678 Report on the Railways of Colombia

No. 678.

Miscellaneous Series.

Report on the Railways of Colombia by Mr. Victor HucTcin, Acting

British Consul-General at Bogotd.

Preface.—-The task of writing a report on the railways of Colombia

is one which presents certain special difficulties. In the first place,

the head offices of several of the lines are in London, and much in-

formation, particularly as regards the financial aspect of the different

enterprises, could only be obtained from the United Kingdom, with

a delay of several months at least, by which time much of the report

might be quite out of date. For a similar reason, it has occasionally

been found impossible to fill up gaps in the information supplied

from distant parts of the Republic, which, for all practical purposes,

are as remote as Europe. Again, in some cases, the existence of

competition, or the fact that delicate negotiations are in progress,

have naturally restricted the amount of information obtainable from

the companies concerned.

The attempt to give really reliable statistics of traffic and ex-

ploitation has, in many cases, proved almost hopeless. Either no such

figures were obtainable, or, when checked from other sources, they

proved inaccurate.

Attempts to estimate the cost of construction of completed lines

have been largely in the nature of guesswork. The difficulties of

transport being so great, lines in the interior of the country are

naturally far more expensive than those nearer the sea. A line which

would cost, say, 3,000/L per kilom. on the coast might easily run up to

7,000?. or 8,000?. on the Upper Magdalena.

Valuations of rolling-stock, &c, where given, have usually been

obtained direct from the company concerned. As a rule, therefore,

the figures are unlikely to be found too low.

I.—General Survey.

Predominance of British interests—At the close of 1909 there were

in operation in Colombia 900 kiloms. of line, as well as 12 kiloms.

more with rails laid and therefore ready for opening as soon as con-

venient. Of these, 361 kiloms., or 40 per cent., were administered

by the Government or by Colombian companies, while 539 kiloms.,

or 60- per cent. (including the Colombian National Railway), were in

the hands of companies incorporated under British laws. It is

impossible to ascertain how much British capital is actually sunk in

railway enterprises in Colombia, but that it very largely exceeds the

amount invested by any other foreign country does not admit of doubt.

Moreover, to judge from the assiduity with which British funds are

(309) A 2

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4

COLOMBIA..

sought by Colombians interested in schemes for new lines or for the

extension of existing ones, there seems to be a reasonable probability

that this preponderance will continue. It is therefore worth while

to deal with the subject as fully as possible; but, before doing so, it

will be well to give a rough geographical sketch of the country.

Geographical features of Colombia.—The Republic of Colombia,

forming the north-west corner of South America, appears, at first

sight, to be most advantageously situated for reaping the benefits

of inter-oceanic commerce. This good position is, however, to a large

extent nullified by the physical configuration of the surface. The

chain of the Andes, which in the south of the Republic is a confused

knot of mountains round the town of Pasto, divides, as it extends

to the north, into three distinct ranges, known as the Western or Coast

Range, the Central Range and the Eastern Range. Of these, the

two outer chains practically form watersheds through the entire length

of the country, the Western Range up to the Gulf of Darien or Uraba,

and the Eastern as far as the port of Santa Marta and the Sierra Nevada

of the same name.* The Central Range, though both higher and

more defined than the other two, dies out in the north of Antioquia,

about 150 miles from the sea, allowing the two rivers, the Magdalena

and the Cauca, which drain its flanks, to unite their waters before

reaching the Caribbean Sea.

It will thus be seen that, roughly speaking, Colombia is divided

into several strips by mountain barriers running north and south

and rendering communication exceedingly slow and difficult. Between

the Coast Range and the Pacific lies the Choco, a region rich in

platinum, gold and other minerals, but low lying and most unhealthy.

It is watered by the River Atrato, running north into the Gulf of

Uraba, and by the River San Juan, flowing south-west and reaching

the Pacific not far north of Buenaventura, the principal port of the

Pacific, which lies on an unhealthy island at the head of a fine natural

harbour.

The valley between the Western and Central Ranges is watered

by the River Cauca. Rising near the important town of Popayan,

it falls rapidly to a height of about 3,000 feet and then for about 200

miles it flows through a broad and exceedingly fertile valley, of which

Cali is the principal town. About Cartago, the valley closes in and the

river becomes impassable owing to rapids. At Caceres the River

Cauca becomes navigable again, and it flows into the Magdalena by

several mouths between Magangue and Banco.

The River Magdalena, which drains the strip of country (in places

too broad to be called a valley) between the Central and Eastern

Ranges, is the longest river in Colombia, and the great natural high-

way of commerce between the interior of the country and the outside

world. Having its source, like the Cauca, in the southern knot of

mountains, its fall is, at first, much more rapid, but it becomes navi-

gable as high up as Neiva, whence its fall to the sea is only some 1,500

feet in 850 miles. From Neiva, past Girardot and Ambalema, to

* It will be understood that this description is on the broadest possible lines.

The Eastern Range, for example, is by no means continuous north of about

7i° N.

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COLOMBIA.

5

Honda (200 miles), navigation is possible for small steamers of light

draught, except when the river is low. At Honda there are short but

quite impassable rapids, after which the river again becomes prac-

ticable for a larger type of steamer as far as Barranquilla. Navigation

by night is, however, only possible below Puerto Berrio, on account

of the shoals and sandbanks which lie between this point and Honda.

After receiving the Cauca, the Magdalena drains practically the

whole of the plain bounded by the two outer ranges, the northern

extremity of the Central Range and the Caribbean, this plain corre-

sponding roughly to the Department of Bolivar, with part of the

Department of Magdalena.* Its mouth is closed by a bar, to which

further reference will be made, and the important town of Barran-

quilla is therefore a river and not an ocean port. There are only two

other towns on the Atlantic seaboard which possess good natural

harbours—Cartagena, lying to the west of the Magdalena mouth, and

Santa Marta, to the east.

To the east of the Eastern Range of the Andes lie the extensive

llanos, or plains of the interior, which may be neglected for the

purposes of this report. Further to the north and enclosed between

the mountains and the Venezuelan frontier is a fertile coffee district,

forming the north-west portion of the Department of Santander.

The chief town of this region, which, geographically speaking, forms

part of the basin of the lagoon of Maracaibo, is Ciicuta.

In the extreme south-west corner of the Republic is another isolated

district, watered by the River Patia, and having its outlet by the

little port of Tumaco.

The description of the situation of the capital has been left to the

last, as it is peculiar and must be dealt with in some detail. In

several parts of the mountain region there exist upland plateaux or

sabanas of greater or less extent. Of these by far the most

important is the sabana of Bogota, which lies on the western slope

of the Eastern Range and opposite the highest part of the Central

Range, in about 4|° to 5|° N. It is a perfectly flat plain, about

100 miles long and with a maximum breadth of 25 miles, surrounded

by a rim of hills, with occasional depressions or gaps, through one of

which the River Funza or Bogota drains the waters of the plateau

into the Magdalena. Bogota (70,000 to 100,000 inhabitants) lies in

the south-east angle of the sabana, which has to be crossed at its

broadest point by travellers or merchandise arriving from the Mag-

dalena by one of the usual routes. The height of the town above sea

level is 8,600 feet and the climb from the river is about 7,000 to 8,000

feet, according to the route followed.

Problems and, -progress of railway construction.—The foregoing

outline of the geography of Colombia suggests some of the more

obvious problems which must have impressed themselves from the

first upon persons interested in the development of communications

by means of railways. It may be remarked at once that the schemes

for a regular railway system connecting the two oceans with one

another and Bogota with both has never, up to the present, even

* The former departments were abolished by law in 1908, but it has beon

thought better to retain the old names in order to avoid oonfusion.

(809)

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6

COLOMBIA.

approached the stage of really serious proposals; neither the

resources nor the financial condition of the country have so far

admitted of railway enterprise rising above the solution of local

problems. Hence we find that railway construction in Colombia

has confined itself to short lengths of line, each intended to overcome

some special difficulty or supply some local need, and it is only recently

that signs of a more general and systematic policy have begun to

make themselves felt. Of these smaller and more urgent problems

some suggest themselves at once. The need, for example, of a line

connecting Barranquilla with the open sea must have been felt long

before the line itself was built; while a railway connection with the

great artery of commerce, the Magdalena, was clearly necessary

to towns like Medellin and Bucaramanga and, prima facie at least,

of the first importance to Cartagena and Santa Marta. An even more

obvious want has always been felt by the inhabitants of Bogota,

isolated from the Magdalena by 70 miles of mountains and valley.

It was felt that a railway connecting the capital with the river should,

if possible, reach the latter below the rapids of Honda, while another

fine was needed to connect the Upper with the Lower Magdalena.

Finally, the inhabitants of the Cauca Valley, seeking an outlet for the

rich produce of the district, early appealed for a railway over the

Coast Range at Buenaventura.

These and other schemes were probably under discussion from

very early times, and in the sixties we find contracts for railways

already being let. In 1867, the Barranquilla Railway, first of all the

fines in the country, was built by a German firm. It was not, how-

ever, until a few years later that any serious effort in railway con-

struction was attempted, and the activity of the later seventies and

early eighties was mainly due to the energy of a man who is still the

outstanding figure in the history of Colombian railway enterprise—

the late Senor Francisco Xavier Cisneros.

The work done by this Cuban engineer and contractor, who left

his mark on five, at least, of the most important railway undertakings

in the country, has been the subject of much discussion. Persons

acquainted with railway construction in South and Central America

will have no difficulty in appreciating the criticisms of those who

believe in solid as against merely rapid work. In any case, however,

it may be remarked that none of Senor Cisneros' railway concessions

expired without some progress having been made, and it is pointed

out that the three most difficult lines in the ccuntry—the Girardot,

Antioquia and Cauca Railways—owe their inception to his energy.

The history of railway construction in Colombia cannot be dealt

with as a coherent whole, but each line must be treated separately.

The following facts, however, show that progress, though by no means

uninterrupted, has been fairly steady. The first railway (after the

Barranquilla line) on which work was begun was the Antioquia Railway,

commenced by Cisneros in 1874. The Cauca line began its career

in 1878, and the Cucuta Railway was undertaken in the following year.

The election of President Nunez in 1880 gave a fresh stimulus to rail-

way enterprise, no less than four lines—the Santa Marta, Girardot,

Dorada nnd Northern Railways—being begun in 1881, while the

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COLOMBIA.

7

Sabana line may, perhaps, also be dated from that year. The

Cartagena Railway was constructed between 1892 and 1894, and work

on the Southern and Tclima lines was begun in 1895. The Dorada

extension, which shares with the Cartagena Railway the distinction

of being the most rapid piece of work in the country and which is

probably the first as regards the quality of the work put in, was built

between 1905 and 1907, and the list is completed by the commence-

ment of a line to connect Bucaramanga with the Magdalena.

It was remarked above that railway progress in Colombia has been

far from continuous. The subject of the civil wars and disturbances

which have occurred in the past is a delicate one, but it is necessary

to say a few words on the troubles of 1895 and 1899-1903. The

former of these outbreaks was mainly felt in the remoter parts of the

country, and though railways such as the Cucuta and Cauca lines

were temporarily expropriated by the Government for military pur-

poses, the dislocation appears to have been of short duration, and in

the case of the Cucuta Railway, at least, does not seem to have had

any permanent effect on the line's prosperity. At the end of 1899,

however, a fresh revolt broke out, which developed into perhaps the

most disastrous civil war from which Colombia has ever suffered.

The revolution lasted until June, 1903, and it is said that these three

years cost the country something like 200,000 lives. The effect on

the railways, especially in the distant provinces, needs no detailed

description. It is wonderful that any of the companies succeeded

in weathering the storm. Besides the direct loss and damage due to

the war, the paralisation of trade, the fall of the paper peso from 2s.

to Id., the scarcity of labour and the destruction of credit reduced

the country to a state of prostration from which it is now happily

beginning to recover. Old schemes are being taken up again, and the

construction of partially built lines is being pushed forward energetically.

The Girardot Railway, after 28 years' work, has just been completed;

the Cauca Railway, begun as far back as 1878, is making real and

rapid progress; the Puerto Wilches Railway, after many years of

discussion, is at last being seriously undertaken; and the list might

be extended.

Present fosilion of railways in Colombia.—The 900 kiloms. of line

at present in operation are divided into 12 short sections, varying in

length from 132 to 25 kiloms. These lines fall naturally into four

divisions; the first group consists of the three lines leading to and

from the three principal Atlantic ports; the second is formed by the

three lines connecting Bogota with different parts of the sabana,

and known as the Sabana, Northern and Southern lines respectively;

the third comprises those fiues—the La Dorada, Girardot, Tolima and

Antioquia Railways—which run up from, or are situated, in the valley of

the Magdalena, to which group belongs also the unfinished Puerto

Wilches Railway; while the two remaining lines—the Cucuta and

Cauca Railways—though they have no sort of connection with one

another, are each intended to furnish an outlet for a rich but isolated

district, and may be conveniently be classed together as "isolated

railways."

To begin with the first group, Barranquilla has during the last

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8

COLOMBIA.

century outdistanced its more famous rival Cartagena in competition

for the commerce of the Atlantic seaboard. Barranquilla has suffered

to some extent from the existence of a highly dangerous bar at the

mouth of the Magdalena which, in combination with a line of con-

stantly shifting sandbanks along the coast, makes the town inaccessible

to any but small coasting vessels. Nevertheless, from its situation

as a river port it succeeded in asserting its superiority over Cartagena,

which lies at same distance from the Magdalena, and this superiority

became more marked after the completion of the railway between

Barranquilla and its outport at Puerto Colombia. The opening of

the Cartagena-Calamar Railway in 1894, tapping the river traffic

some 60 miles above Barranquilla, did something to equalise the posi-

tions, but Barranquilla has, nevertheless, kept its commercial

superiority. As a result, whereas the Barranquilla Railway his

always been a profitable undertaking, the Cartagena line has had a

far less happy career (see the accounts of the two railways on page 50).

It was not, however, until the end of 1906 that the competition

between the rival routes developed into a severe war of rates between

the steamship lines engaged upon them. For about two years both

parties reduced rates to a practically unprofitable figure, but the

contest was ended when one of the principal lines of steamers changed

hands, and matters have now reverted to their former condition.

In October, 1909, the Colombian Congress passed a measure

authorising the Government to enter into a contract for the cutting

of the bar at the mouth of the Magdalena. No contract has been let

up to the date of this report, but the conversion of Barranquilla from

a river to an ocean port would evidently be a serious matter to the

Barranquilla Railway.

The Santa Marta Railway, originally intended to tap the river

traffic above Barranquilla, has been fortunate in finding a source of

considerable revenue in the development of the banana trade in the

Riofrio and other districts. Persons interested in this line are not,

therefore, quite agreed as to whether it would not be better to con-

centrate all energies on local traffic rather than enter a field in which

there are already two competitors. In any case the line appears,

under normal circumstances, to have a promising future before it.

The most striking feature of the second group of railways is its

existence at all. The task of bringing locomotives and railway material

to the height of 8,600 feet over the ordinary mule road from Honda

would, indeed, have been an absolute impossibility, but the construc-

tion of a road practicable for carts from Cambao on the Magdalena

to the sabana rendered it possible, with infinite toil, to drag the

necessary plant and rolling-stock up to the plateau, though perhaps

only a person who has been over the ground can fully appreciate the

feat. Of the three short lines running from Bogota, the Sabana line

has always been by far the most important, connecting, as it does,

the capital with the point where the two roads just mentioned—the

direct Honda road and the Cambao cart road—reach the plateau.

