Pronounced improvements in the political, economic and social life of the Republic of Venezuela have been effected within the last few years by the construction, upon a broad and comprehensive scale, of a system of national highways totalling, in extent of completed roads, 2,900 kilometers (approximately 1,800 miles). These have been specifically designed to bear the burden of motor transportation both of passengers and freight, as well as of all classes of vehicular and equestrian traffic. Built primarily with a military objective, these roads already have come to serve the routine needs of peace, while being at all times available for the exigencies of war. They provide a means for the quick mobilization of the Venezuelan army of 50,000 men at any of the principal strategic points of the country. Infantry, cavalry or artillery may with equal facility and despatch pass over any of these roads to a given rendezvous. The broad,smooth highways compass distances, grades and defiles that hitherto presented almost impassable barriers to the quick and flexible movement of military forces.
If heretofore the army suffered from a lack of adequate transportation facilities, the commerce of Venezuela too was woefully handicapped. One of the greatest and most coveted of Venezuela's assets is her magnificent coastline of hundreds of miles on the Caribbean Sea. To realize the serious difficulties under which her rich interior labored in seeking an egress to foreign markets, it need only be noted that until the completion, during the last decade, of the highway system with its three separate routes from three chief ports of the republic to the capital and interior centers of industry, the country had the use of only two railway lines. These lines were well constructed, it is true, but offered an indifferent service at a prohibitive tariff with amazingly excessive wharf and terminal charges. The only available alternative to these consisted of old Spanish trails up and down the mountain sides where the necessity of walking in single file hazarded the necks of man and beast.
With respect to the technique of construction and maintenance of the highways of the new system, local considerations and the requirements of the major volume of traffic normally moving into or out of a given section have been carefully taken into account. On the level stretches of the extensive llanos in the interior, advantage has been taken of natural dirt bases for roads that have come to sustain the burden of the enormous production of cattle, grain, corn, coffee, cotton and sugar sent forth from those fertile plains. On the precipitous mountain slopes of the massive watershed that divides the highland llanos from the sea, macadam has been the principal material used; this has been true also in other mountain districts of the Republic. In general, American and English principles of roadbed construction have been employed and great numbers of steel bridges and not a few suspension bridges have been designed, imported and set up by leading American bridge-building corporations.
The improved route from Caracas to Guatire has made the latter accessible at all times to the capital. The route from Caracas to Barquisimeto supplies a direct road from the capital to the center of the Venezuelan Andes, while the one fromMaracay to Ocumare de la Costa leads directly to the sea at the point of juncture of the two greatest highways, opening the way to the agricultural and cattle raising industries of the central region of the Republic.
The Great Eastern Highway leads from Caracas through the states of Miranda, Auzoategui and Bolívar to the mineral region of interior Guayana. The Great Western Highway connects the center of the Republic with the remotest western regions, leading from Caracas to Valencia, San Carlos, Guanare, San Antonio de Caparo and San Cristobal. It crosses the most densely populated part of Venezuela and promises to be, in the near future, the principal artery of communication. Telegraphic connection is constantly maintained between the road engineers and the minister of public works. The highway from Turmero to Calabozo is likely to become the bond of union between the great eastern and western highways. It has maintained traffic for the first time in the llanos during the rainy season, thus furnishing a constant outlet for the wonderful productivity of this region. Steam rollers and other standard mechanical apparatus have been employed in the construction work, while recently the authorities have commenced to use the superficial petrolization process for laying the dust and counteracting the impairment of the roadbed by the rapidly increasing automobile traffic.
The equipment of the highways has brought to the fore another characteristic and interesting Venezuelan institution—the road workmen—who fulfill a dual function in the task they assume when a road or section is completed: that of attending to, or assisting in, its upkeep or repair, guarding against violation of the regulations laid down for its use by the public, and otherwise policing a stretch that is three kilometers upon macadam roads and two kilometers upon natural dirt roads. The "peones camineros" represent but another and latter-day application to public service of the marvelously faithful, intelligent and efficient common labor of the country.
The mileage mentioned above is practically for motor vehicles and is constantly used by the 2,000 passenger cars in active service. Had the new road system been inspired and carried into execution by American builders for the advancement of their own people's interests, they could scarcely have servedmore thoroughly the purpose of American commerce. From the outset, these roads have operated to strengthen this country's position as a producer and exporter of automobiles. Thus a vital public improvement, undertaken by the Venezuelan Government, operated primarily to establish an altogether new market for one of the chief industrial products of the United States. Yet despite the fact that the capital of Venezuela, Caracas, has a population of 100,000 and boasts of having 1,000 automobiles or one car for every hundred citizens, relatively few motor-trucks are to be seen there or, in fact, elsewhere in Venezuela.
Nevertheless, it requires neither seer nor prophet to foresee practically unlimited opportunities throughout the land of Bolívar for every kind and class of American manufactures, from agricultural, mining and factory machinery to the smallest articles of merchandise; and this as the direct result of the building and extension of the Venezuelan highway system. For transporting these manufactures from ship's side to interior communities—some of them Spanish colonial settlements that have flourished for almost four hundred years but which until now have not known American importations—there is only one logical and available instrument,—the American motor-truck.
The standard gauge of the United States and Canada, 1.435 meters between rails, was adopted by the National Congress of 1912, an act necessary for any great capacity of railroad transportation as well as the assurance of an immediate and adequate supply of materials.
Laws were promulgated June 12, 1917, and June 4, 1918, for the concession, construction and operation of railroads by domestic and foreign companies or individuals, containing the following provisions:
1. That all enterprises be approved by the National Congress; that all controversies be settled in Venezuelan courts; that one-half of the employees be from Venezuela, and that no interest be guaranteed by the government on capital invested.2. That complete plans of any railroad project be submitted to the minister of public works prior to beginningoperations, and that deposits of money be placed in the national treasury as a guarantee of integrity.3. That regulations and standard measurements be carefully observed; also provisions for roadbeds, crossings, etc.4. That the right be reserved to the National Government to take over railroads after forty years of service, if desired.5. That rival lines in close proximity to those already constructed be prohibited, and that branches or prolongations of existing lines be permitted in accordance with regulations.6. That rates fixed by owners be approved by the public ministry; that mails be carried free, and that reductions be allowed to government employees; and materials destined for the improvement of public works shall be transported at reduced rates.7.Privileges: that no oppressive taxes be levied on railroads; that a fair proportion of unclaimed lands be conceded to railways; that free transportation be allowed railway construction material; that railways be permitted to erect telegraph and telephone lines provided the government be granted gratuitous use of them; and that the employees be free from military service, except in case of international war.
1. That all enterprises be approved by the National Congress; that all controversies be settled in Venezuelan courts; that one-half of the employees be from Venezuela, and that no interest be guaranteed by the government on capital invested.
2. That complete plans of any railroad project be submitted to the minister of public works prior to beginningoperations, and that deposits of money be placed in the national treasury as a guarantee of integrity.
3. That regulations and standard measurements be carefully observed; also provisions for roadbeds, crossings, etc.
4. That the right be reserved to the National Government to take over railroads after forty years of service, if desired.
5. That rival lines in close proximity to those already constructed be prohibited, and that branches or prolongations of existing lines be permitted in accordance with regulations.
6. That rates fixed by owners be approved by the public ministry; that mails be carried free, and that reductions be allowed to government employees; and materials destined for the improvement of public works shall be transported at reduced rates.
7.Privileges: that no oppressive taxes be levied on railroads; that a fair proportion of unclaimed lands be conceded to railways; that free transportation be allowed railway construction material; that railways be permitted to erect telegraph and telephone lines provided the government be granted gratuitous use of them; and that the employees be free from military service, except in case of international war.
There are twelve railroad systems in Venezuela at the present time with a combined length of 600 miles and 40 millions of dollars invested capital.
1.The Bolívar Railroad Companyowned and financed by the English with a working capital of $5,914,075 was the first railroad of Venezuela. The road is 88½ kilometers long, the gauge 0.61 meters. It has 165 bridges and 20 stations; the route is from Tucacas to Aroa. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 24,408, and during the same period freight amounted to 38,820 tons.2.The La Guaira-Caracas Railroadis over 23 miles in length and carries the greatest part of the products of the country; it serves more than half of the central part of the republic. This railroad is the most important railroad in Venezuela, because it has direct connection with the Valencia and Puerto Cabello Railroad and the railroad going to Ocumare de la Costa. The length is 35.5 kilometers, the gauge 0.915 meters. There are 10 bridges, 8 tunnels and 9 stations and the route is from La Guaira to Caracas. It is owned by the English with a capital of $4,175,000. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 73,305 and freight amounted to 76,335 tons.3.The Valencia-Puerto Cabello Railroad Companyis the second most important railway in Venezuela and performs the same service as the La Guaira to Caracas Railroad. It is owned and financed by the Englishwith a working capital of $4,141,000. It has a length of 54 kilometers, the gauge is 1.07 meters and there are 23 bridges, 1 tunnel and 6 stations along the route from Valencia to Puerto Cabello. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 53,990 and freight amounted to 55,121 tons.4.The Grand Railroad of Venezuelais owned and financed by Germans with a working capital of $15,000,000. The length is 179 kilometers, the gauge 1.07 meters, there are 212 bridges, 86 tunnels and 25 stations. The route is from Caracas to Valencia. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 211,442 and freight amounted to 76,335 tons. The rolling stock of this road consists of 18 locomotives, with a combined weight of 720 tons, 30 passenger coaches, 68 flat cars, 60 box cars and 19 stock cars. The passenger tariff equals 6¼ cents per mile for second class and 7.78 cents for first class. Freight rates are equivalent to 15.65 cents per ton mile. The freight traffic is small and nearly half the revenue is from passengers carried. The management attempted some development work in tree planting, the introduction of new crops, and the improvement of stock, but the grasshopper plague affected the results.5.The Guanta-Barcelona Railroadis owned and financed by a Venezuelan company with a working capital of $300,000. This road is 18.5 kilometers long, the gauge 1.07 meters; there are 4 bridges and 6 stations. The route is from Guanta to Barcelona. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 13,553 and freight amounted to 28,863 tons.6.The Railroad of Carenerois owned and financed by the French with a working capital of $1,576,800. It is 33 kilometers long, the gauge 0.915 meters; there are 57 bridges and 5 stations; the route is from Carenero to San José. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 20,037 and freight amounted to 6,923 tons.7.The Maiquetia-Macuto Railroadis owned and financed by the English with a working capital of $100,000. The length is 7 kilometers, the gauge 0.915 meters; there are 8 bridges and 4 stations. The route is from Maiquetia to Macuto. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 430,668 and freight amounted to 2,563 tons.8.The Central Railroad of Venezuelais owned and financed by the English with a working capital of $3,484,500. The length is 60 kilometers, the gauge 1.07 meters; there are 23 bridges, 14 tunnels and 7 stations; the route is from Caracas to the station Tereza. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 326,945 and freight amounted to 22,971 tons.9.The La Ceiba Railroadis owned and financed by a Venezuelan Company with a working capital of $1,600,000. The length is 81.5 kilometers, the gauge 0.915 meters; there are 43 bridges and 5 stations; the route is from La Ceiba to Roncayolo. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 9,649 and freight amounted to 21,706 tons.10.The La Vela-Coro Railroadis owned and financed by the Venezuelan Government with a capital of $208,000. The length is 13.5 kilometers, the gauge 0.915 meters; there are 8 bridges and 3 stations; the route is from La Vela to Coro. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 6,681 and freight amounted to 10,828 tons.11.The Grand Railroad of the Táchirais owned and financed by aVenezuelan Company with a capital of $1,500,000. The length is 115 kilometers, the gauge 1.07 meters; there are 3 bridges and 13 stations; the route is from Uraca to Táchira. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 19,070 and freight amounted to 19,562 tons.12.The Santa Barbara-El Vigia Railroadis owned and financed by the Venezuelan Government with a working capital of $600,000. The length is 60 kilometers, the gauge 1.07; there are 37 bridges and 3 stations; the route is from Sta. Barbara to El Vigia. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 11,940 and freight amounted to 17,821 tons.
