The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-02-25
OFFICIAL.

PANAMA, New GRENADA. January 10, $40
SIR have the honor to report, for the information Of
crossing the sthmus of Darien from Chagres Panama.
very great except for very Jew persons and small
quantity OF baggage or freight
The number OF canoes to be had al Chagres, all told,
great and small, than forty The number of
animals to be had Cruces and Gorgona behg inferior
mustang horses not mules) is not more than two hun
dred this includes all that can be furnished from this
place. The result has been, that more than one
half of our public stores ami baggage has been brought
from Cruces and Gorgona to this place By men, at ten
dollars the hundred pounds. Mules ponie now
paid for at the rate of twenty dollars each.
No arrangements have been made by the agents OF any
line, either the Atlantic Pacific, 10 facilitate IN the
slightest degree the transmission OF either passengers or
freight government property across the lsihmus
We, the agents OF the government, are much indebted
10 Messrs ZachTisson, Nelson Co.. our consuls, for
their kind assistance.
The banks of the river Chagres exceedingly
healthy like the low coasts of Africa.
The road from Cruces to Panama crosses, besides the
dividing ridge between the two oceans dlagonaliy, a
number OF ,purs juulng out therefrom on each side
These spurs OF rock, and very preciptous.
The road, you pass up between two OF these spurs,
presents the appearance of the bottom of ravne filled
with large loose stones and the debris of the adjacent
hills and where j, the spur, that OF succession
OF stairs up and down, with hole in each step about
three inches Deep by the feet OF the animals passing
oves into which your mule or horse inserts his foot and
you cannot make him place II anywhere else
The road from Corona lsx miles nearer Ehagres than
Cruces) TO Panama runs al the base of these spurs,
crossing the ridge comparatively low point; but II
miass able in the wet season on account OF the guam
t,y and ienacy OF the mud in the dry season 1t is IN
initeIy preferable 10 that from Cruces,
The dry season usually commences about the midsle
Of December, and continues unu the middle OF March
No local Of disease exists IN the city OF Panama,
or It's immediate vicinity.
No impedinent exists in the construction OF railroad
across the isthmus except the unheahiness OF the CHI
mate No grade of forty feet 10 the mile need be mai
as the valleys Will allow any distance to be gained TO
ameora.e the declivty.
Puerto Bellois an excellent harbor the Atlantic side,
and in old times all the trade q have ascertaIned tins
from particular inquiry passed from thence to tins city by
a paved road covered with the luXuant vegetation
of the climate II abandoned because the nver OF
Chagres afforded for twothrds OF the way easier mode
OF transportation for the little rahc the is!hmss
To trade like ours what | may call the entire want
of harbor at Chagres infinitely the greatest obsruc
ton No vessel drawing fifteen feet water can safely
enter IT, except under several most favorable contingent
ces OF wind, tide season. NC, and, when entered ~ is
but mill pond, deepening very gradually indeed in front
In making railroad from Puerto Bello beautiful
por this city, the labor must be performed by black
who compose two thirds of the population OF the 18Th
mus and who faithful a,cdys and industrious ptea
inspired by good remuneration he directors and over
seers for The FIRST snter must be Americans or English
men, during which they can instruct nayes Of the SPAR
h blood sufficiently be able to superntend during the
unhealthy season. until the work Is sufficiently advanced
be completed by the engineer, with the precise ana
scientific niceties OF construction, the second healthy
season. at the end of which the work can be completed,
if under contract all at the same time.
| was a civil engineer on the line OF contemplated
railroad from tbs saSsehanna xe1 10 LAKE e ana
met with natural obstruction tomiitng the un-
beathness OF the cmae) than exists IN crossing the
shmus OF DArien TO Panama from Puerto beio and YET
the route was reported practicable without stationary
engine. :.
EDWARD H. FITZGERALD,
BIT. Major and A O. A.
To Mai,r General T s. JEsUP,
Quarermaster General U. s A, Washington