As the only other route of any consequence leading up from the Mag-

dalena Valley also debouches within a few miles of one of the inter-

mediate stations of this railway, the latter naturally takes nearly the

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COLOMBIA.

9

whole of the transport industry between Bogota and the hot country.

It is therefore not surprising to find that the Sabana line has always

been one of the most profitable in the country, and as a State railway

it furnishes considerable revenue to the Colombian Government.

Moreover, since its terminus at Facatativa is also the starting point

of the now completed railway to Girardot, the conditions which have

made it so successful in the past seem likely to subsist for many years

to come.

The Northern and Southern Railways each originated from larger

schemes which have not, so far, developed. The former, with its

extension to the northern boundary of the sabana at Nemocon, may

be regarded as the first section of a projected main line running down

to the Magdalena at some point below that at which navigation be-

comes comparatively easy—-that is, roughly speaking, at some point

below Puerto Berrio. In fact, the earlier contracts for the construc-

tion of a line running north from Bogota usually embraced this project,

a fact which largely accounts for their breakdown. Similarly, the

Southern Railway was probably intended to connect with the line

running up from Girardot, which, it was expected, would reach the

sabana, by the gap of the River Bogota. This project was, how-

ever, destroyed by the decision to build the Girardot Railway along

the Apulo Valley; and the Southern Railway is likely to remain a

purely local line for many years to come.

In the case of all three railways the cost of maintenance is very

small, as the wear and tear is a minimum, and there are only two

bridges worth mentioning on the three lines.

Of the lines belonging to the Magdalena Valley, the Girardot

Railway is now, at last, open to traffic, and although its maintenance

and improvement will certainly be costly for several years to come,

railway connection between the sabana and the river may now be

considered as permanently established. The river terminus has,

however, been selected in accordance with other considerations than

those of commerce, and is situated above the rapids at Honda and

further to the south than the capital itself. It was evidently with a

view to correcting this disadvantage that the Dorada Railway, con-

necting the Upper with the Lower Magdalena, was recently extended

to Ambalema. The original idea was to cross the river at this point

and link up with the Girardot Railway at Tocaima, or, as an alter-

native, to follow the river bank as far as Girardot. The former of

these projects has now, apparently, been definitely abandoned, while

it would seem that the balance of expert opinion is disposed to reject

the latter as being too difficult and costly, and to favour a route

diverging from the present line at San Lorenzo and not approaching

the river until opposite Girardot. This would, of course, mean that

the portion between Ambalema and San Lorenzo would become simply

a branch, but up to the present no definite decision has been reached,

and meanwhile the line, though competing with the steamers for the

river traffic, has its terminus rather in the air.

Of the remaining lines little need be said here. Should it eventually

be found possible to construct a railway over the Central Range,

the Tolima Railway may perhaps serve as a first section of this"

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10

COLOMBIA.

undertaking. At present, however, it is of comparatively little use

or importance. The Puerto Berrio Railway has now reached the

most difficult part of the route, and for other reasons also, is advancing

but slowly. The same remark applies to the new Puerto Wilches

Railway, on which, as a result of a hitch in the financial negotiations

and of the natural difficulties of the route, only a few kiloms. of rails

have been laid. On the other hand, the Cauca Railway is now making

rapid progress towards completion, and finally the Ciicuta line, after

many years of stagnation, is likely to benefit largely by the re-opening

of the River Zulia.

The question of gauge.—From the tabulated list of railways which

forms Appendix 1 to this report, it will be observed that no attempt

has been made to secure uniformity of gauge throughout the country,

but that the yard gauge and the metre gauge have been adopted indis-

criminately. The disadvantages arising from this lack of system have

only recently begun to make themselves felt, since the three Sabana lines,

the only ones which have hitherto had any connection with each other,

are all on the metre gauge. Now, however, that the Girardot line

(yard gauge) has been linked up with the Sabana Railway, the difficulty

has reached a stage which calls for solution. The Dorada Railway,

which is doubtless eventually destined to be extended to G-irardot,

has also a gauge of 1 yard, and it would therefore appear that the

most obvious and probable course is to change the gauge of the Sabana

Railway, thereby allowing goods to be carried, without handling,

from Bogota to Girardot, and eventually, should the extension of

the Dorada Railway be completed, as far as the head of the lower river

navigation at La Dorada. The gauges of the Northern and Southern

lines might subsequently be altered to correspond with the general

system, and as, the 3-foot gauge has also been adopted on the

Cauca, Antioquia and Puerto Wilches lines, this would become the

standard throughout the county.

II.—The Barranquilla Railway (Ferrocarril de Bolivar).

Barranquilla, a town of about 40,000 inhabitants, lying on the

left bank of the Rio Magdalena and about 6 miles from its mouth,

is so eminently fitted by its geographical position to be the great com-

mercial port of Colombia, that it is unfortunate that its advantages

of position are to some extent discounted by the existence of certain

local disadvantages, due to the presence of a bar at the mouth of

the river and of a line of dangerous shoals and sandbanks extending

along the coast for several miles to the westward. The task of

cutting and keeping open a channel through the bar has, until quite

recently, been regarded as out of the question on account of its

cost, and it is therefore not surprising to find that the first railway

project seriously taken up in Colombia was one for a line to connect

Barranquilla with some point on the coast beyond the limit of the

shoals.

After numerous vicissitudes between 1867 and 1888 the line and

the concession relating thereto came in the latter year into the hands

of the present British company. The company have entered into

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COLOMBIA.

11

several new contracts at different times, of which the following are

the most noticeable:—■

1. The contract of December 13, 1892, by which the company,

in consideration of the fact that the contract price for the construction

of the line had been largely exceeded, are permitted to base their

tariff rates on British gold at one-half the original tariff rate, for

Colombian money had depreciated 50 per cent. between 1884 and

1892. It is also stipulated that the Government are to receive 40 per

cent. on a tax of 5 c. for each cargo of import or export passing over

the pier.

2. The contract of March 7, 1898, by which the Government

grants exemption from import duties on materials for construction,

&c, and agrees to return certain duties already paid. The company,

on their side, are to replace the old rolling-stock, track and bridges

by new ones within 10 years.

3. A contract with the Government of the Department of Bolivar,

dated March 18, 1905, by which the monthly payment owed by the

company to the State, according to the contract of February 8, 1868,

is altered from 500 dol. Colombian money to 200 dol. United States gold.

The above contracts are all still in force.

4. A contract of April 29, 1896, by which the Central Government

agreed to pay 143,718 dol. 63 c. in full settlement of various pending

accounts.

5. A contract between Cisneros and the Government, dated

April 25, 1898, for the construction of a railway with 1-77 metre gauge

from any point on the Barranquilla line to join the Cartagena Railway

at San Estanislao. This contract, which gave the concessionnaire

an exclusive privilege for 50 years, led to nothing and has long since

expired.

The part played by the company in the recent war of rates on the

Magdalena has already been mentioned in the prefiminary survey.

In 1907 a serious question arose between the company and the

Colombian Government. The main point was briefly as follows:—

The original sale to Sefior Uribe in 1884 was to have been "in

perpetuity," but the Congress, in ratifying the contract, inserted a

provision that the Government was to have the right of resumption

after 20 years from the completion and opening of the line to Puerto

Belillo. This right the Government now claimed to exercise, main-

taining that the period of 20 years dated from June, 1887. On the

other hand, the company argued that, as the extension to Puerto

Belillo had never been opened to traffic, the 20 years ought to run

from the opening of the new pier at Puerto Colombia, i.e., from June 14,

1893. The case was eventually settled in favour of the company.

Line.—On leaving Barranquilla, the railway runs parallel to the

river for some 10 Idioms, and then, sweeping round to the west, reaches

the sea at Salgar. On this section the track is laid over practically

flat ground, presenting few, if any, difficulties. From Salgar to Puerto

Colombia (5J kiloms.) the line runs along the shore, close to the sea.

This has entailed some expensive cutting and banking, and the line

is exposed to damage, both on the side of the land from slides during

the rainy season and on the side of the sea owing to the heavy swell

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J.2

COLOMBIA.

characteristic of the Caribbean. This section, therefore, requires

constant attention, and must account for a large proportion of the

cost of maintenance.

The original rails were of 35 lbs. to the yard, but most of them

were replaced between 1896 and 1906 by new ones from the United

Kingdom and the United States of 60 lbs. to the yard, the heaviest

in use on any line in the country.

It is probably impossible now to ascertain the exact cost of con-

structing the line, but M. le Bran in 1889 estimated it at from

1,100,000 to 1,300,000 dol. This gives an average of about 8,000?.

to 10,000?. per kilom., a figure which seems decidedly high.

The greatest improvement effected by the present company has

been the opening of the new pier on June 15, 1893. It is 4,000 feet

long and cost about 60,000?. The depths of water thus obtainable

at the pier head (low tide) are:—-Inner end, 23-3 feet; outer end,

26"3 feet; with 27 feet close by. It is remarkable that, while the

harbour generally is rapidly silting up, and the protecting sandbank

continues to push westward, the water in the neighbourhood of the

pier is deeper than at the time the latter was constructed. It is

probable that the mud is stirred up by the propellers of ships and then

carried away by the current, but it is evident that, if nothing occurs

to check the general shoaling, the old problem must eventually re-

appear in some form or another.

Rolling-stock.—The company certainly appear to be better supplied

with rolling-stock than some of the other fines in Colombia. The

valuations attached to the following list are the company's own;—

£

12 locomotives

15,800

13 passenger carriages

3,900

127 covered vans

18,280

22 half-covered vans

3,000

18 flat wagons

2,720

Tank, brake, push and hand trucks

1,000

Cranes, &e

600

Total

45,300

Valuation of line.—The company's estimate of the total value of

the whole line, with rolling-stock, &c, is 250,000?., or rather over

9,000?. per kilom.

Traffic returns, exploitation.—Traffic returns for the last three

years and the financial results of the exploitation for the last two

working years will be found tabulated in Appendix 2. The only point

in the passenger returns worthy of special remark is the steady increase

in the number of third class passengers carried, showing that the

line is becoming of increasing local value.

The weight of goods shows a gradual falling-off as regards exports,

but a great increase in the imports during the year 1907-08.

An examination of the last published balance sheet shows that

of a total expenditure of 12,904,812 dol. 10 c. (Colombian paper money),

5,140,497 dol. 14 c. is due to traffic expenses and 5,033,845 dol. 90 c.

for maintenance. This works out at about 366?. per kilom. for main-

tenance, but 1,415,712 dol. 63 c, or nearly 30 per cent., is put down

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COLOMBIA.

IS

to the upkeep of the pier, naturally an expensive item, but one which

is nearly balanced by the amount received from pier dues.

The receipts show 14,821,136 dol. 58 c. (77* 7 per cent.) from

goods and 1,285,296 dol. (6*7 per cent.) from passengers.

Tariff.—The following are the principal tariff rates (in United States

gold dollars) between Barranquilla and the pier at Puerto Colombia :—-

Passengers:—1st class—single, 1 dol. 63 c.; return, 1 dol. 95 c.;

2nd class—single, 97 c.; return, 1 dol. 29 c.

Imported goods are divided into four classes, paying respectively

1 dol. 84 c, 2 dol. 42 c, 3 dol. 63 c. and 6 dol. 82 c. per ton. The cost

of transferring ordinary merchandise from ocean steamer to river

steamer may be taken as averaging about 3 dol. per ton.

Exported goods are sub-divided into no fewer than 14 classes,

the rates varying from 1 dol. 47 c. to 5 dol. 7 c. per ton.

Finance.—The Barranquilla Railway and Pier Company, Limited,

has its seat in London (39, Coleman Street, E.C.). The general

manager is Mr. C. P. Yeatman, and the representative in Bogota

Mr. F. A. Koppel. The capital of the company is 200,000?., in 10?.

shares, which are mostly in British and American hands. In 1889

first debenture bonds were issued to the amount of 100,000?., the

interest on which has always been paid on January 1 and July 1. The

following dividends have been paid on the shares :—-

Since then no dividends have been paid owing to the rate war,

but the balance sheet for the year ended June 30, 1907, shows a total

of undivided profits of 59,183?. 6s. 3d., or nearly 3?. per share. Of

this sum, about 22,000?. has been spent on work charged to capital,

8,000?. on land and storehouses for the Government and 9,000?. repre-

sents material and tools in hand for the working of the railway,

leaving about 20,000?. in bills receivable and available assets.

The debentures have been quoted as high as 106 and were at par

in March, 1908.

Concluding remarks.—No railway in Colombia has played a more

necessary and useful part than the Barranquilla line. For a time,

indeed, it gave to Barranquilla a practical monopoly of the import

and export trade on the Atlantic seaboard, and even since the con-

struction of the Cartagena Railway and the recent determined attack

on the commercial supremacy of Barranquilla, the latter town is still

well ahead of its rival. Nevertheless the increased competition has

had one result which may vitally affect the future of the railway—

it has revived the question of the possibility of opening the Magdalena

1896- 97...

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14

COLOMBIA.

mouth to direct ocean traffic by cutting through the bar across the

entrance. In 1907 a committee of prominent Barranquilla merchants

was formed for the promotion of this enterprise, and Mr. Louis P.

Haupt, an American engineer, was employed to examine the Bocas

de Ceniza entrance and advise as to the possibility of opening. His

report was to the effect that, although the depth of water over the bar

was only 12 feet, the bank was very narrow at one point, and was,

moreover, formed not of river deposit but of sea sand. He was there-

fore of opinion that if a channel were cut through the narrowest part

of the bar it would be sufficient to protect it from the prevailing north-

east winds and currents by a single "reaction breakwater," 6,000 feet

long, and that the river current would then be sufficient to keep the

channel open without further dredging. Mr. Haupt estimates the

total cost at not more than 2,000,000 dol., and the committee are of

opinion that a charge of 2 dol. per ton on merchandise would suffice

to give a good return on this capital. It is difficult to pass judgment

on such a scheme, but Congress have recently passed a law authorising

the Government to enter into a contract and to guarantee interest

at 6 per cent. per annum and a sinking fund of 2 per cent. on a sum

not exceeding 2,200,000 dol.

III.—The Cartagena Railway.

The exceptional importance of Cartagena during the early part

of its history and its rapid decadence from the middle of the 18th century

may be traced mainly to three causes:—Firstly, to its defensive

strength, the value of which diminished with the importance of that

which had to be defended; secondly, to the excellence of its land-

locked harbour, an excellence almost destroyed for practical purposes

by the action of the citizens themselves in blocking up the main

entrance; and, lastly, to the existence of the Dique, a canal 135 kiloms.

long, between the sea and the Magdalena, which was cut by the

Spaniards in 1570 and allowed to fall into utter decay during the War

of Independence. An attempt was made in 1846 to re-open this canal,

but failed, and by 1860 the population of Cartagena had fallen from

30,000 to 3,000 and the town was in a state of complete stagnation.

In 1889 a concession was granted to a Mr. S. B. McConnico, a

United States citizen, and the principal terms of his contract with the

department, which was dated November 18, 1889, and confirmed by

the President on January 4, 1890, were as follows:—

The concessionnaire was to have an exclusive privilege for 50 years

for a line from Cartagena to some unspecified point on the Magdalena;

during this period no other line might be constructed within a zone

of 50 kiloms. on either side. After expiry of the period of privilege—

which, with certain limitations, included branch lines—the concession-

naire might exploit the line for 50 years more, unless the Government

preferred to buy it on expert valuation. At the end of the whole

period of 100 years, during the last 25 years of which 15 per cent.

of the net profits were to go to the Government, the latter was to

receive the line without payment.