1.The Bolívar Railroad Companyowned and financed by the English with a working capital of $5,914,075 was the first railroad of Venezuela. The road is 88½ kilometers long, the gauge 0.61 meters. It has 165 bridges and 20 stations; the route is from Tucacas to Aroa. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 24,408, and during the same period freight amounted to 38,820 tons.
2.The La Guaira-Caracas Railroadis over 23 miles in length and carries the greatest part of the products of the country; it serves more than half of the central part of the republic. This railroad is the most important railroad in Venezuela, because it has direct connection with the Valencia and Puerto Cabello Railroad and the railroad going to Ocumare de la Costa. The length is 35.5 kilometers, the gauge 0.915 meters. There are 10 bridges, 8 tunnels and 9 stations and the route is from La Guaira to Caracas. It is owned by the English with a capital of $4,175,000. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 73,305 and freight amounted to 76,335 tons.
3.The Valencia-Puerto Cabello Railroad Companyis the second most important railway in Venezuela and performs the same service as the La Guaira to Caracas Railroad. It is owned and financed by the Englishwith a working capital of $4,141,000. It has a length of 54 kilometers, the gauge is 1.07 meters and there are 23 bridges, 1 tunnel and 6 stations along the route from Valencia to Puerto Cabello. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 53,990 and freight amounted to 55,121 tons.
4.The Grand Railroad of Venezuelais owned and financed by Germans with a working capital of $15,000,000. The length is 179 kilometers, the gauge 1.07 meters, there are 212 bridges, 86 tunnels and 25 stations. The route is from Caracas to Valencia. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 211,442 and freight amounted to 76,335 tons. The rolling stock of this road consists of 18 locomotives, with a combined weight of 720 tons, 30 passenger coaches, 68 flat cars, 60 box cars and 19 stock cars. The passenger tariff equals 6¼ cents per mile for second class and 7.78 cents for first class. Freight rates are equivalent to 15.65 cents per ton mile. The freight traffic is small and nearly half the revenue is from passengers carried. The management attempted some development work in tree planting, the introduction of new crops, and the improvement of stock, but the grasshopper plague affected the results.
5.The Guanta-Barcelona Railroadis owned and financed by a Venezuelan company with a working capital of $300,000. This road is 18.5 kilometers long, the gauge 1.07 meters; there are 4 bridges and 6 stations. The route is from Guanta to Barcelona. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 13,553 and freight amounted to 28,863 tons.
6.The Railroad of Carenerois owned and financed by the French with a working capital of $1,576,800. It is 33 kilometers long, the gauge 0.915 meters; there are 57 bridges and 5 stations; the route is from Carenero to San José. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 20,037 and freight amounted to 6,923 tons.
7.The Maiquetia-Macuto Railroadis owned and financed by the English with a working capital of $100,000. The length is 7 kilometers, the gauge 0.915 meters; there are 8 bridges and 4 stations. The route is from Maiquetia to Macuto. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 430,668 and freight amounted to 2,563 tons.
8.The Central Railroad of Venezuelais owned and financed by the English with a working capital of $3,484,500. The length is 60 kilometers, the gauge 1.07 meters; there are 23 bridges, 14 tunnels and 7 stations; the route is from Caracas to the station Tereza. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 326,945 and freight amounted to 22,971 tons.
9.The La Ceiba Railroadis owned and financed by a Venezuelan Company with a working capital of $1,600,000. The length is 81.5 kilometers, the gauge 0.915 meters; there are 43 bridges and 5 stations; the route is from La Ceiba to Roncayolo. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 9,649 and freight amounted to 21,706 tons.
