El Paso, on the Río Grande, and Nogales, in Arizona (see Maps I, V and VI, accompanying this report). From the first of these points, 2,094 miles (3,369.93 kilometers) from New York, the Mexican National line runs via Monterey, Saltillo, San Luis Potosí, and other important towns, to the City of Mexico, a distance of 840.4 miles (1,352.48 kilometers). From Eagle Pass the Mexican International runs southwesterly, crossing the Mexican Central near Lerdo, and reaches the important mining town of Durango, distant 540.3 miles (869.52 kilometers). The Mexican Central from El Paso runs

southward through Chihuahua, Zacatecas, Aguas Calientes, and Querétaro, to the City of Mexico, a distance of 1,224.1 miles (1,969.98 kilometers). The Sonora road from Nogales proceeds via Hermosillo to Guaymas, a distance of 265 miles (426.47 kilometers).

From the City of Mexico the Ferrocarril Interoceánico, a narrow-gauge road, has a line running to Puebla, 129 miles (207.60 kilometers), and the Ferrocarril Mexicano, a standard-gauge road, reaches the same point after a course of 115.6 miles (186.04 kilometers). From Puebla the Ferrocarril Mexicano del Sur is in operation to Oaxaca, a further distance of 227.3 miles (366.28 kilometers); consequently, there is rail connection between all the important towns in the United States and Mexico as far southward as Oaxaca, 342.9 miles (551.84 kilometers) from the City of Mexico.

Extensions southward and eastward have been proposed, surveys have been made and estimates submitted for carrying a line across the Tehuantepec road via Juchitán and Huistla to a crossing of the Río Suchiate on the western confines of Guatemala. Some construction has been effected, but no detailed information is in the possession of this office. The distance from Oaxaca to Ayutla would be about 461 miles (741.90 kilometers).

Adding the foregoing amount to the distances from New York to Laredo, Laredo to City of Mexico, City of Mexico to Oaxaca, and Ayutla to Buenos Aires, given above, we have for the total distance from New York to the Argentine Capital 10,228.06 miles (16,460.32 kilometers), of which 4,771.93 miles (7,679.61 kilometers) have been constructed, leaving 5,456.13 miles (8,780.71 kilometers) to be built.

To recapitulate, the distance across the United States from New York to Laredo is 2,094.00 miles (3,369.93 kilometers); across Mexico, from Laredo to Ayutla, 1,644.30 miles (2,646.22 kilometers); across Guatemala, Ayutla to Hachadura, 170.80 miles (274.87 kilometers); across El Salvador, Hachadura to Río Guascorán, 230.80 miles (371.43 kilometers); across Honduras, Río Guascorán to Río Negro, 71.70 miles (115.39 kilometers); across Nicaragua, Río Negro to Peña Blanca, 209.70 miles (337.48 kilometers); across Costa Rica, Peña Blanca to Río Golfito, 360.00 miles (579.36 kilometers); across Colombia, Río Golfito to Río Carchi, 1,354.04 miles (2,179.10 kilometers); across El Ecuador, Río Carchi to Río Canchis, 658.00 miles (1,058.94 kilometers); across El Perú, Río Canchis to Desaguadero, 1,785.51 miles (2,873.48 kilometers); across Bolivia, Desaguadero to Quiaca, 587.55 miles (945.56 kilometers); and across Argentina, Quiaca to Buenos Aires, 1,061.66 miles (1,708.56 kilometers).