The limit of time for the construction of the fine was three years

from the date of beginning work, and a stipulation of the usual kind

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COLOMBIA.

15

was made as to the deposit of a bond. The concessionnaire also under-

took to construct a wharf at Cartagena 200 yards long by 13 yards

wide.

The question of subvention, after some discussion, was settled

by Law 11 of 1892 (November 9), which ordered that 8,000 dol. gold

should be paid per kilom., with a limit of 760,000 dol., in bonds

redeemable by 5 per cent. of the Atlantic customs receipts up to a

maximum of 300,000 dol. in any one year. There was also a grant

of 100,000 hectares of public land and a premium in land on quick

construction. As is so often the case, it was not found worth while

to take over more than a small portion of the land thus granted.

Mr. McConnico next acquired from its Colombian owners an already

existing concession for the construction of a wharf and warehouse

at La Machina (Cartagena), entered into a similar but modified contract

in his own name (August 21, 1891), and then proceeded to form two

companies in Boston under the titles of the Cartagena Terminal and

Improvement Company, Limited (for the construction of the La

Machina wharf, &c.) and the Cartagena-Magdalena Railway Company

(for the main line to Calamar). The work was begun in January,

1892; the La Machina wharf was opened on June 1, 1893; and

the different sections of the line itself were opened as follows :—

Cartagena-Turbaco (23 Idloms.), June 15, 1893; Turbaco-Arjona

(15 kiloms.), February 2,1894; Arjona-Calamar (67 kiloms.), August 1,

1894.

On March 26, 1906, the railway and wharf were taken over by the

present owners, the Cartagena (Colombia) Railway Company, Limited.

The terms of the transfer are not definitely known.

Line.—The length of the main line from Cartagena to Calamar

is 105| kiloms. or, including branches and sidings, 117 kiloms. On

leaving Cartagena it crosses some low-lying ground and then rises

steeply, with a good many curves and inclines of upwards of 2 per cent.,

to the watershed about Turbaco (640 feet) at 23 kiloms. from Carta-

gena. The descent on the east side of the ridge is less steep, but

necessitates gradients of 1| to 2 per cent. The latter half of the

journey is through low-lying, marshy country, requiring a large number

of bridges. There are no less than 125 of these structures on the line,

24 of them being over 20 metres long. The total length of bridge-

work is 1,876 metres, in 519 spans. Nearly all are wooden pile bridges,

consisting of bents 12 feet to 12 feet 6 inches apart, which are made

up of three or four piles and, where over 18 feet high, are crossbraced

vertically. Some of them are now being replaced by steel girder

bridges, three 50-foot and one 20-foot spans having been put in during

1908, while the material for 11 spans more (280 feet in all) are on the

spot.

The rails, of 45 lbs. to the yard, were obtained from a Belgian firm.

The sleepers, which are practically all of native woods, cost approxi-

mately 48 to 60 c, and need renewing after about eight years.

The ballast used is earth, sand and marl, except for the first 14

kiloms. from Cartagena, which are ballasted with fine coral. White

marl is the best ballast obtainable, the limestone, which is available

in large quantities, being too costly in working.

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16

COLOMBIA.

The following figures for the cost of construction have been obtained

from a good source:—

Special accounts

Attendant expenses

Stations and attendant expenses

Accounts to be distributed

Material

Equipment ...

Total

Dol.

899,761

178,130

56,242

74,664

86,012

102,955

19

20

30

41

72

6

1,397,765 88

* United States currency.

This gives about 2,720?. per kilom., a figure which is certainly

low in view of the difficulties of construction. And indeed there are

not lacking indications that the railway was built as economically as

possible, and is now suffering from the results of cheap construction.

The annual cost of maintenance of the track alone during the years

1902-04 averaged 60?. per kilom., and during the last of these years

was as high as 108?. per kilom., and although the more recent figures

under this head are not known, there is no reason to suppose that the

expense of keeping the fine in repair has diminished. The renewal

of piles alone, for example, has cost the company no less than 5,200l.

in a little over two years. In the early part of 1907 the rails were

in fair condition, except on the curves, the outer rails of which were

considerably worn, but the worst of these have since been replaced.

The station at Cartagena is connected with the wharf at La Machina

by a branch fine about a mile long, permitting trucks to be brought

alongside a vessel loading or unloading; on the other hand, the arrange-

ments for transferring goods to and from the river steamers at Calamar

seem distinctly primitive.

Rolling-stock.—The rolling-stock in use, entirely American in

origin, is as follows :—■

Locomotives ... ... ... ... ... 8f

First class passenger carriages ... ... 3

Mixed passenger carriages ... ... ... 1

Second class passenger carriages ... ... 6

Private car (" The Boston ") 1

Luggage vans 3

f Of which three are in good condition.

The above passenger carriages are mostly in poor condition.

113 other trucks, vans, &c, of which the greater part are in good

or fair condition.

Tariff.—The chief tariff rates between Cartagena and Calamar,

as also between Cartagena wharf and town, will be found in Appendix 3.

Traffic and exploitation.—The returns of the weight of goods carried

between 1895 and 1908, and the receipts and expenses between 1899

and 1904, are also given in Appendix 3.

The former list needs no comment, except to note that the haulage

is very much smaller than that by the Barranquilla Eailway; it may

also be noted that the apparent falling-off in the figures for the first

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COLOMBIA.

17

six months of 1908 is, partly at least, accounted for by the fact that

the bulk of the traffic falls into the latter half of the year (after the

coffee crop).

The figures giving the results of the exploitation show clearly

enough that the line has not in the past been a paying concern, though

a surplus appears for the years 1902 and 1903. No data later than

1904 are available.

Finance, &c.—The last remark also applies to the financial position /

of the company, and it is natural enough that, in view of present

competition and the delicate and complicated negotiations arising

therefrom, it should be desired to withhold all information of this

nature. It is impossible, therefore, to do more here than give the

published particulars as to share capital, &c.

The Cartagena (Colombia) Railway Company, Limited (110, Cannon

Street, B.C., representative in Bogota, Mr. G. M. Stainforth), was

formed with a share capital of 370,000?., in 6 per cent. cumulative

preferred stock. It has been authorised to issue 5 per cent. first

debenture bonds to the amount of 750,000?., and of this sum 600,000?.

were issued in 1906 and 137,000?. in June, 1908. The bonds are re-

deemable at par in 1990, or at 110 per cent. earlier, with six months'

notice. The tariff war brought the value of the shares down to 57

at one time, but they have since recovered to 77.

Concluding remarks.—It will be gathered from the foregoing

details that the lot of the Cartagena Railway has not been altogether

a fortunate one. It was probably expected that the proportion of

trade captured from the Barranquilla route would be much greater

than has actually proved to be the case. Moreover, the district

traversed by the fine is, for the most part, swampy and unhealthy,

and this has prevented the growth of a local trade which is always

so valuable to short railways of this nature. There are, however,

signs that the slopes of the ridge were at one time under cultivation

to a far greater extent than now, so that this local traffic may perhaps

yet develop. Another cause which has militated against the success

of the line has been the difficult entrance to, and the deficient buoying

of, the harbour of Cartagena.

The war of rates on the river was disastrous to all parties concerned

without resulting in a striking success for any, and now that a working

arrangement has been arrived at it is to be hoped that the Cartagena

Railway Company will be free to devote themselves to assist in

the development of Cartagena as a port, in view of the great expansion

of trade along this coast which may reasonably be expected to follow

the opening of the Panama Canal.

•

IV.—The Santa Maria Railway (Ferrocarril de Santa Maria).

Line.—After leaving Santa Marta, the line runs parallel to the

coast, which here trends from north to south, and therefore crosses

the various watercourses which drain the slopes of the hills. As these

streams are liable to floods, the construction of the bridges and culverts

has required some care, but the fine itself is practically level through-

out, and there are no gradients of importance exceeding 1*5 per cent.,

(309) B

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18

COLOMBIA.

while the highest point reached is 97 metres above sea level. Between

Santa Marta and Cienaga (36 kiloms.) curves are frequent, but have

been kept down to a minimum radius of 280 feet. At Cienaga is the

short branch to Pueblo Viejo, mentioned above, communication

between this port and Barranquilla being kept up by means of a small

stern-wheel steamer running through inland waters. Between Cienaga

and Sevilla (31 kiloms.) the line is nearly straight, only comprising

seven curves, of which the minimum radius is 241 metres, and the

third section of 27 kiloms. to Rio Fundacion presents the same

characteristics. The distance between Fundacion and Plato is 103

kiloms. The gauge is 3 feet throughout. There are 12 bridges of

importance on the line. All these bridges are of British manufacture

and are well constructed in such a way as to run the minimum of

risk from freshets and floods.

There are a number of small dry watercourses crossed on timber

bridges of small spans, and these are gradually being replaced by

permanent openings with concrete abutments and steel girders.

The original 30-lb. rails have been taken up and relaid on the small

branch line to the banana plantations, being replaced on the main

line by 60 and 40-lb. rails of British manufacture.

The sleepers are of the hard woods of the country and last as long

as 20 years, while guayacdn (Lignum vita) has an even longer

life. The road bed has been made up to 40 per cent. in excess of the

requirements of the contract conditions. The line has, throughout

its career, had an excellent record of freedom from serious accidents.

At Santa Marta there is now jetty accommodation for two large

steamers at a time and two more iron jetties are under construction.

The depth of water alongside the jetties is 30 feet.

Cost of construction.—About 4,000?. per mile. The total amount

spent by the present company for construction and for the original

purchase of the concession, &c, was 433,690?. up to the end of 1907.

Rolling-stock.—The company possesses 9 locomotives, 2 of which,

are small shunting engines, 3 first class, 1 combination and 5 [second

class passenger coaches; and 98 freight cars. All are of British

manufacture except 10 of the largest freight cars, which are American.

The total value of the rolling-stock is 40,000?.

The company's shops afford facilities for making urgent repairs to

steamers.

Exploitation and traffic.—Banana exportation began in 1891,

but up to the beginning of 1905 the line was not able to make even

working expenses, but in that year the expenses in Colombia were

about equal to the receipts, while for the last two years it has been

possible to meet the debenture obligations. The statistics of working

during 1906 and 1907, given in Appendix 4, are taken from the last

available report and show clearly the paramount importance to the

enterprise of the banana traffic. The cost of maintenance comes to

135?. per kilom.

Finance.—The Santa Marta Railway Company, Limited (London

offices, 28, Austin Friars, E.C.), was formed with an authorised capital

of 600,000?. in 10?. shares, of which one-third are ordinary and two-

thirds 7 per cent. preference shares. Of the latter, however, only

15,917 of the 40,000 shares had been issued up to the end of 1907.

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COLOMBIA.

19

In January, 1907, 6 per cent. first debentures were issued to the

amount of 120,000?., of which 1,300?. were redeemed during the year.

The debentures are redeemable at the rate of 1 per cent. per annum

from 1908.

The net revenue account for 1907 shows a balance on the year of

612?. after paying interest on the debentures, but the company has,

up to the present, been unable to pay any dividends on either the

ordinary or the preferred stock.

The shares are mainly held in the United Kingdom, but there is

no quotation on the ordinary stock. The preference shares can be

obtained at about 50 per cent. discount.

Concluding remarks.—Opinions differ as to the entire advisability,

from the company's point of view, of the proposed extension to the

Magdalena. There are already two railways competing for the import

and export trade, and it is a moot point whether the river traffic will

in the near future be sufficient to bear the advent of a third com-

petitor. This question is, however, necessarily bound up with the

wider question of the development of the interior of Colombia.

The fine, deep bay of Santa Marba, affording a safe anchorage

the whole year round, and the healthy uplands of the Sierra Nevada,

give this district natural advantages unequalled on the Atlantic

seaboard of Colombia. For the present, however, the prosperity of

the railway is almost entirely dependent on the development of the

banana trade in the district served by it, the haulage of this fruit

accounting for more than 80 per cent. of the total receipts. Statistics

given in Appendix 4 will serve to show the progress of this industry

in recent years. Though the exportation is still small compared with

that from Costa Rica and other countries, prospects are regarded as

hopeful by the people of Santa Marta, and a service of steamers for

this trade has recently been established between Santa Marta and

Manchester. Many Barranquilla firms are interesting themselves

in the business, and a French syndicate has bought two large planta-

tions and is making preparations to acquire more land. Moreover,

the railway company, with the object of assisting in the development

of this industry, has entered into a 20-year contract for the establish-

ment of branch lines, &c, during which period the Government

guarantee the industry against all export taxation or increase of present

domestic imposts. If, therefore, the Santa Marta Railway be con-

sidered purely as a local line, the management can point to a definite

prospect of steadily increasing receipts in the future.

V.—The Sabana Railway (Ferrocarril de la Sabana).

The bold idea of transporting on to the sabana the materials for

a railway aoross the plateau, without the use of mechanical traction

of any kind, may perhaps be said to date back to the Presidency of

General Mosquera, who was the first to plan a cart-road from the

Magdalena to Bogota.

The first step towards the carrying out of the enterprise was

evidently the construction of a road over which heavy machinery

and other materials could be conveyed. There appears to be so me doubt

as to who was the original discoverer of the route followed by the

(309) B 2

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20

COLOMBIA.

Cambao cart-road, but the credit of actually laying it out and con-

structing it is due to Sefior Gonzalez Vasquez, and the manner in which

the road closely follows the watershed, with an almost regular gradient

throughout, makes it one of the best pieces of engineering work in a

country where considerations of economy always interfere with the

engineer's liberty of action. The road was completed in between

two and three years, but it was not until the termination of the revolu-

tionary outbreak of 1885 that work on the railway itself could be

seriously undertaken.

Line.—Distance from Bogota to Facatativd, 40 Idloms. Gauge,

1 metre.

The line runs across the absolutely level sabana, the difficulties

of construction being consequently almost negligible. Except for

1 kilom. of a 1| per cent. gradient at the Bogota end and 3 Idloms, of

2\ per cent. near Facatativa, there are no inclines over \ per cent.

There are only five curves of 300 metres radius.

Bridges.—Four large and six small. The chief is the 30-metre

iron bridge over the Bogota at kilometre 25 from Facatativa. It was

built by the South Stockton Iron Company.

There are three other bridges of 16, 12 and 9 metres respectively

over smaller streams.

Bails.— The original rails were of five or six different kinds and

weights, having been partly collected from abandoned railway enter-

prises in various parts of the country and partly manufactured locally.

They have, however, since been replaced by steel rails of 40 lbs. to the

yard (British type).

Sleepers.—A good deal of work is necessary in renewing sleepers,

as they do not last more than about three years; however, the cost

is only about Is. each. The eucalyptus, which has been introduced

on the sabana, might prove useful for this purpose.

Ballast.—It is difficult to procure really good ballast on the sabana.

Cost of construction.—The figures given as the cost of the line were,

according to Le Bran, 1,472,369 dol. (36,809 dol. to the kilom.). The

same author remarks that the work was carried out by Senor Gonzalez

Vasquez and the brothers Morales with almost too much expense;

the construction of the bridges and culverts, for example, giving a

quite unnecessary margin of safety.

Rolling-stock, &c.—There is a small turntable at Madrid, 13 kiloms.

from Facatativa:—

Locomotives (all American)—

Large 8-wheel, 40 tons 3

6-wheel, 30 tons 2:

6 „ 21 „ (tank) 2

4 „ 28 „ , 1

6 „ 12 „ 1*

Total 9

* The first engine ever brought on to the sabana.

The last four of these have seen over 20 years' service.

There are also 7 first class and 13 other passenger coaches, besides

the Chairman's car; also 54 wagons, trucks, &c.

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COLOMBIA.

21

The value of the line and rolling-stock may be estimated as follows:—

Dollars (Gold).

Line, at 12,000 dol. per kilom 480,000

Stations, &c. 85,000

Locomotives 127,000

Other rolling-stock 76,600

Other machines, tools, &c 75,000

Land 86,000

Total 929,600

Traffic and exploitation.—See Appendix 5. The traffic to and

from Bogota and the neighbourhood is about 12,000 tons per annum,

most of which the railway gets.

Tariff.—The new tariff is slightly higher than that which existed

formerly. The main features of it are :—

Passengeks.

Per Kilom. Luggage.

Cents. Kilos.

First class 1-5 50

Second class 1 30

Third class 0-75 20

Goods (divided into Three Classes).

Per Ton per Kilom.

Cents.

First class 12

Second class ... ... ... 6

Third class 4-5

Note.—With a minimum of 20 c. in all classes.

Jewels and other valuables pay 1 per cent. of declared value.

Finance.—There are two Government loans guaranteed on the

railway. The first is a loan of 300,000?., in 15,000 5 per cent. bonds

of 20?. each, the half-yearly interest being payable on June 1 and

December 1 of each year. Eedemption at the rate of 18,000?. per

annum is provided for by the conditions of the loan.

A further loan of 100,000?., guaranteed partly on the Sabana line,

was obtained in London in 1909. It is to be repaid on or before

February 15, 1910.

Concluding remarks.—The Government's action in buying out

practically the whole of the shares of the original company has been

fully justified by results and the railway has been a source of con-

siderable revenue for some years past. The administration has been

efficient, and the cost of maintenance is extremely small, besides

which the completion of the Girardot connection seems to have ensured

its future for many years to come. The only point, in fact, which

seems to call for criticism is the difference between the gauges of the

Sabana and Girardot lines, a subject which has already been discussed

elsewhere.

VI.—The Northern Railway (Ferrocarril del Norte).

Line.—The railway lies entirely in the sabana of Bogota, and the

engineering difficulties encountered are practically negligible, a fact

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22

COLOMBIA.

of which the remarkable straightness of the line is sufficient evidence.

Probably the subvention of 3,000?. per kilom. fully represents the

cost of construction.

At the 30th kilom. from Bogota the line crosses from the left to

the right bank of theEiver Bogota by a 25-metre clear span iron girder

bridge of British manufacture, which, after 10 years' service, is stated to

be still in excellent condition. There are smaller bridges at kilometres

3 and 10, of wood and iron respectively, the first measuring 6*60

metres in two spans and the second 3 "70 metres. There are no heavy

gradients, all being under 2 per cent., and the minimum radius of the

curves is 300 metres (at kilometre 42); 4 kiloms. of line were originally

laid with locally-made iron rails, but these have since been replaced

by British steel rails (Vignole system) of 40 lbs. to the yard. Their

. value, delivered on the spot, is about 3?. each.

Recent experts agree in praising the condition of the line, the

construction of which by Senores Enrique and Alejo Morales calls

for the same favourable comment as in the case of the Sabana Railway.

Rolling-stock.—The railway possesses 8 locomotives; 7 first class,

5 second class and 9 third class passenger carriages; and 63 wagons,

trucks and other vehicles.

The company now has the means of carrying out all repairs, in-

cluding those to locomotives, at its own shops.

Value of line.—The total value of the line, with rolling-stock,

land, &c, is officially estimated at500,000?.

Returns of traffic and working.—Some statistics of the traffic on the

fine and of the results of the exploitation will be found tabulated in

Appendix 6. The returns obtainable in Colombia are very meagre,

but will serve to show the rapid increase of traffic. The financial

results for the first 10 months of 1908 are rather worse than those

for 1907, a fact which is largely accounted for by increased working

expenses consequent on the purchase of a new locomotive and other

rolling-stock.

Tariff.—The passenger rates are not proportional to the distance

travelled, being higher for the longer journey. The rates per kilom.

work out more or less as follows:—First class, 1*5 to 1*8 c.; second

class, 1 to 1*47 c.; third class, 0*6 to 0"68 c.

The ton-kilom. rate for foreign merchandise lies between 10 and

11 c, but is higher for shorter distances. There are special low rates

for national produce and for materials for construction.

Finance, &c.—The official title of the company is the Colombian

Northern Railway Company, Limited (120, Bishopgate Street Within).

Its capital is 300,000?. in 10?. shares. It has further issued first mort-

gage bonds of 20?. each to the amount of 180,000?. These bonds carry

interest at 5 per cent. per annum and are redeemable from 1945 at 105

per cent. The interest is payable half-yearly on May 1 and November 1.

The bonds are guaranteed on the company's whole capital and on the

line itself, and the interest is payable from the net receipts before any

dividend is paid.

From the year 1915 the company must reserve 10 per cent. of its

net profits as a sinking fund, and may employ its profits or the whole

or part of the above-mentioned sinking fund either to redeem the

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COLOMBIA.

23

bonds at 105 per cent., with six months' notice, or to buy them in the

open market at a price not exceeding 105 per cent.

The debentures were quoted in London in the early part of 1908

at 82 and the shares at 40.

In 1906-07, after paying the 9,000?. interest on debentures, a 4s.

dividend was paid and 5,986?. were carried forward to the profit and

loss account. For the year 1907-08 a dividend of 2*5 per cent. was

declared, and the balance carried forward to the next account was

6,611*.

The Colombian Central Railway, Limited, was formed with a

share capital of 3,000,000?. in 10?. shares, of which one-third have been

handed over to the Northern Railway Company as the price of tho

concession for extending the line. The Central Company has been

authorised to issue first mortgage bonds (carrying interest at 6 per

cent., payable March 1 and September 1) to the amount of 950,000?.

Of these bonds, which are secured on the concession and on the company

itself, and the interest on which is also guaranteed for five years by

the Northern Company, 105,000?. had been issued up to March, 1908,

at which time the debentures were quoted at 90 in the Paris market.

They are redeemable at 110 per cent. from 1959.

The shares are not quoted.

Although the two companies have been formed under English laws,

it is understood that the shares are mainly, if not entirely, in Colombian

hands.

Concluding remarks. Future of the line.—The Northern Railway

properly so-called, i.e., the portion between Bogota and Zipaquira,

has been and is a profitable undertaking. It serves a rich and well-

populated district and connects Bogota with a town of 10,000 in-

habitants, while the expenses of working are smaller per kilom. than

those of any other railway in the country. The profits would be

even greater if the railway could obtain the carriage of a larger pro-

portion of salt from the mines of Zipaquira, thousands of tons of which

are still sent annually to the Boca del Monte in carts or on mule-back.

The extension to Nemoc6n, where there are mines of fairly good

coal, has brought the railway within easy-reach of its supply of fuel,

but in itself cannot be said to have justified its cost, the district traversed

being rather thinly peopled and not notably fertile. The distance

from Nemocon to Chiquinquira is 106 kiloms., so that 90 kiloms.

remain to be constructed. If undertaken, the route from Nemocon

will probably be that surveyed by Senores Gonzalez Vasquez and

Ponce de Leon, with modifications introduced subsequently by Senor

Alejo Morales. By this route the line, after leaving Nemocdn, will

climb the rim of the sabana, with gradients of 2 to 2-5 per cent.,

reaching at the summit the Lake of Suesca, at a height of 9,217 feet.

Thence it will run down, with maximum gradients of 2*5 per cent.,

along the course of the River Lenguasaque to the llanos of Ubate

and the Lake of Fuquene, either shore of which it would be possible

to follow to Chiquinquira (8,354 feet).

Now, however, that work has been begun on the Great Northern

Central Railway, and that the country between Bucara manga and

Bogota is to be surveyed more carefully than ever before, it is possible

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24

COLOMBIA.

that the course of the proposed extension may be modified in accord-

ance with a general plan, and that it may be found convenient to direct

it on Tunja and Santa Rosa, rather than on Chiquinquira. In granting

the concession for the extension, the Government doubtless kept the

larger scheme in view, and it may be assumed that the advantages

and disadvantages of the alternative routes will be most carefully

weighed before any final decision is reached.

VII.—The Southern Railway (Ferrocarril del Sur).

Line.—Gauge, 1 metre.

The length is 29 kiloms. or, with sidings, 30-5 kiloms. The

difficulties of construction are almost negligible, as the line lies entirely

on the level sabana. The line was originally intended to run only

as far as the point (Tequendama Station), where the River Bogota

breaks through the ring of hills, but it has now been continued along

a narrow arm of the sabana to a village (Sibate), where the latter ends

in a sort of amphitheatre.

There is an iron bridge of 16 metres and another of 13 metres,

with four smaller ones. The gradients do not, in general, exceed

1 to 1*5 per cent. and the minimum radius of the curves is 160 metres.

Rolling-stock.—Three locomotives, one of 20 tons and two of 14

tons, and other rolling-stock are sufficient for the small movement of

traffic.

Valuation of line.—The following figures are taken from a report

by a British engineer, dated 1906 :—■

£

4 Line (at 2,750*. per kilom.) 84,397

Subvention due on 3-690 kiloms., less

10 per cent, commission for collecting... 6,642

Rolling-stock 9,680

Value of land bought, to be refunded by

government of department ... ... 2,146

Total 102,865

Traffic and exploitation.—The traffic returns for the last two working

years are given in Appendix 7.

Finance, &c.—The Colombian Southern Railway Company,

Limited, was formed on January 30, 1903, with a capital of 100,000?.,

in 10?. shares. The company also issued 6 per cent. debentures at 70,

to the amount of 160,000?., but the result of various legal difficulties

has been to render it impossible, up to the present, to find a market

for the debentures. It is to be noted that the debt of 16,000?. to the

Bogota Electric Lighting Company forms a first charge on these

bonds.

Concluding remarks.—The terminus of the Southern Railway, at

Sibate, approaches within some 3J hours' ride of the coffee district

round Fusagasuga, and consequently takes a certain quantity of

traffic comirg up from that region, as well as most of that which

reaches the sabana by way of Tequendama. Nevertheless, carts

and mules still compete with the fine for the fighter kinds of goods,

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COLOMBIA.

25

the extra handling being an important consideration and time generally

of little importance. The question of an extension to Fusagasuga

has been discussed at various times, but has now been abandoned

for the present, the traffic to be expected from the district hardly

affording sufficient promise for the construction of so expensive a line.

VIII.—The Colombian National Railway (Ferrocarril de Girardot).

The Girardot Railway is in many ways the most interesting fine

in Colombia. It has, moreover, seen so many vicissitudes and passed

through so many hands that the task of keeping an account of it

within suitable limits is by no means easy.

The problem of carrying a fine from the Magdalena (600 to 1,000

feet, according to the point chosen) to the sabana at a height of 8,600

feet would in no case be a simple one, and it is rendered yet more

difficult by the character of the 50 miles of intervening country. For

the latter, after the first steep descent from the plateau, breaks up

into a confused tumble of foothills, with two more or less well-defined

secondary ridges running parallel to the river. Only two alternative

routes appear to have been taken seriously into consideration—one

running north-west, along the course of the Rio Negro and reaching

the Magdalena at a point well below the rapids at Honda (see note C,

page 47), and the other following the Rio Bogota, which drains the

waters of the sabana, in a south-westerly direction to terminate the

Girardot. The latter route, though since considerably modified, formed

the basis of the line which has been actually adopted.

The history of the railway may be said to begin with the passing

of Law 53 of June 22, 1881, by which Congress voted a subvention

of 600,000 dol. per annum, 100,000 dol. of which were to be paid by

the sovereign State of Cundinamarca, for the construction of a line

from Girardot to Bogota. Troops were to be employed on the con-

struction work.

Three days later a contract was made with M. Cisneros for the

construction of the first section, from Girardot to Tocaima. The con-

cessionnaire engaged to finish this portion within one year, under

the supervision of a board of .directors. For this work he was to

receive 554,000 dol., payable in bonds against 10 per cent. of the

customs duties (except those of Buenaventura, which were earmarked

to the service of the Cauca fine). If the cost of construction were less

than the contract price, then Cisneros was to receive one-half the

difference in shares of the company, which was to be formed for the

completion of the fine to Bogota. It was stipulated also that the

gauge should be 3 feet, the rails 30 lbs. to the yard (Vignole system)

and the maximum gradient 4 per cent., and that the concessionnaire

should place two locomotives and other rolling-stock on the fine.

Cisneros began work on August 10, 1881, laying 35-lb. rails, but

the progress made was smaller and the cost greater than had been antici-

pated, though the work was carried on from both ends simultaneously.

Some friction appears also to have arisen in 1882 with the holders

of the Brown concession for a line by the Rio Negro, which was at

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26

COLOMBIA.

this time regarded as a serious competitor, and received some support

from the departmental government of Cundinamarca.

In 1883 an attempt to form a national company broke down, and

by August of that year the sum paid by Government fell short of the

total contract price by less than 10,000 dol., while only 18 of the

28 kiloms. had been completed. A fresh contract was therefore entered

into on September, 29, 1883, by which an additional 35,000 dol. was

granted for the completion of the section on condition that a stricter

Government control over the work should be admitted. The section

was finally opened on January 30, 1884.

Senor Cisneros now offered to contract for the next section to

Juntas de Apulo, and on October 22, 1884, signed an agreement to

complete this stretch of 12 kiloms. within 12 months for a sum of

230,000 dol. (about 37,OOO?. at the rate of exchange at that time).

If he failed without good cause to complete the fine within the stipu-

lated period he was to forfeit 10,000 dol., plus 2,000 dol. for every

month's delay. If the work was not finished within 16 months the

contract was to be void.

The work was much hampered by the Civil War of 1885, and in

1886 the contract was rescinded by agreement, Cisneros receiving

55,000 dol. as compensation. Eventually the section was completed

bv Government administration and opened to Juntas on January 21,

1889.

It was now that the crucial question presented itself as to the

route to be followed from Juntas to the sahana. The main features

of the problem may well be dealt with here.

At Juntas de Apulo, the Eio Bogota, draining the sahana, joins

the Rio Apulo, which rises on the outer side of the rim of the

sahana. These two rivers are separated by a ridge which rises to the

tableland of La Mesa (about 4,200 feet). The tableland is succeeded

by a slight saddle-shaped dip, which divides it from the wall of the

plateau. It is therefore necessary that the railway follow either the

valley of the Bogota to the south of La Mesa or that of the Apulo to

the north.

The basin of the Bogota is, roughly speaking, cup-shaped and

rises more and more steeply until it reaches the point where, high up

on its side, the river has cut a notch in the rim of the sahana

just below Tequendama Falls. This route has the advantage that it

reaches the plateau on a level with its floor, and at a point compara-

tively near the capital, and these were the grounds which led to the

Tequendama route being preferred in the earlier schemes of the rail-

way. So steep, however, is the rise to the falls that it is still a matter

of disagreement among experts whether the portion would not require

at least a mile or two of rack rail. The basin of the Apulo, on the

other hand, is, in its lower portion, not so much a valley as a broad,

broken slope. Higher up, however, it is almost closed by a small

ridge or tongue, and above this point is steep and only just broad enough

to admit of development. A considerable portion of the height can

accordingly be overcome by two great diagonals, but the upper portion

requires a tunnel through the tongue above-mentioned, and the summit

is some 350 feet above the sahana. The completion of the Sabana

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COLOMBIA.

27

Railway and the consequent desire to avoid a competitor had, how-

ever, probably quite as much weight as any engineering consideration

in bringing about the final selection of the Apulo route.

On November 22,1899, the line was opened to Anapoima, 10 kiloms.

above Juntas. A few days before this, on October 30, 1899, the

concession (which had changed hands several times) was transferred

by Senor Mainero y Truco to the Colombian National Railway Com-

pany, Limited, the British company which was to carry through the

most difficult portion of the construction.

The first experiences of the present British company, whose con-

cession was ratified by the Government on May 1, 1900, were not

encouraging. In October, 1899, broke out the great revolution,

which lasted until June, 1903, and during this period all enterprises

in Colombia were, of course, suspended. On the restoration of peace'

the work was pushed forward, but a foretaste of subsequent difficulties

was experienced when the Apulo carried away the first bridge over

the river at kilometre 44 in March and again in April, 1904. Never-

theless, the line was opened to San Joachin (kilometre 58) on February

13,1905, and the danger from the river was met by the construction of

protection works and by modifying the fine so that the Apulo was

only crossed once instead of three times. The line was opened to

traffic as far as Hospicio (kilometre 77) on June 20, 1906.

From the end of 1906, however, the enterprise experienced a series

of disasters, resulting from the treacherous nature of the ground

in the whole Apulo Valley. In March, 1907, the rains broke heavily

and carried away large stretches of the permanent way between La

Mesa and Hospicio Stations. Above El Hospicio matters were even

worse; in places the whole hillside seemed to be moving, and towards

the close of 1907 work was practically at a standstill, and some of the

company's engineers and representatives were beginning to despair.

Fortunately, however, the management discovered in Mr. Alexander

Gulliver an engineer who, in addition to much practical experience

of railways in the Andes, possessed in a marked degree the gift of

inspiring confidence in his subordinates. Under his superintendence

the most difficult portion of the work—that between Hospicio and the

summit—made steady progress, though often checked by slides and

falls of earth, and by the beginning of 1909 it was already possible

to travel from Facatativa to Hospicio by train, with one change at

an unfinished viaduct in kilometre 106|.

The rains of 1909 have, however, again brought difficulties in their

train. Several falls of earth have taken place at or about the lower

approach to the tunnel (kilometre 115), and a much more serious slide

has blocked the line for several months between La Mesa and San

Joachin. At kilometre 86 an embankment gave such serious and

constant trouble that it had to be taken out and a viaduct substituted,

which latter, owing to the difficulty of finding a solid foundation,

has only recently been completed. The numerous cuttings, too,

require constant attention. During the latter months of 1909, how-

ever, trains have been running without interruption, and it may be

hoped that the worst difficulties have disappeared.

Line.—In view of the number of times the railway has changed

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23

COLOMBIA.

hands and of the vicissitudes in its history, it is not surprising to find

that no one system has been adopted throughout its construction

and that the setting out of the line furnishes some material for criticism.

In this latter respect the chief fault has been that, in many places,

too much care has been taken to avoid earthwork, in some cases by

the introduction of curves which would have been better eliminated,

while in other places counter gradients have been introduced in order

that straights might be maintained, where easy curves and moderate

earthwork would have eliminated them.

These faults are particularly noticeable in the oldest section of the

railway between Girardot (335 metres above sea level) and Tocaima

(kilometre 28, 390 metres). In this stretch the line runs across a prac-

tically level plain, and apart from the lack of good ballast the difficulties

are insignificant. Nevertheless, gradients of between 2 and 3 per cent.

are numerous and in one place (kilometre 22) the gradient reaches 3- 5

per cent., while the curves attain as low a minimum as 120 metres

(kilometre 19). In recent years available capital has been spent mainly

in extending rather than in improving, but now that the line is finished

works are about to be commenced to introduce the required improve-

ments and corrections.

Between Tocaima and Juntas de Apulo (kilometre 39) the hills

close in and the line enters the Apulo Valley. The difficulties, how-

ever, are still very moderate, being confined to a certain amount of

light earthwork at the base of the foothills. Just before reaching

Juntas there is a point where an extensive slide from above gave

much trouble in 1891-92, but the ground has now again settled. The

rise during this section of 12 kiloms. is one of 64 metres only (390 to

454 metres).

At Juntas the valley contracts and the line follows closely the

right bank of the Eiver Apulo. In this section the river has given

much trouble (see above), being liable to sudden floods, at which time

it is charged with a heavy, black mud. Protection works have, there-

fore, been required in the worst places (kilometre 39, 45 and 47) and

have taken the form of masonry walls, dry walls and piles made from

rails. These works, however, will require further expenditure before

they can propeily be described as permanent. At kilometre 49 the line

crosses to the left bank of the river by a through bridge of 30 metres span

and follows that bank as far as San Joaquin (kilometre 58, 660 metres).

The gradients in this section are generally light (with the exception of a

few places which reach 3 per cent. and a few yards of 4-25 per cent.

in kilometre 45) and the curves are easy.

Beyond San Joaquin the difficult country begins, as the ground

is very broken and false and rises rapidly, and the side slope along

which the line travels is almost at its angle of repose, so that any

disturbance of this leads to the trouble of slides, both in cuttings and

in embankments. The formation is generally a disturbed shale and

clay, the stratum of which is anything from vertical to horizontal,

consequently, the earth, saturated by the torrential rains of March,

April and May and of September, October and November, when

resting on an inclined sub-stratum of clay, moves in mass, carrying

with it the permanent way and at times heavy masonry structures.

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COLOMBIA.

29

From San Joaquin the ruling gradient becomes 3 per cent. and the

line leaves the river and rises by means of loops to the stations of

La Mesa (kilometre 72) and Hospicio (kilometre 77,1,089 metres), lying

under the two extremities of the tableland of La Mesa. It is at these

loops that the great slide mentioned above has taken place. This

slide is very deep, and has carried away the permanent way for at lea^t

150 yards, but the work of repairing the line is now completed.

From Hospicio to kilometre 80 the 3 per cent. gradient is not

exceeded, but from that point to the summit (kilometre 125) the line

may be considered as continuous 4 per cent., compensated for curvature.

The whole of this section has required heavy earthwork and a number

or bridges and viaducts. Perhaps the most difficult portion is between

kilo metres 82 and 87, where it has been found necessary to work up to a

higher level by means of two reversing stations (switchbacks), just

above which some of the embankments have given much trouble.

At kilometre 103, where the fine curves back to recross the valley on a

second long diagonal, is the station of Anolaima. At kilometre 114

the tongue or ridge separating the upper from the lower valleys is

pierced by a tunnel, 155 "5 metres long, and the fine then develops

past the coal mines of Cipacon, which supply fuel for the fine, to reach

the summit by means of sweeping curves across the whole breadth

of the valley. The minimum curves between Hospicio and the summit

are nominally of 100 metres radius, but to surmount difficulties a few

of 80 metres and one or two of 60 metres have been put in, with the

intention of easing them should circumstances permit.

From the summit (2,729 metres) to Facatativa (kilometre 132,2,614

metres) the descending gradient rarely passes 3 per cent. and does not

average 2 per cent.

Bridges.—The following is a fist of the bridges on the line of over

10 metres in length :—

Material.

Length.

Remarks.

Metres.

10 kiloms.

Wood

27-50

7 spans

12

„ ... ... ...

20

5 „

14 „

ii ... ... ...

32-50

9 „

18 „

,, ...

18-20

5 „

18 „

» - -- --- ---

17-60

5 „

20 „

„ ... ... ...

36

9 „

27 „

Stone and wood

10-60

2 „

48 „

Steel and stone

10

1 span

49 „

», »,

29-70

1 „ (over Apulo)

57 „

i> » ---

10

1 „

59 „

„ »»

15

2 spans

65 „

„ stone and wood...

24-20

6 „

78 „

„ and stone

25-16

1 span

81 „

Stone and wood

34

9 spans

82 „

Steel and stone

25-16

1 span (over Apulo)

84 „

,». », --■

12

1 »

85 „

Stone and wood

18-35

5 spans

87 „

Steel and stone

28

3 „

88

ii >> >}

11-80

1 span

88 „

»» »» >> ---

30-30

4 spans

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30

COLOMBIA.

Material.

Length.

Remarks.

Metres.

105 kiloms.

Steel and stone

10

1 span

106 „

» >» »

28-50

3 spans

107 „

» » »

25

3 „

132 „

>» >> i> --,

10

1 span

Rails.—On the older portion of the line, between Girardot and

Juntas, the original rails laid, of 35 lbs. to the yard, are still in use,

though they are being replaced by 45-lb. steel rails. The latter weight

has been adopted throughout above Juntas, the rails having been for

the most part procured from the United States Steel Corporation. Their

^ cost, placed in Girardot, averages from 13?. to 14?. per ton. The rail

used appears to be somewhat light for the work of carrying an 80-ton

engine on a 4 per cent. grade.

Ballast.—The lack of good ballast along the line has been one of

the chief difficulties in its construction. This defect is particularly

noticeable on the soft, peaty soil between Girardot and Tocaima.

It has consequently been found necessary to bring out a stone breaker

and to employ manual labour for the same purpose. At two places

along the line fair natural ballast has been discovered.

Cost of construction.—It is difficult to say exactly what sum has been

spent on the construction of the line. The cost to Juntas was estimated

at 950,000 dol., or about 153,000?. at the rate of exchange at that time;

3,800?. per kilom. is certainly a high average, but it is very moderate

when compared with the sums which must have been spent on the

more difficult portion of the line. This is estimated by the local

manager at about 1,000,000?. for the upper portion, or about 12,200?.

per kilom., but it is to be noted that the-share capital and debenture

capital of the Colombian National Railway Company give a total of

2,380,000?.

Rolling-stock.—Three old locomotives, of American manufacture,

have been used on the construction work and for the transport of

materials. There are also three locomotives from New York, of a

type weighing (with tender) 80 tons; and two more, constructed in

Leeds, have been bought from Messrs. Pearson and Sons; two more

of the Mallet type have also been recently put on the line. These

were imported from the United States, but three more, of a similar

kind, are in course of construction at Leeds. The management intend

shortly to purchase five more.

The rest of the rolling-stock, mostly of American manufacture,

is as follows;—

First class passenger coaches 5

Second class passenger coaches ... ... 4

Third class passenger coaches 6

Wagons and other vehicles 53

Traffic and exploitation.^-It has unfortunately been impossible

to procure the latest report and balance sheet for the purposes of this

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COLOMBIA.

31

report. The line is, of course, in a transition stage and the returns

would be liable to be misleading; still some figures of the traffic

carried would not have been without their interest.

Finance.—The Colombian National Railway Company, Limited

(110, Cannon Street), was formed originally both to finance and work

the fine. But in 1902 a construction company was formed, separate

from the above, though organised by the same financial group, called

the Railway Concessions and Contract Company, Limited, the two

companies entering into an arrangement by which the railway com-

pany should finance the fine, supplying funds for that purpose to the

contract company by the sale of Colombian National Railway bonds

while the contract company should undertake the actual construction

of the railway.

The share capital and issues of debentures are as follows :—■

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Table showing Shar1 Capital and Issu1s of D1b1ntur1s.

January 1 and July 1 ;redeemable at 11

May 11 and November 11 ;redeemable at

11 from 1111 or ear1ier w1th six months'

January 1 and July 1;devoted to special

Remarks.

Held by Colombian Government

after 1111, at company's choice

March . and 8eptember 11

purposes

1111

February, 11 ...

November, 1111 ...

notice

September, 1118 ...

Date.

March, 1111

Unit,

£

1

11

11

11

11

Amount.

111,11

11,11

1.,11

11,11

11,11

£

Enterprise

1 per cent, customs ...

1 per cent, customs ...

Guarantee.

Share capital

Enterprise

Second mortgage bonds ...

Fourth mortgage bonds ...

Denomination.

First mortgage bonds

Third mortgage bonds

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COLOMBIA.

38

Price of shares, Is. Qd. to 2s. In February, 1909, first debentures /

-were at 85 and second at 52.

Concluding remarks.—There can be no doubt that the Girardot

Eailway will prove of great service to the inhabitants of Bogota and

the sabana by eliminating the mule or cart transit which has hitherto

stood in the way of the transport of heavy, bulky or fragile articles

to the plateau. Whether it will also succeed in obtaining the carriage

of smaller bales, only the future can show, but it will evidently require

very careful organisation to enable the Girardot route from Honda

to Facatativa, with its 215 kiloms. of rail and 105 kiloms. of steamer,

to compete successfully for this class of goods with the 100 kiloms.

of direct mule road, more especially in a country where speed is of

so little importance. The route will be invaluable to persons travelling

•with quantities of luggage or with a family, but less useful to the

ordinary mule-owning Colombian, who will probably, for some time

to come, prefer the mode of travelling to which he has been accus-

tomed.

It must also be remembered, in considering the future of the line,

that the interest on the debentures amounts to nearly 90.000?., which /

amount of net profit must be made before the shareholders receive

any dividend. The future of the enterprise is clearly bound up with

the impetus which, it is hoped, will be given to commerce and

agriculture on the sabana by the increased facilities for the importa-

tion of machinery and similar articles.

It is certainly to be regretted that the gauge of the Sabana line

from Facatativa to Bogota is different from that of the railway now

under discussion (1 metre as against 3 feet). This difference is too

small to permit of the difficulty being overcome by a third rail, and an

extra handling of goods will therefore be necessary at Facatativa.

It is probable, however, that so soon as the traffic justifies the expense

of altering the gauge on the Sabana line, the latter course will be

adopted and it will then be possible to travel direct from Girardot to

Bogota.

IX.—The Espinal Railway (Ferrocarril del Tolima).

Whatever the future may have in store for this little fine, which

runs from the left bank of the Magdalena at Girardot a distance

of 25 kiloms. to the small town of Espinal, it does not at present possess

any importance, and may be very briefly dealt with. It has always

been the property of a Colombian gentleman, Senor Carlos Tanco,

and since his death has belonged to his family.

The fine itself needs little description. It is constructed with a

3-foot gauge and some of the rails are of steel, 35 lbs. to the yard.

There are no gradients worth mentioning and only five bridges, all of

wood. The rolling-stock consists of two small locomotives and a

few carriages and trucks. Traffic is irregular, being sometimes sus-

pended altogether, while at other times two or three trains run per

week. The cost of construction is unknown, but must have been

very small. The fine probably about pays its working expenses.

(309)

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34

COLOMBIA.

X.—The Dorada Railway (Ferrocarril de la Dorada).

History.—The Dorada Railway is the outcome of the necessity for

a connecting link between the navigation of the Lower and that of the

Upper Magdalena, broken by the impassable rapids at Honda.

On September 8, 1884, the line was opened from Arrancaplumas,

one mile above the rapids, to Yeguas, 22 â–  5 kiloms. beyond Honda. For

over 20 years no attempt was made to extend the line to the south

of Honda.

Subsequently the concessionnaire conceived the idea of calling

in the services of Messrs. Pearson and Son, and in 1899 a British

engineer, Mr. Thomas B. Nowell, was sent out to survey for the new

line. He recommended that the extension should not pass by Cambao,

as had been originally proposed, but by Beltran and Ambalema.

Before, however, any work could be begun, the great revolution put

an end, for the time, to this as to all other railway projects.

It was not until the year 1905 that the reorganisation of the

country permitted the extension scheme to be taken up again.

