. Railway age . reeweeks at least and usually more. This unfavorable situation of Guatemala has always been aheavy handicap on development of Its trade. With the purpose ofbringing the country within easy reach of the world the govern-ment of the republic about 35 years ago took steps toward construc-tion of a railroad from the Atlantic side to the capital, nearly , and had succeeded up to in building 134 milesof line fromPuerto Barrios, the principal harbor on the Atlantic coast, towardthe city of Guatemala. However, when the difOcult mountain sectionwas reached, funds gave out
. Railway age . reeweeks at least and usually more. This unfavorable situation of Guatemala has always been aheavy handicap on development of Its trade. With the purpose ofbringing the country within easy reach of the world the govern-ment of the republic about 35 years ago took steps toward construc-tion of a railroad from the Atlantic side to the capital, nearly , and had succeeded up to in building 134 milesof line fromPuerto Barrios, the principal harbor on the Atlantic coast, towardthe city of Guatemala. However, when the difOcult mountain sectionwas reached, funds gave out and work was suspended. Several un-successful attempts were subsequently made to complete the In 1904 a concession was granted to .Minor C. Keith, Vice-President of the United Fruit Company, and Sir William C. VanHome, Chairman of the Board of the Canadian Pacific Railway,both of whom had. had much experience in building railroads Inthe tropics, the former in Costa Rica and the latter In Cuba. They. Azacuajulla Viaduct; Guatemala Railroad. Rock Cut East of Azacuajulla. associated with them General Thomas H. Hubbard. President ofthe Guatemala Central Railroad, the 75-mlle road which connectsthe city ol Guatemala with the ports of San Jose and Istapaon the Pacific coast, and immediately set about the work of con-struction. The Guatemala Railroad was finished on January 10,1908. The new work was among the summit peaks of the Cordillerasand was attended with many difficulties, among which wore numer-ous deep ravines which had to be crossed by gi-eat bridges, someof which are shown herewith. There are also numerous shorterthrough truss bridges, and masonry arches have lieen freely many points protection walls of masonry toppeil by rubble workare built to protect the road against the mountain streams. Alltunnels are lined throughout with masonry. The whole work wasmade pernianent throughout: no wood was used except the creosotedcross-tie.; While the new work was
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