10.The La Vela-Coro Railroadis owned and financed by the Venezuelan Government with a capital of $208,000. The length is 13.5 kilometers, the gauge 0.915 meters; there are 8 bridges and 3 stations; the route is from La Vela to Coro. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 6,681 and freight amounted to 10,828 tons.
11.The Grand Railroad of the Táchirais owned and financed by aVenezuelan Company with a capital of $1,500,000. The length is 115 kilometers, the gauge 1.07 meters; there are 3 bridges and 13 stations; the route is from Uraca to Táchira. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 19,070 and freight amounted to 19,562 tons.
12.The Santa Barbara-El Vigia Railroadis owned and financed by the Venezuelan Government with a working capital of $600,000. The length is 60 kilometers, the gauge 1.07; there are 37 bridges and 3 stations; the route is from Sta. Barbara to El Vigia. The number of passengers carried in 1919 was 11,940 and freight amounted to 17,821 tons.
On several of the main roads traffic is lighter now than twenty-five years ago, and notwithstanding the fact that rail transportation costs no more than that by pack mule, scarcely any of the railway enterprises have earned a fair return upon the capital invested, though certainly transportation has been quickened and rates have been steadied, if not cheapened. The principal reasons for this lack of earning power lie in the sparseness of the population, and its distribution along a long narrow strip of territory skirting the seaboard, a condition which leads to the building of unconnected lines with short hauls. Contributory reasons are the moderate producing and consuming power of the people, and the general refusal of the lines to grant low rates for the transportation of commodities of small value.
The waterways of Venezuela, numerous and general as they appear on the map, are singularly disappointing on closer investigation. The great Orinoco is a fine natural highway, it is true, as far as Pericos, some 600 miles from the mouth, but here the river is broken by the rapids of Atures, and beyond by those of Maipures, hence it is impossible for large boats to pass through to the upper river. The Apure, Arauca, and Meta are, of course, useful means of communication with the Colombian border regions and the southwestern llanos, but the numerous tributaries on the north side are generally too variable in depth for permanent traffic, and those on the south, as we have seen, are broken up by rapids for practically their whole length.
On the other hand, if we take the positive value of the river highways, rather than their actual extent, we shall see that they are of considerable importance; the rivers of Guayana and of the eastern llanos may be of little use for large boats, but the Orinoco forms a great, central artery, from which roads, and perhaps eventually railways, can diverge to the limits of the basin. Some of the llano tributaries, too, are navigable forsteamers, and thus the State of Apure is now kept in communication with the outside world. Then, too, there is the great advantage accruing to the State of Zulia from its central lake, with its many tributary navigable rivers, along which large boats can travel throughout the greater part of the State and on to the boundaries of those of the Andes, as well as into the neighboring republic of Colombia. Along most of these natural and easily utilized lines of communication there are already services of steamers, nothing very advanced, it is true, but still a beginning.
The most important of the accessible regions of the country are the great plains stretching from east to west of the Orinoco and Apure rivers, well suited to cattle raising, the rich alluvial region east of Lake Maracaibo and the rich agricultural region around Lake Valencia.
Although these vast plains are open ranges covered with natural grasses for cattle feeding, conditions, in general, are not those prevailing in the Argentine Republic. The climate is much more tropical; tropical diseases are prevalent, and the river valleys are subject to overflow in times of high water. The higher lands farther north along the foot hills of the coast range generally lack sufficient water during the dry season of the year, which is December to June. Much could be done to remedy this by the introduction of water through modern irrigational devices.
The future of Venezuela depends primarily on her own people, upon whom devolves the duty of developing in a conscientious and painstaking manner the many resources of their country. It is certain that in the task which lies before them they will need and obtain assistance of foreign capital and advice, and in this, if American enterprise is alive to a great opportunity, we as a nation should bear no small part.
Edward Fanning.