Mexico, its ancient and modern civilisation, history and political conditions, topography and natural resources, industries and general development; . , having been much aided by theMaximilian regime, was completed under PresidentLerdo, and inaugurated on January i, 1873. The lineis controlled by an English corporation, and the greatengineering difficulties which were overcome, and thesolidity of its construction, are such as are scarcely sur-passed by any railway in the world, conditions whichreflect credit upon its British constructors. The line isalmost unique from a scenic point of view, a
Mexico, its ancient and modern civilisation, history and political conditions, topography and natural resources, industries and general development; . , having been much aided by theMaximilian regime, was completed under PresidentLerdo, and inaugurated on January i, 1873. The lineis controlled by an English corporation, and the greatengineering difficulties which were overcome, and thesolidity of its construction, are such as are scarcely sur-passed by any railway in the world, conditions whichreflect credit upon its British constructors. The line isalmost unique from a scenic point of view, ascending,as it does, from the Gulf Coast, among the stupendousmountain fastnesses of the Sierra Madre, to gain thegreat elevation of the plateau and the Valley of tropical regions passed through, and the rapidchanges of climate encountered, as the train ascends,must be experienced to be understood, but the generalcharacter of the regions traversed has been fully set forthin these pages. One of the most remarkable places, froman engineering and scenic point of view, is the Maltratasummit, and only in a few places in the world—on the. FINANCE, INDUSTRIES, RAILWAYS 341 transandine or transalpine railways, or the Denver line—is it equalled. From the gained altitude the passengerlooks down upon the town, spread like a chess-board,thousands of feet below, as the train plunges arounddizzy barrancas, over iron bridges spanning profoundcanyons, or along the curving road-bed cut in the solidrock of the mountain side. The names of many of thepoints passed en route bring back memories of theConquest, and of those Homeric men who passed thatway nearly four centuries ago, as well as of the Toltecand Aztec periods. From tide-water at Vera Cruz, theline crosses the coastal plain and plunges into a tropicalforest, whence it climbs to 2,713 feet at Cordova, 4,028feet at Orizaba, amid a delightful climate and surround-ings, 5,151 feet at Maltrata, 8,000 feet at Esperanza, andreache
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