Masaya. From this town it would run to Rivas, crossing the line of the projected Nicaragua Canal and entering Costa Rica.

COSTA RICA.

In Costa Rica the line was to run along the shore of Lake Nicaragua, across the plains of Guatuso and San Carlos to the city of Alajuela, where connection would be made with a branch-road already constructed to the Capital. At Alajuela it was to follow the railroad in operation from San José to Puerto Limón, and extend down the Isthmus of Panamá to the valley of the Atrato, in Colombia.

COLOMBIA.

In Colombia the line was to cross the Western Cordillera of the Andes to the valley of the Cauca and follow it to Antioquia. Continuing up this rich valley, connection was to be made with the numerous cities and towns until, at the head of the valley, Popayán would be reached. A branch-line was to be surveyed across the Central Cordillera to the city of Bogotá, the main line extending from Popayán into the valley of the Patía via Pasto and thence through Ipiales into Ecuador. It was expected that the crossing of the mountains between Popayán and Pasto would be one of the most difficult problems the engineers would encounter, as in this neighborhood the great ramifications of the Andes have their origin.

EL ECUADOR.

Entering Ecuador, the line was to reach the city of Tulcán; thence descending the central valley of that Republic it was to pass by the cities of Ibarra, Quito, Ambato, Riobamba, Cuenca, and Loja, into Perú.

EL PERÚ.

In this Republic the line, passing through the provinces of Cajamarca and Amazonas, was to be carried on to the Marañón River, and ascending this valley was to continue to Cerro de Pasco. In case the route by the Marañón should not prove feasible, an alternative one by way of the Huallaga was to be examined. The first route, being shorter and avoiding the crossing of so large a river as the Marañón, was considered the preferable one. Leaving the neighborhood of Cerro de Pasco, the line was to proceed along the Perené River to Santa Ana; thence to Cuzco, Santa Rosa, and Puno, and along the shore of Lake Titicaca to the frontier of Bolivia.

BOLIVIA.

In Bolivia the line was to pass through the cities of La Paz and Oruro to Huanchaca. From this latter point the countries of Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay would be reached by branch-lines.

CHILE.

A line of railroad is already in operation extending from Huanchaca to Antofagasta on the Pacific Coast.

LA REPÚBLICA ARGENTINA.

A line of railroad has been projected and surveyed from Huanchaca to Jujuy, where connection is made with the extensive railroad system of the Argentine Republic.

EL PARAGUAY AND EL URUGUAY.

It was proposed to effect connection with these two republics by running a line from Huanchaca along the left bank of the Pilcomayo River, until connection should be made with the railroad projected under the Osborne concession, covering a line from the northern boundary of Paraguay to Asunción. From Asunción the line was to proceed via Villa Encarnación, crossing the Paraná River opposite the city of Posadas, joining the Argentine railroad under construction to Monte Caseros. At this point the Uruguay River would be crossed in order to connect with the line already constructed and in operation from Santa Rosa to Montevideo, thus bringing into the main artery of communication the principal cities of the interior.

EL BRASIL.

In order to connect with the United States of Brazil it was proposed to run a line eastward from Huanchaca across the Paraguay River, near Corumbá, into Brazilian territory, and ascending the Taquary River, to reach Coxim and thence Uberaba, a point on the railroad which is in direct communication with Río de Janeiro.

VENEZUELA.

A branch-line was to leave the trunk-line at some convenient point in the Cauca Valley, and running by Medellín, was to connect with an existing railroad to the city of Puerto Berrío, on the Magdalena River; thence via Bucaramanga to San José de Cúcuta, San Cristóbal, La Grita, Mérida, Trujillo, Barquisimeto and Valencia.

The reasons which actuated the Committee on Surveys in selecting the route described above, will be found in extenso in the Minutes of the Intercontinental Railway Commission, already published.

ADJOURNMENT OF THE COMMISSION.

The Commission having organized the surveying parties intended for the field and having despatched them to their respective spheres of operation, resolved to adjourn to await the result of the labors of the engineers. Before doing so, however, it vested full power in its Executive Committee, as will appear from the citation made below. In designating the members of this committee the President stated that as it would have power to transact business after the indefinite adjournment of the Commission, these powers ceasing, however, when the Commission met again, he had considered the necessity of having the members within call, and had therefore thought it advisable to appoint delegates who expected to remain in the United States. He accordingly announced the appointment of Sr. Párraga, of Colombia; Mr. Buck, of Ecuador and Perú; Sr. Blanco, of Venezuela; Mr. Stewart, of Paraguay; the President being, as decided by previous resolution of the Commission, Chairman of this Committee.

POWERS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

"The Executive Committee shall represent the Intercontinental Railway Commission during its recess, in its relations with the United States Government, as well as with other authorities, corporations, or persons that may be connected with said Commission.

"The Committee shall also have the following powers:

"1. The disbursement of the funds pertaining to and that may be received by the Intercontinental Railway Commission.

"2. The appointment and dismissal of any employés of the Intercontinental Railway Commission.

"3. The organization and sending of additional surveying parties under advice of the Committee on Trade and Resources in regard to the agricultural and commercial conditions of sections to be surveyed.

"4. The issuing of necessary instructions to surveying parties and answering all questions and inquiries that may be made by them.

"5. To authorize the expenses of the additional surveying parties, these expenses to be upon the same basis and in accordance with those of the parties already appointed.

"6. To communicate with the various delegates of the countries represented on this Commission, keeping them posted in regard to the progress of the work and soliciting from them all the information that might facilitate the progress and the success of the work.

"7. To reconvene the Commission and call the delegates together when sufficient information shall have been gathered by the surveying parties for the furtherance of the projected enterprise."

CHAPTER IV.

TRANSACTIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

The Commission having adjourned on the 22d of April, 1891, to await the result of the surveys, the Executive Committee was thereafter called together only when, in the opinion of the President of the Commission, it was necessary or advisable either to determine upon a course for future action or confirm the steps that had already been taken in the meantime by the Washington office, which, being in constant mail communication with the President, supervised and controlled the movements of the field-parties. The following extracts from the Minutes of the Committee will give an outline of its proceedings.

EXTRACTS FROM THE MINUTES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
FIRST MEETING.

A meeting of the Executive Committee was held at the office of Mr. C. Federico Párraga, Chairman of the Committee on Surveys, on June 5th, 1891, at 12 o'clock M., there being present:

Mr. A. J. Cassatt, President.

Mr. Luis J. Blanco, of Venezuela.

Mr. C. F. Párraga, of Colombia.

Mr. L. L. Buck, of Perú and Ecuador.

Upon the motion of Mr. Luis J. Blanco, seconded by Mr. Párraga, a leave of absence of four months was granted at his request to the Secretary, Mr. H. de Castro, to enable him to visit South America in the interests of the Commission. The meeting was then adjourned sine die, subject to call of the President. HECTOR DE CASTRO,

SECOND MEETING.

Secretary.

A meeting of the Executive Committee was held at the headquarters of the Intercontinental Railway Commission on the 15th of December, 1891, at 12.30 P. M. Being present: