The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-01-18
Railroad Across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
IErom the N Y Tnbuue.l

We have before alluded to the highly important
work which has been projected for the purpose Of
forming connection between the Atlantic and Ia
cific coasts at the lsthmus of Tehuantepec. The
original grantee of the right from the Mexican Gov
eminent, Don Jose de Garay, has arrived in this
city, for the purpose of consultation with the friends
of this great project and for the purpose OF pushing
it to completion with energy. 1t has been deter
mined to present its claims strongly to Congress,
and highly influential and wealthy party is now
in Washington with the full details and statistics
of the pan for the purpose of presenting its advan-
tages in comparison with other plans, before any
action is taken for extending the patronage of the
General Government to mail route between the
two sides of the Continent. 1t is matter of large
importance to this country that the most feasible,
expeditions and least costly plan should be adopted
for placing the United States in connection with
the North west coast of America, and there should
be no hastv or premature legislation by Congress In
regard to the matter. All the plans for that pur-
pose should be fully examined by a competent COM
mittee, and full time given to projectors to explain
the advantages of their various routes. Don Garay
has now a large number of wOrkmen engaged in
the preparation of carriage road across the 18TH
mus for the purpose of conveying materials, etc.,
for the proposed work. The original proposition
was for ship canal, but the present views of the
holders of the grant are that railroad would be
more judcious. Such road, it is estimated, could
be built for three millions Of dollars while canal
would cost twelve millions 1t has been urged
against this project by the friends of other routes
that this grant is in the hands of British capitalists
This, as we have before stated, is untrue. The
grant is in the hands of Americans, who are repre-.
scented here by one of our wealthiest commercial
houses
On the Atlantic side of the Continent the port, as
before said is Coatzacoalcos in the Gulf of Mexico
lat 1870 8, 3w north, lon $40 17'west Of Greenwich,
about 600 miles from New Orleans. The depth OF
water on the bar is not under 20 feet, and the ver
affords large and safe harbor its depth for con-
siderable distance being 80 to 40 feet. In compa.
ring recent soundngs with those taken by order OF
fernando Cortes, it will be seen that the depth OF
water on the bar has not varied and that any work
to increase its depth, if required, will be permanent
In the year 1774 this port was pointed out by the
engineer, Cramer, to the Spanish Government, as
the ttest place in all the Gulf Of Mexico for the es-
adjustment of an arsenal, it possessing album
dance of shiptimber the banks of the river itself,
with convenient and safe harbor." In former
times it would appear that the pinus ab'cs used
at the dock-yard Of Havana, in the construction OF
masts for ships, imported by the Spanish Gov
eminent from the banks of the Coatzacoalcos,
where, says Don Tadeo de Ortiz, those trees are
from 6 to II feet in diameter, and OF prodigious
height"
The concession TO the protector, Don Jose DeGa-
ray, embracing ten leagues in depth on each side
Of the Coatzacoalcos, and S. miles in length, em-
braces. the Immense forests Of ship.tmber on that