The line was finished as far as Ambalema in the remarkably short

time (for Colombia) of two years and three months—and this in spite

of the fact that the large bridge over the River Guali presented serious

and unexpected difficulties, arising mainly from the presence of large

rocks in the sand of the river bed and from the floods and freshets

to which the stream is liable. The section to Beltran was officially

inaugurated by the President of the Republic on September 15, 1907,

and the whole stretch to Ambalema was opened on May 21, 1908.

The new line is probably by far the best constructed and equipped

in the country, and in view of the rapidity with which it was completed,

must be regarded as a most creditable piece of work. The rails are

of 50 lbs. to the yard and are of British manufacture. Maximum

gradient, 2 per cent. (24 to 25-5, 43, 45 and 49 kiloms.); minimum

radius of curves, 144 metres (24 to 25, 48, 78 kiloms.).

Cost of Construction.

Total

Cost.

£

119,710*

Average

per Kilom.

\ La Dorada to Arrancaplumas

La Popa to Amblema (exclusive of work-

shops, land and residences for the staff

at M"araquita)

* Le Brun.

£

3,420

245,000

3,025

Rolling-slock.—Locomotives :—

50-ton tender engines (British)

40 „ „ „ (American) ...

30 „ engines (American) ...

10 horse-power motor car

First class passenger coaches (capacity 42 each) ..

Third class passenger coaches (capacity 50 each) ..

Trucks, wagons, &c

2

2

2

1

4

7

103

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COLOMBIA.

35

The shops are very well equipped.

Traffic and exploitation.—Unfortunately the only report and

balance sheet obtainable has been that for 1906, the last year before

the opening of the extension. This shows that the gross receipts

in 1906 were 53,230?. lis. and the working expenses 26,122?. Is. 1*1, 1

leaving net earnings of 27,108?. 9s. lie?. Of the gross earnings no less

than 50,547?. 18s. 9d., or 95 per cent., were due to goods traffic, the

amount carried by the line being 52,696,009 kilos. The principal

items were:—Coffee, 17,019,921 kilos.; general merchandise,

14,163,397 kilos.; railway and mines material, 12,217,998 kilos.

The results of the exploitation after the opening of the extension,

in 1907 were far from coming up to expectations, mainly on account

of the rate war. An arrangement has now been made with the Upper

River Steamboat Companies and, with the opening of the Girardot

Railway, traffic figures are likely to improve gradually, though it will

probably be some years before they are entirely satisfactory.

Finance, &c.—The Dorada Extension Railway Company, Limited

(Finsbury Pavement House, E.C.), was formed with an authorised /

capital of 350,000?. in 10?. shares, of which sum 326,210?. had been

issued up to March, 1908.

An issue of first mortgage bonds was authorised up to 35O,O00?.

at 6 per cent., of which 166,067?. had been issued by December 31,

1906.

The balance sheet for 1905 showed a net profit of 19,423?. and ,

for 1906 a profit of 15,900?. No part of these profits was distributed

in dividends, 25,000?. being put aside as a reserve and the rest carried

forward.

The report for 1907, though the figures are not obtainable here,

showed that the year had been a disastrous one for the company.

A considerable net loss was sustained, causing a heavy drain on the

reserve fund. The year 1908, however, brought about an improve-

ment in the position and the net profits (excluding London charges)

amounted to nearly 21,000?.

Concluding remarks.—The ultimate future of the line depends oh

considerations which have been treated of in the preliminary general

survey, but a few notes on the district and towns served may be of

some interest.

Honda (8,000 to 10,000 inhabitants) is a considerable distributing

centre and a number of mule routes converge here.

Mariquita is a decayed town of some 2,000 inhabitants, situated

close to a number of alluvial gold mines. It is a receiving and de-

spatching point for Manizales and district.

San Felipe is not a town, but merely the most convenient point

on the railway for loading the mineral from the Frias (silver) and

Santana (gold) mines. The haulage from this source averages 80 to

100 tons per month.

Guayabal is a small village of a few hundred inhabitants, and gives

practically no traffic to the railway.

San Lorenzo (1,000 inhabitants) is somewhat more progressive,

and is about the only place which has shown increase in activity

attributable to the advent of the railway. The town receives and

(309) c 2

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38

COLOMBIA.

despatches for Libano and the villages in the mountains due west,

while part of the Southern Antioquia produce also comes through by

this route.

Santuario is a large cattle ranch and tobacco estate belonging to a

British subject.

Ambalema (perhaps 2,500 inhabitants) is a small river port, but

the only industry of consequence is a cigar manufactory connected

with the Santuario estate.

To sum up, local traffic is in general rather spasmodic, increasing

and decreasing in direct ratio to the movement of the crops, but the

inhabitants of the district appear to be beginning to realise the utility

of the railway.

XI.—The Puerto Berrio Railway (Ferrocarril de Antioquia).

The Department of Antioquia lies across that portion of the Central

Cordillera of the Andes where the latter loses the character of a defined

range and spreads out into a mass of hills before losing itself in the

plain of the Lower Magdalena. The capital, Medellin, situated at a

height of 4,850 feet, enjoys many advantages in respect of climate

and of the energetic nature of its inhabitants, but suffers almost as

much as does Bogota itself from the want of rapid communications

with the outer world. It is, therefore, not surprising to find that

the railway intended to connect this town with the river was the

first to be seriously undertaken in the interior of the country—an

undertaking due, as in so many other instances, to the initiative of

Senor Cisneros.

On June 30, 1906, a section of 27 kiloms. to Providencia, and on

July 20, 1908, 17 kiloms. more to Sofia (102 kiloms.) were opened to

traffic. This point is at present the terminus of the line, but some

7 kiloms. more are partially finished and should under normal con-

ditions be opened early in 1910.

Line.—The terminus of the line at Puerto Berrio lies at 128 metres

above sea level. Thence the railway follows the course of the small

Rio Malena, where swamps and lagoons have necessitated a good deal

•of bridging and banking. From the head of the Malena, the line

crosses into the valley of the Nuz, this portion including gradients of

4*5 per cent. Reaching the Rio Nuz at Pavas (47 "5 kiloms.) the

line follows the course of that river as far as the present terminus.

There appear to be no great engineering difficulties along this section,

and the same remark applies to the portion now being constructed

between Sofia and La Palmichala (116 kiloms. 968 metres above sea

level).

From this point, however, the difficulties are formidable owing

to the fact that the valley ends in a kind of amphitheatre with

steep sides. According to Cisneros' plans, from La Palmichala over

the Quiebra de Santo Domingo (1,697 metres) and down to the Rio

Porce (1,160 metres), at the 135th kilom., the average gradient is no

less than 5| per cent. Various proposals have been made as to the

best means of overcoming this difficulty, that which has been most

favoured having been some form or other of rack rail. Elaborate

reports on this subject have been published at different times in the

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COLOMBIA.

37

Diario Oficial. The obvious method of tunnelling the pass is pre-

sumably quite out of the question on account of the expense, but the

promoters of the enterprise now have hopes that a practicable route

has been found which will require gradients not exceeding 3 or 4 per

cent. In any case, however, the local committee have decided to

leave the problem for later consideration, and as soon as the line

has been opened as far as Zarzal (109 kiloms.), work will be suspended

on that side and continued on the Medellin side of the Quiebra.

From the Eio Porce to Barboza, at 166 kiloms. (1,295 metres),

and on to Medellin the difficulties do not appear to be greater than

what may normally be expected in a hilly country.

The rails now being laid weigh 45 lbs. to the yard, the original

gauge of 3 feet having been preserved. The rails in 48 to 52 kiloms.

are of 50 lbs. to the yard.

Cost of construction.—The following table contains such figures

as have been procurable, with the source from which they have been

obtained:—

Distance.

Cost.

Kiloms.

Dollars.

Puerto Berrio to Pavas

47-5

1,616,800*

Pavas to Monos

3-5

494,170f

Monos to Caracoli

7

333,330t

Caracoli to Sofia

44

553,737f

Total

102

2,978,037

* Le Brun's estimate. f Official estimate.

This gives an average of 29,196 dol. per kilom.

The official estimate for the portion to be constructed is 22,000 dol,

per kilom.

Rolling-stock.—The rolling-stock now in use is as follows :—

Locomotives ... ... ... ... ... 15J

First class passenger carriages ... ... 4

Second class passenger carriages ... ... 2

Other wagons, &c. ... ... ... ... 68

% Of which five are in good condition; four are completely worn out.

With the exception of four of the locomotives, the above have all

been imported from the United States within the last five years and

another locomotive and four more carriages have been ordered from

that country. The estimated value of the rolling-stock is 120,000

dol. (gold).

Traffic and exploitation.—See Appendix 9. The value of the

figures given for working expenses is unfortunately largely discounted

by the fact that they do not include the cost of imported materials.

Finance.—The present position of the enterprise is that construc-

tion is simply being carried on, as circumstances permit, out of the

net produce of the working, while efforts are being made to raise

funds in Europe. According to the latest information received there

were hopes that the sum of 3,000,000 dol. could be raised at 6 per cent.,

but the question of the guarantee was still under discussion.

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38

COLOMBIA.

!, In 1907 the department negotiated with the Banco Central a loan

of 180,000 dol., which sum is understood to have been entirely repaid.

Concluding remarks.—-So long as the Government is forced to

continue the work on the present hand-to-mouth system, it is clearly

not to be expected that very rapid progress can be made out of the

net profits from a traffic which does not exceed some 15,000 tons per

annum. The administration state that they do not expect more

than 2 or 3 miles to be constructed per annum, which means that

the line will not be completed under 18 or 20 years. If, however,

the efforts to raise capital abroad are crowned with success and the

crucial problem of the passage of the Quiebra is solved, there seems

to be no reason why the line should not be carried through to Medellin

in four to six years, when it will evidently be of immense service to the

town itself and still more so to the mining districts of Antioquia,

whose development has been greatly cramped by the almost insur-

mountable difficulty of transporting ore and machinery over bad

mountain tracks. It is likely to be long before these obstacles to

progress are entirely overcome, but the question of opening railway

connection with the Magdalena is obviously one of the first and most

important factors in the problem to be solved.

XII.—Great Northern Central Railway (Ferrocarril de Puerto

Wilches).

The fact that Bucaramanga (3,000 feet; 20,000 inhabitants), the

capital of the rich and prosperous Department of Santander, should

have been left so long isolated from the Magdalena is mainly due,

as in the case of Medellin, to geographical difficulties. These are,

however, entirely different in nature from the engineering problems

which have hampered the Antioquia line. They consist, in fact,

mainly in the difficulty of surveying at all for a practicable route

through the 30 or 40 miles of virgin forest which separate the Magdalena

from the foothills on the right bank of the river. It may be said that

the solution of the problem was, in the first instance, the result of

abstract theory and is due to Sefior Abelardo Ramos, who suggested

that the watershed between the Rivers Sogomoso and Paturia was

the natural route.

SeSor Ramos took charge of the construction work and during the

next two years some 10 kiloms. of preparatory work was done and

3 ;5 kiloms. of rails were laid. At this point the enterprise had to be

abandoned and the completed work left to decay in the jungle.

For more than 20 years no other serious attempt was made to

undertake the line.

Work was begun in 1908 and though hampered by certain financial

questions has resulted up to the present in some 12 kiloms. of rails

being laid.

Line.—The gauge of the line is 1 yard, and the steel rails, which

are partly British and partly of American origin, weigh 60 lbs. to the

yard, being thus among the heaviest in the country. The sleepers

are of local wood.

About 1,000 men are employed on the works.

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COLOMBIA.

39

Rolling-stock.—Two locomotives (British) of 33 tons weight each

and 32 cars have been placed on the line.

Finance.—The Great Northern Central Railway of Colombia,

Limited (160, Dashwood House, New Broad Street, E.C.), is a British

company, though a large number of shares are held by the Colombian

Government. The capital is 500,000?. in 1l. shares. By a special /

arrangement entered into in London, the original Government guarantee

of 7 per cent. on 40,000 dol. per kilom. was altered to 5 -5 per cent,

on 48,000 dol. per kilom., and it was under this last guarantee that,

in March, 1908, the company issued first mortgage bonds to the amount

of 153,000?.

A further issue made during the present year has given rise to

difficulties with the Colombian Government, which, at the time of

writing this report, had not been settled.

Concluding remarks.—It is sincerely to be hoped that the difficulties

just mentioned will be speedily disposed of without having caused a

cessation of work on this much-needed line. Santander is naturally

one of the richest coffee and agricultural departments in the country,

and the work recently done by a French mining company has demon-

strated the existence of gold mines, apparently of quite exceptional

richness. A great portion of the department is, however, absolutely

cut off from the Magdalena by the forest belt, and the completion of

the line will give, at least to the district round Bucaramanga, an

outlet which is most necessary to its development.

After completion to Bucaramanga the question will arise whether

it is advisable to proceed immediately with the extension towards

Bogota. This matter is, however, better dealt with separately and

will be found discussed under the heading Miscellaneous note B, page 46.

XIII.—The Cauca Railway (Ferrocarril del Pacifico).

The advantages of a railway connecting Buenaventura with the

River Cauca are so obvious and the construction of such a line is so

essential to the development of one of the richest districts of Colombia ,

that it is astonishing to find that only 65 -5 kiloms. had been finished

up to the end of 1908. The feeling of surprise is not diminished by

the knowledge that these 65 kiloms. of line are the result of 30 years

expenditure of labour and energy, and have perhaps cost a greater

sum of money than the three Atlantic railways put together. In

1905, for example, the Government inspector stated the amount paid

by the Government from first to last to have been over 4,000,000 dol.

(gold), so that it is probably no overestimate to put the total sum

expended on the line at 1,000,000?. It is not easy to find any one

cause sufficient to account for this poor result; the railway seems

hitherto to have been dogged by misfortune and on more than one

occasion, w-hen prospects appeared brightest, some unforeseen diffi-

culty has intervened to prevent progress.

Line.—Starting from the port of Buenaventura, the line crosses

the island of that name and, after about 3 kiloms., reaches the main-

land by an iron bridge 550 feet in length. After a stretch of swampy

land has been crossed, the railway passes through broken and gradually

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40

COLOMBIA.

rising country, reaches the north bank of the Dagua at 18 kiloms.

and follows the latter past Cordoba to San Cypriano, which was the

furthest point reached by Cisneros. Here the river is crossed by a

60-metre steel bridge introduced by Senor Munoz and erected by

Messrs. Mason, and the south bank of the river is followed as far as;

Sucre (34 kiloms.), where the river is again crossed by a shorter steel

span. At San Jose (36 -5 kiloms.) another 60-metre steel bridge

carries the line to the south of the Dagua, which is followed through

very difficult country. It is necessary to cross the river twice more

at Delfina (50 kiloms.) and Juntas or Cisneros (56 kiloms.) by 20-metre

and 40-metre steel bridges, before the gorge of the river is reached

at 56 -5 kiloms. Up to this point all the gradients have been kept

down to 2 -5 per cent., except on the oldest portion of the line,

where there are several of 4 per cent. and upwards and 55-metre

curves.

The Boqueron or canon of the Dagua, a narrow gorge bounded

by rock walls 500 to 1,000 feet high, is the most difficult piece of the

line. The position of the work is now (December, 1909) as follows:—

55-lb. steel rails have been laid as far as 94 kiloms., the river being

crossed again at 59 kiloms. and 63 kiloms. by 36-metre and 30-metre

steel skew spans, while a short 60-metre tunnel has been completed at

56 kiloms. At 64 -5 kiloms. is another tunnel and at 65 -5 kiloms.

another 29-metre skew bridge carries the line to the north bank. At

66 kiloms., which is practically the end of the gorge, the line returns

by a 29-metre skew bridge to the south (or rather west) bank, which

it follows closely up to Papagyeros, at 82 kiloms., another tunnel of

73 metres being required at 68 -5 kiloms. The gradient has been

kept down to 2 -5 per cent., except for two short steep lengths in the

Boqueron, and the line is said to be well clear of high-water mark.

The rails as far as San Cypriano are of 35 and 40 lbs. to the yard,

the rest 55 lbs., American type. Belgian rails are being partly

employed. The bridges are American.

The surveyed route from Papagyeros turns due east, crosses the

Dagua by a high bridge (32 metres) and develops up the mountain

to the Lomitas summit, whence the line is to be carried across

to the Cresta de Gallo Pass (5,216 feet) into the Cauca Valley at

161 kiloms. and then due south and over practically level country

(3,275 feet) at a distance of 174 kiloms. from Buenaventura.

The final surveys for the proposed extension to Palmira have not

yet been made, but it is stated that the difficulties will be confined to

a stretch of high embankment near the river and a 200-metre bridge

across the Cauca.

The extensions to Cartago and Popayan hardly call for detailed

examination, pending the completion of the line to Cali. Cartago

is practically on the same level as Palmira, and the route is said to

present no difficulties, while nothing is known about the Popayan line,

which is only now being surveyed.

Rolling-stock.—The Compafiia del Ferrocarril del Pacifico has put

on the line four new 33-ton Baldwin Mogul locomotives and 16 new

goods wagons of 15 tons capacity.

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COLOMBIA.

41

The following is a list of the rolling-stock in use:—

Locomotives (all American) 9

Of which—

25 tons 2

30 „ 1

32 1

33 4

21 1

First class passenger carriages ... ... 2

Mixed class passenger carriages 2

Trucks, wagons, &c. ... ... ... ... 58

Exploitation and traffic.—No figures are obtainable as regards

the traffic on the railway and the results of exploitation; and, indeed,

any such figures would be of little value as, until the line enters the

Cauca Valley, no definite idea of its earning power can be obtained.

The remarks made on this subject in connection with the Girardot

Railway apply also to some extent to the present case, but the Cauca

Railway has this great advantage, that it is not saddled with any

interest on debentures.

Finance.—The Compania del Ferrocarril del Pacifico was formed

with a share capital of 280,000?., divided into 14,000 shares of 20l.

each. Of these shares, according to the latest prospectus, 10,710

have been subscribed by the founders (5,600 of them by the Banco

Central), 1,290 are held over and the remaining 2,000 are offered to

the public. It is proposed to deduct 15 per cent. of the net profits

for the purpose of forming a reserve fund, before any dividend is

distributed.

Concluding remarks.—It will be gathered from the foregoing report

that work on the Cauca Railway, in spite of frequent delays and dis-

appointments, seems at last to be making progress over the most

difficult part of the route, namely, the passage of the Cordillera. It

is understood, however, that a good deal of trouble and delay has been

caused by slides and "washouts" during the rainy season, and

here again much of what was said in dealing with the Colombian

National Railway applies equally to the Pacific line. At any rate,

the work is now so far advanced that its promoters speak of opening

the line to Cali by the middle of 1910, and the prospect of completion

has re-opened the old question of the best route to be followed. The

proposed line by the Cresta de Gallo Pass has the same disadvantage

of reaching the Cauca below Cali which caused the abandonment

by Cisneros of his original survey. A strong opposition has therefore

developed in Cali, where it is held that the railway should follow the

Upper Dagua, cross the pass of Tocota or Las Nieves, and descend

direct to Cali by the River Cali or the Aguacatal. In support of the

Cresta de Gallo route it is urged that this pass is only 5,216 feet above

the sea as against 6,621 feet by Tocota; on the other hand, the people

of Cali claim that the latter route is the shorter by some 20 or 30 kiloms.

and that the saving in length effected would easily cover the cost of

a tunnel under the pass at the same height as the Cresta de Gallo

summit; it is also pointed out that, as the old mule road between

Buenaventura and Cali followed the Tocota route, the railway, if

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42

COLOMBIA.

constructed through this pass, would be easily accessible at every

point and would tap a certain amount of local traffic, such as always

concentrates round an established trade route. Both routes will

require a great deal of heavy work. The question is of such importance

that the Government ordered an expert examination to be made

and a comparative report and estimate to be drawn up for its solution;

as a result, the Cresta de Gallo route was adopted, but the opposition

still continues, so that an alteration at the last moment is not impossible.

Once the railway is completed to the Cauca Valley and is in regular

operation, it may naturally be expected to take most of the export

and import trade of this fertile region. The last census of the depart-

ment gives a population of 485,000 inhabitants, and the great majority

of these lie within reach, either of the Cauca Railway itself or of one

or other of the proposed extensions. Though Buenaventura possesses

an excellent land-locked harbour, the town itself and the surrounding

country are so unhealthy as to be almost uninhabitable, but many of

the other districts possess a pleasant climate and the department is

suited, in one region or another, for the cultivation of almost every

tropical and subtropical produce, as well as for cattle-raising (the

/ principal industry of the Cauca Valley), for the production of wheat

and maize on the uplands and for mining enterprise, as gold, copper,

coal and other minerals are known to exist in considerable quantities,

the coal mines not far from Cali being, perhaps, of the most immediate

importance. Without entering into the general question of the future

of the department, which would obviously be beyond the scope of

this report, it may be noted that no district in Colombia stands in

more urgent need of being opened up by a railway system than does

the Cauca basin, surrounded as it is on all sides by mountains and

with its only natural river outlet blocked by impossible rapids. That

the people of Cali, at least, anticipate great results from the com-

pletion of the railway is abundantly shown by their keen and, at times,

impatient interest in the progress of a work which now, at last, seems

to be within measurable distance of completion.

XIV.—The Cticuta Railway (Ferrocarril de Cucuta).

(Note.—Cucuta being one of the districts where silver is current,

it has not been possible in all cases to ascertain with certainty whether

figures supplied in pesos represented gold pesos or silver pesos. The

possibility of errors having crept in from this cause must be constantly

borne in mind, though every effort has been made to avoid them.)

History.—The Cucuta Railway is noticeable for two special features.

In the first place it stands alone among Colombian railways of any conse-

quence in having been almost entirely national throughout its history;

it was planned by Colombians, constructed by a Colombian engineer;

mainly managed by Colombians and, to some extent at least, financed

with Colombian capital. In the second place it is remarkable for its

extraordinary prosperity and rapid decadence, both due to special

causes which exist in the case of no other line in the country.

A glance at the general map of Colombia will show that Ciicuta

is the most important town of a district entirely isolated from the rest

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COLOMBIA.

43

of the country by the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes, its only natural

outlet being through Venezuelan territory by the Rio Zulia, a river

which is navigable by steamboats as far as a point called San Buena-

ventura, or Puerto Villamizar, some 20 kiloms. on the Colombian side

of the frontier.

The railway was begun in 1879 and finished on June 30, 1888.

It at once proved a remarkable financial success and fully justified

the hopes of its enterprising constructors, obtaining the haulage of

practically the whole of the produce exported from the populous

and fertile coffee district which lies between Venezuela and the summit

of the Andes. As a result dividends were paid of no less than 14 to/

16 per cent. per annum, Ciicuta increased rapidly in population and

wealth and the railway company, hoping still further to quicken the

town's development, decided on the construction of a short but rather

difficult length of line to connect Cucuta with the nearest part of the

Venezuelan frontier at Tachira. This time, however, besides the

99 years' concession which was obtained from the Central Govern-

ment, a money subvention was asked for and granted.

The construction of the Ferrocarril a la Frontera, which was

opened in August, 1897, was probably justifiable under the conditions

then subsisting. The result, however, could hardly have been more

unfortunate. The fall in the price of coffee, an article forming about

97 per cent. of the whole weight of goods exported by this route, was

the first event which checked the prosperity of Ciicuta and its railway,

and the dividends of 7 and 6 per cent., paid in 1898 and 1899 respec-

tively, showed a marked falling-off from the high figures of earlier

years, though in themselves they are satisfactory enough. From this

time, however, the district met with nothing but disaster. The great

civil war of 1899-1903 was perhaps more severely felt in this part of

Santander than in any other department of Colombia, except Tolima,

and Cucuta was for a long time the headquarters of the Liberal forces.

Under these circumstances the railway practically ceased to exist

as a commercial undertaking and, it is needless to add, the payment

of any dividends was out of the question. Then, just as the line was

beginning to recover from the effects of the war it received a fresh and

absolutely crushing blow. On December 26, 1906, the Venezuelan

Government closed the River Zulia to Colombian commerce and, by

cutting off Cucuta from its only commercial outlet, destroyed at one

stroke the prosperity of the town and the raison d'Stre of the railway.

There was nothing for the company to do but to cut down expenditure

to the lowest pcssible limit, make as much as possible out of what

little local traffic there was and wait for better times. The idea of a

line connecting Cucuta with the Magdalena, either over or round

the mountains, was naturally revived (see Tamalameque Railway,

note K, page 48), but up to the present all such projects have come to

nothing, and the re-opening of the Zulia by Venezuela on December 21,

1908, has now again completely changed the situation.

Line.—The Puerto Villamizar Railway, 54| kiloms. long (or, with

sidings, 60-5 kiloms.), does not present any special point of interest

from an engineering point of view. The following technical details

may be given ;—Gauge, 1 metre; maximum gradient, 2 - 5 per cent.;

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44

COLOMBIA.

minimum radius of curves, 100 metres; rails, 30 lbs. to the yard.

There are 27 small bridges on the line, the greater part of them being

of iron work, with masonry abutments; only two exceed 20 metres

in length. The sleepers, of local woods, last from 6 to 10 years.

The construction of the Ferrocarril a la Frontera, which measures

just over 16 kiloms. between Cucuta and Tachira, appears to have

been very expensive. In a document published in 1899 the company's

representative gave the cost as being 41,600 dol. (8,320?.) per kilom.,

figures which can hardly have been exceeded in the case of any line

in the country. The line crosses the River Pamplonita, a stream

liable to sudden and violent floods, by an iron bridge of British

manufacture, 190 netres long, which cost the company 179,000

dol. This is the only important structure on the line, but the

existence of 3 per cent. gradients and 80-metre curves shows that the

engineers who laid it out did not have an altogether simple task.

The details as to rails, gauge, &c, are similar to those given for the

Puerto Villamizar line. The line is now valued by the company at

682,528 dol. 47 c.

The company also own a tramway in Cucuta, the value of which

they estimate at 81,875 dol. 98 c.

Rolling-stock.—-The following is a list of the rolling-stock possessed

by the company on both lines. It is almost entirely of American

origin;—

Locomotives

Of which—

32 tons

14 ,.

28 „

23 „

16 „

7 „

First class passenger carriages

Mixed passenger carriages

Second class passenger carriages

Trucks, wagons, &c. ...

Number.

15

Remarks.

j } Briti

British

All from a Pittsburg

firm

Of the locomotives 4 are in good, 5 in fair and 4 in bad condition,

the remaining 2 being entirely worn out. Seven of them have seen

between 14 and 23 years' service. Of the carriages and wagons,

about half seem to be in good or fair condition, but it will probably

be necessary to renew a good many of them as soon as the finances

ef the company allow.

Traffic and exploitation.—The tables of traffic returns (Appendix 10)

have been taken from the annual reports presented to the share-

holders by the Chairman of the company. Though fragmentary

they show quite clearly the vicissitudes of fortune through which

the enterprise has passed and need no special comment.

The figures in the above-mentioned reports dealing with the results

of the exploitation of the line appear to be given partly in silver and

partly in gold. The result is so confused that it has not been found

possible to give a table of statistics which would be of any value as a

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COLOMBIA.

45

guide, but the last published balance sheet is given in translation in

Appendix 10.

Finance.—The Cucuta Railway Company was formed in 1887

under Colombian laws, the capital being put at 1,800,000 dol. (gold),

in 18,000 shares of 100 dol. each. One-third of the shares was given

to the municipality of Ciicuta in consideration of the latter giving up

certain tolls which were formerly collected on the cart road. Three

thousand shares, more or less, are held in the United Kingdom, and

the rest are in Colombian hands. This share capital is almost entirely

nominal, the necessary funds (120,000?.) having been raised by a loan

in London. The debentures, which carry interest at 6 per cent. and

were issued at 95, are also, for the most part, held in the United

Kingdom.

The original arrangement provided for the payment of a sum of

10,600?. per annum, from which, after interest had been paid on the

debentures, the latter were to be gradually extinguished, but in 1903,

this annual payment having proved too heavy a burden on the damaged

finances of the company, it was reduced by agreement to 5,000?. per

annum. Since the closing of the Zulia, however, the company have

been unable to pay even the interest on the debentures and at the

beginning of 1908 there were still outstanding bonds to the amount

of 57,300?., which were quoted in London at 95.

The following dividends have been paid on the shares in recent

years :—■

Per Cent.

1896

15-5

1898

7

1899

6

1900-02

Nil

1903

3

1904

3

1905

4

1900

4

1907-08

Nil

1909

3

The shares are not quoted and must have been practically unsale-

able up to the re-opening of the river.

Concluding remarks.—The strange career of the Cucuta Railway

has caused it to attract an amount of attention, both in Colombia and

abroad, entirely out of proportion to the intrinsic importance of a short,

isolated line. The re-opening of its outlet, which is the one dominant

feature of the present situation, has again brought the question of

the line's future prospects to the front, and it will be interesting to

observe whether the people of Cucuta still retain their old energy and

enterprise, and how far they will be able to restore the town to its

former position of one of the most flourishing and progressive com-

munities in Colombia. The future of the railway is, of course, entirely

bound up with that of the town, of which it is the sole commercial

artery, and it may therefore be assumed that no pains will be spared

in endeavouring to discount the possibility that the town's progress

may again be arrested by artificial causes. Whether any solution to

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46

COLOMBIA.

this problem will be found it is impossible to foretell; the only obvious

one seems to consist in opening up communications with the rest of

Colombia, a task which does not appear easy, though it has been

actively advocated during the last two years of paralisation. This,

however, is a question for the future; the immediate task before the

railway company is to concentrate their energies on the reorganisation

of the train service, and on exploiting to the full the import and export

trade which proved so profitable in the golden days of the line's pros-

perity.

XV.— Miscellaneous Railway Projects.

(The following notes comprise most of the present and past rail-

way projects for which concessions have been granted, but which

have either never been carried out or are still only in a preliminary

stage.)

A. The Amagd Railway.—This is a proposed line from Medellin

to Caldas (12 miles) and thence to Amaga (9 miles from Caldas), and

eventually to reach the River Cauca at some point not yet determined.

A contract, by which the Government guaranteed 6 per cent. on

3,333?. per kilom., was entered into as far back as July 27, 1891, but

has now been superseded by the contract between the Government

and Alejandro Angel, dated April 16, 1907. By this agreement a

company is to be formed with a capital of 1,000,000 dol. (gold), in

100 dol. shares, for the construction of the line, the time limit to Caldas

being fixed at two years after the Antioquia Railway (q.v.) has reached

the foot of the Quiebra de Santo Domingo and at two years more for

completion to Amaga. The company receives a 50 years' exclusive

privilege and 25 years more usufruct, during which latter period

the Government may buy on expert valuation. After 99 years the

line reverts to the Government. The technical conditions are;—

3-foot gauge; maximum grade, 3 per cent.; minimum radius of

curves, 100 metres (with 80 metres in exceptional cases).

