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296 a rugged country to the town of Tehuantepec (523 miles), which is only ten miles from La Ventosa, on the coast. The Pacific Mail steamers stop at the adjoining port of Salina Cruz. This place has a good harbor, and will become the terminus of the projected railway across the isthmus. The Mexican Southern Railroad will make connection with the Tehuantepec Railroad at the station of that name. The former road will be extended eastward from the town of Tehuantepec (population, 12,000) to Tonalá on the coast, (See Section IX.)

Tonalá lies in the State of Chiapas, and the steamers of the Pacific Mail Steamship Company call at this port once a month, the distances to San Francisco and Panama being 2,204 miles and 1,223 miles, respectively.

Leaving Tonalá, the main line bifurcates. One branch runs northeasterly to San Cristobal, and the other extends to Tapachula, and thence will probably be continued to the city of Guatemala.

The region traversed by the southern division of the main line of this railway lies mostly in the States of Vera Cruz, Oaxaca and Chiapas. It is very rich in mineral deposits and in agricultural products. The climate is salubrious, and the vegetation is luxuriant along the greater part of the route. The State of Oaxaca contains valuable mines of gold, silver, iron, copper, and mercury. The cereals, brown beans, and tobacco, are grown in abundance. This State is also noted for yielding a large supply of cochineal. Petroleum is found near Puerto Angel. The States of Vera Cruz and Chiapas are rich in coffee, sugar-cane, cocoa, tobacco, indigo, vanilla, and India-rubber. We may add that the former State ranks foremost in Mexico in the production of coffee and tobacco, and second in that of sugar.