The Arkansas banner., 1849-06-12
The Surveying Party on the Isthmus. We take the following interesting letter from the

We take the following interesting letter from the N. Y. Tribune of the 23d uit.:
 PANAMA, April 30, 1sI9 As information in regard 10 the progress made by the surveying party sent out Tn January last by Messrs Aspnwall O., 10 select the best route for a railroad the lsthmus must be interesting 10 large number of your readers, am happy in being able to give you correct information from authentic sources.
 The srdaous duties of a thorough examinatlSs of the Isthmus could not have been conhiPd to rlore energetic skilfui ard scientific than the gentle men selected as engineers, viz: Col. George ". Hughes, of the U. s. typographical corps. is the chief engineer; Wm. Norris, Esq, oi Philadelphia. justly celebrated in Europe a civil engineer, is ihe chief of the Chagres dvsion; William H. Sideli, Esq. of New York, Is the chief of the Panama division.
 rh~se gentlemen are assisted by a corps of engi- neers, remarkable not only iof their skill and iRtel. gence but theif psrseveing industry and close at. tenion to their duties. The corps has been divided into four paTes--twO for the Chagres division and two for the Panama divisioa-each party running distinct ines By thi< ganizaiion every advantage has been taken of the dry season, and although it late when the party arrived out. yet the results show two seperate and distinct lines from the Allan tic to the Pacific nearly Gnished little more than two months
 One of the lines of the Chagres division having bceR completed, inc parties engaged on the same were sent, few days since, to seek third line on the Panama division. This is expedition. indeed, taking into consideration the broken and rugged character of the country, with it's undergrnwth of vigorous vegetation, its impenetTable thickrts Of inieimIngled vines and canes, and its denseiy crowded forest trees.
 The survey for a Tailrosd lite tn this country ore sents much greater diflic ses than can be met with in the United States The wild state of the land where human iodt has never irod the impossibility of moving step without the help of two or three men with hsichets to cut ysoiT way, The broken, uneven surface, the deep gues and perpendicular ascens, Fave proved serious obstacles, and have we'll tried the courage of the engineers
 The two lines across the summit make the greatest elevation some forty feet less than previous exam iHatIons. The highest grade over the summit on one line, will not exceed forty seven feet per mile win short tunnel; while the other line disnenses with he tunEe hui increases the grade to sixty six feet per mile The lines to the Atlantic present greater facilities, the hghest g ade being only fifteen feet to the mile, and no curve less than 2O00 feet Ta,.fus
 The total distance from Panama 10 the terminus m the Atlantic is forty six miles; and an old New York contractor told me he thought single track road could be built for less than $26 aO0 per mile complete. There will be required only one impor- tau' bridge; all the rest will be small The best and most desirable wood can be obtained the line for the supefsructnre. The terminus on the Atlantic w'ii be at Lemon Bay, and am informed from the best sources thai it IS of the finest haI boJs in ;he world
 The surveys will be finished in four or five weeks and ~ she same energy IS exercised by the conrrac- tors Tor building the road you may expect to see Il completed in eighteen nnnths--when hope to be on my way home and enjoying steam ride acros. the isthnas.
 IEeTe aIe now here nineteen vessels, large ana tmsss, all bound ics California. They will take of every emigrant now the lsthmus.