Many of the shares of the company formed under this concession

have been taken up by residents in the department. The early part

of the present year (1909) was spent in bringing out material and in

preparing plans, which latter were approved by the Government

in September last. Work was begun at the end of June.

B. The Great Northern Central Extension (see Great Northern

Central and Northern Railways).— The importance of opening up the

Department of Santander and of connecting Bogota with the Lower

Magdalena has already been touched on in earlier parts of this report.

A contract let to Henry F. Ross in 1877 came to nothing, as the con-

cessionnaire was unable to form a company. A more serious attempt

to carry out the scheme was made in 1886, when the Franco-Belgian

Company took up this as well as the Cauca Railway concession. The

chief provisions of the contract for the Santander Railway were that

the Government granted a 99 years' privilege to the company and

guaranteed 7 per cent. on 210,000 fr. per kilom. The company sent

out an engineer who wrote a report on the railways of Colombia,

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COLOMBIA.

47

His estimate was 48,370,000 fr. for the section from Bucaramanga

to Chiquinquira but the route which he proposed (down the Rio

Suarez, via San Gil) is undoubtedly a very difficult one, the crossing

of the Sube Canon near Piedacuesta, in particular, being a much

more arduous task than any as yet attempted in Colombia. The

concession to the Franco-Belgian Company came to nothing (see Cauca

Railway) and the scheme was allowed to rest until taken up again by

the present British company.

No definite survey has as yet been made between Bucaramanga

and Bogota, but it is believed that an easier route than that recom-

mended may be found by keeping closer to the crest of the hills and

passing through Santa Rosa, thereby avoiding the deep gorges which

would have to be crossed on the lower level.

C. Rio Negro Railway (Poncet-Lievano route).—In [the early

eighties a French engineer, M. Poncet, discovered what he believed

to be a practicable route from the Magdalena to the sabana, leaving

the river at a point known as Guarumo some 25 miles below Honda

and following the valley of a small river called the Rio Negro. In

1890 a Colombian engineer, Senor Indalecio Lievano, obtained a

contract for a road and railway along this valley and actually con-

structed the former. The railway, which carries a concession of 3,000

dol. (gold) per kilom., has never been begun, and in 1905 President

Reyes declared the contract to have expired. This decision, was

however, subsequently rescinded and Senor Lievano still holds the

concession in connection with which he is now in Europe. There

appears to be some doubt as to the exact date at which it legally

expires.

D. The Urabd Railway.— On February 20, 1905, a contract was

entered into with Henry G. Granger, an American citizen, for a line

from the Gulf of Uraba (Darien) to Medellin, to be called the Colomban

Central Railway, a subsidy of 30,000 dol. per kilom. being granted

by the Government. Only 1 ;kilom. of line was constructed, and

the contract was declared void in 1909.

E. Tundama Railway.—On February 1, 1907, Senor Tomas Ribon

obtained a concession carrying a subsidy of 9,990 dol. per kilom.

for a continuation of the Northern Railway through Tunja and Duitama

to Tundama. This concession has recently been declared void, as no

work has been done on the line.

F. Western Railway.—In 1879 Mr. Charles Brown, an American

citizen, received a concession for a line from Puerto de Bogota, near

Honda, to the sabana, to be called the Western Railway of Colombia.

Mr. Brown constructed 4 kiloms. of line, with 45-lb. steel rails and

placed a locomotive of 25 tons from the United States on it. Financial

difficulties and heavy slides, followed by the death of the concession-

naire, put an end to the enterprise, which at one time promised to be

a formidable rival to the Girardot Railway. The remains of the

locomotive may still be seen by travellers on the mule road between

Honda and Bogota.

G. Cartago to Amaga, Ibigue and Palmira (Mason contract).—

In 1907 Messrs. A. B. and E. H. Mason, the then concessionnaires of

the Cauca line, obtained contracts for the three railways mentioned,

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48

COLOMBIA.

which, however, shared the fate of the main contract (see Cauca

Railway).

H. Rio Hacha Railway.—In 1904 J. M. Goenaga obtained a con-

cession for a line from Rio Hacha, on the Caribbean coast, to the

Magdalena via the Rio Cesar. He received a 50 years' exclusive

privilege and a subvention of 4,000 dol. per kilom. was afterwards

added, but although a company was formed in the United States no

work was done and the contract was declared void in 1909.

I. Ocana Railway—On October 28, 1889, R. Fernandez N.

received a 90 years' privilege for a line from Ocana to the Magdalena.

The line was to be constructed in six years and a subvention of 8,000 dol.

per kilom. was granted, but although an extension of time was given

and the subvention raised to 10,000 dol. per kilom. the project never

had any practical result.

J. Carmen Railway.—In 1891 a contract was made with a Dutch

company for a railway from Carmen to the Magdalena, but proved

abortive.

K. Cucuta to Magdalena line.—A contract made in 1893 with Leal,

Gonzalez and Co. carried a subvention of 15,000 dol. (gold). A more

elaborate contract for a line from Puerto Villamizar to Tamalameque

was made in 1907 with Baron de Slane, representing a French syndicate,

but this also came to nothing.

L. Pasto line.—Another abortive contract was that with Jose

Maria Bucheli, dated August 5, 1905. It carried a 50 years' exclusive

privilege, a guarantee of 5 per cent. on 40,000 dol. (gold) per kilom.

during construction and 7 per cent. on the same sum afterwards.

M. Meta Railway scheme.—By a contract of October 19, 1881,

Simon B. O'Leary undertook a road or railway to the River Meta.

N. Soto Railway.—In 1883 a contract was signed for a railway

from Soto to the Magdalena. Work was begun, but little progress

made.

0. La Pradera Railway.—-In 1893 Julio Bariga undertook a short

line from the iron works of La Pradera to the Sabana. The concession

should have carried 15,000 dol. per kilom.

XVI.

It is desired to thank all those who have kindly assisted in the

preparation of the foregoing report by supplying information or

reading drafts, and especially the following gentlemen :—

For the—•

Barranquilla Railway... Messrs. W. G. Holmes and F. A. Koppel

Cartagena Railway ... Messrs. W. Meagher and G. M. Stainiorth

Santa Marta Messrs. M. F. Carr (British Vice-Consul at

Santa Marta) and Mr. P. Marshal

Sabana Railway ... Senor E. Morales

Northern Railway ... Mr. G. Child

Southern Railway ... Dr. Alejandro Olivares

Girardot Railway ... Senor C. Carrisosa and Mr. A. Gulliver

La Dorada Railway ... Messrs. T. B. Nowell and T. Miller

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COLOMBIA. 4

For the—

Antioquia Railway ... Mr. M. Badian (British Vice-Consul at

Medellin)

Puerto Wilches Railway Mr. F. Toomer

Cauca Railway Mr. E. H. Mason (British Consular Agent at

Buenaventura) and Sefior C. Castro

Cuouta Senor L. Soto

And Mr. W. Lidstone for general notes.

Appendix 1.—Completed Lengths of Railway in Colombia.

Approximate

Length.

Gaug

Kiloms.

Barranquilla Railway

27

3 feet 6 i

Cartagena Railway

105

1 yard

Santa Marta Railway

94

Sabana Railway

40

1 metre

Northern Railway

62

*• j»

Southern Railway

29

J- >»

Girardot Railway

132

1 yard

Espinal Railway

25

■I »»

Dorada Railway

119

A II

Antioquia Railway

102

■l »»

Cauca Railway

94

* 3»

Cficuta Railway

71

1 metre

Total

900

Appendix 2 (A).—Movement of Traffic on the Barranquilla

Railway.

Passengers Carried.

Goods Carried.

Period.

First

Class.

Second

Class.

Third

Class.

Total.

Import.

Export.

Total.

July, 1905, to

Tons.

Tons.

Tons.

June, 1906 ...

27,643

30,774

54,344

112,761

43,578

36,627

80,205

July, 1906, to

June, 1907 ...

23,190

28,447

64,196

115,833

34,224

34,514

68,738

July, 1907, to

June, 1908 ...

25,873

24,585

76,141

126,599

47,659

29,329

76,988

Total

76,706

21-6

83,806

23-6

194,681

54-8

355,193

125,461

100,470

225,931

Percentage

Note.—The third class is divided into :—

Labourers, at 8 doL (paper)

Market women and servants, at 4 dol.

(paper)

Total

Number. Dol. (Paper).

105,012 840,096

89,669

358,676

194,681 1,198,772

(309)

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50

COLOMBIA.

(B).—Exploitation of the Barranquilla Railway.

Period.

Gross

Receipts.

Working

Expenses.

Net

Profits.

Coefficient

of Ex-

penditure.

£

£

£

Per cent.

60-50

67-73

July, 1905, to June, 1906 ...

July, 1906, to June, 1907

44,371

36,853

26,885

24,962

17,486

11,891

Appendix 3 (1).—Goods Traffic on Cartagena Railway.

Tons.

1895 22,815

1896

1897

1898

1899

1900

1901

1902

1903

1904

1905

1906

1907

1908 (first six months)

28,184

24,062

32,696

29,288

Unknown

10,824

9

Unknown

34,670

34,623

36,548

14,585

Note.—The years 1900-03 were years of revolution.

(2).—Results of Exploitation of Cartagena Railway.

Gross

Working

Net

Profit (+)

Coefficient

of

Year.

Profit.

Expenses

Deficit (-).

or

Expenditure.

£

£

£

Per cent.

1895

...

...

—

13,536

...

1896

...

...

—

15,373

...

1897

...

...

—

11,210

...

1898

...

23,221

...

—

5,563

...

1899

21,238

—

1,983

109-34

1900

9,861

13,307

—

3,446

134-94

1901

10,065

12,467

—

2,402

123-86

1902

17,709

13,998

+

3,711

79 05

1903

28,171

23,218

+

4,953

82-42

1904

36,799

38,356

1,557

104-23

(3).—Tariff of Cartagena Railway.

Between Between

Cartagena and Cartagena Town

First class passengers

Second class passengers

Freight—

Import

Export

Personal luggage ...

Each

Per ton j_

Per kilo.

* United States.

Calamar.

Dollars.*

2-50

1-50

4-80 {

0-0072

and Wharf.

Dollars.*

0-05

0-05

1

0-50

0-0025

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COLOMBIA.

Appendix 4.—Exploitation of the Santa Marta Railway.

1906. 1907.

£ £

3,462 6,102

24,697 34,190

5,499 6,171

537 520

541 303

Total 34,736 47,286

Working expenses—

Maintenance, &c ... 14,712

Other expenses ... 23,364

Total 29,928 38,076

Net receipts 4,808 9,210

Per cent. Per cent.

Coefficient of expenditure 86-16 80-52

Export of Bananas from Santa Marta.

Bunches.

1891 74,915

1892 171,891

1893 201,875

1894 298,776

1895 153,834

1896 335,834

1897 472,454

1898 420,966

1899 485,385

1900 269,077

1901 253,193

1902 314,006

1903 475,448

1904 787,244

1905 863,750

1906 1,397,388

1907 1,935,150

1908 2,241,580

Receipts—

Passengers ...

Bananas

Merchandise...

Wharf

Sundries

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54

COLOMBIA.

Appendix 6.—Number of Bales Carried on the Northern Line.

Provisions.

Merchandise.

Materials for

Construction.

1905 (May to December)

Bales.

104,885

210,727

288,292

Bale3.

55,429

82,304

82,034

Bales.

19,944

35,268

51,253

1906

1907

Total (for 32 months)

603,904

219,767

106,465

Exploitation of the Northern Line.

Net Receipts.

Coefficient

Period.

Gross

Working

of Ex-

Receipts.

Expenses.

Monthly

penditure.

Total.

Average.

May, 1905, to June

£

£

£

£

Per cent.

30, 1906

29,948

12,966

16,983

1,213

43-29

1907 (January to

December)

35,373

13,919

21,454

1,788

39-35

1908 (January to

October 31)

32,590

15,072

17,518

1,751

46-28

Appendix 7.—Traffic on the Southern Railway.

September 1, 1907, to

August 31, 1908.

September 1, 1908, to

August 31, 1909.

Number.

Receipts.

Number.

Receipts.

Passengers—

Dol. c*

Dol. c*

First class

27,208

60,223

7,759 43

15,558 75

27,206

53,899

7,810 80

14,795 66

Second class

Total

87,431

2,633

25,158t

23,318 18

922 69

81,105

2,493

24,027t

22,606 46

861 85

Animals...

Goods

30,585 89

798 15

29,919 30

820 11

Various ...

Grand total

...

55,624 91

...

54,207 - 72

* Gold.

t Tons.

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COLOMBIA.

55

Appendix 8.—Tariff on the Colombian National Railway (Kilometric

Rates).

Between San Joachin and—

Girardot. Facatativa.

Passengers— Dol. (Gold). Dol. (Gold).

First class (with 50 kilos, luggage) Each 0-0175 0-0263

Second class (with 30 kilos, luggage) „ 0-0150 0-0225

Third class (with 20 kilos, luggage) „ 0-0100 0-0150

Goods—

First class Per ton 0-1875 0-2812

Second class „ 0 ■ 1000 0 - 1500

Third class „ 0-0625 0-0937

Note.—Imported goods in general come under the second class. The distances

are: Girardot to San Joachin, 58 kiloms.; San Joachin to Facatativa, 74 kiloms.

Appendix 9.—Traffic on the Puerto Berrio Railway.

Period—

July to December, 1903 ...

January to December, 1904

January to December, 1905

January to December, 1906

January to December, 1907

January to June, 1908

Total for five years

Passengers.

Goods.

Tons.

7,349

9,217,387

14,610

20,279,239

13,942

12,175,359

18,510

14,901,784

21,275

15,597,257

11,786

8,799,161

87,472

80,970,187

Results of Exploitation of Puerto Berrio Railway.

Working.

Expenses.*

Net

Proceeds.

Coefficient.

Period.

Receipts.

of Ex-

penditure.

Dollars.

Dollars.

Dollars.

Per cent.

71-10

71-27

67-67

71-66

63-24

56-10

July to December, 1903

January to December, 1904...

January to December, 1905...

January to December, 1906...

January to December, 1907...

January to June, 1908

8,279,608

19,296,679

12,045,674

17,855,383

21,859,567

12,215,717

5,886,589

13,753,432

2,393,019

5,543,247

8,151,201

12,794,563

13,814,480

3,894,473

6,060,820

8,045,087

6,853,118

5,362,599

Total for five years

91,552,628

61,253,383

30,299,245

* Not including cost of materials imported from abroad.

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COLOMBIA.

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COLOMBIA.

Balance Sheet for 1907 (Ferrocarril de Ciicuta).

Receipts.

Dol.

c.

Balance on January 1

26,491

86

Receipts from goods ...

51,772

30

Tramway

5,294

60

From Ferrocarril a. la Frontera

17,869

30

Passenger traffic

10,693

60

From telegraph and telephone

209

30

Miscellaneous

1,345

20

Shops

667

5

Stock in hand

246

0

Premiums on drafts ...

1,400

0

Accounts payable

10,096

20

Total

126,085

41

Expenditure.

Dol.

c.

Working expenses on goods

58,770

48

Shops

22,073

55

Tramway

3,811

75

Expenses on Ferrocarril a la Frontera

11,198

5

On stock in hand

11,829

55

Fuel

4,761

35

General expenses

10,670

73

Miscellaneous

20

0

Various debts

95

30

Launches

18

0

Telegraph and telephone

1,253

80

Dividends

86

0

Balance in hand

1,496

85

Total

126,085

41

(309)

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