The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1850-05-10
From the ~. o. Picayunc.
The Tehauntepec Road to the Pacific.

| prosecution of this important work. The perma-
| nent Committee, who havebeen sedulonsly engag-
ed since their appontmeutin correspondence with
the owners of the Mexican grant of the right Of
way, have at last concluded an agreement by
which they acquire control OF all the rights and
interests OF the grantees, upon terms which are
considered highly favorable. The organization
of the company for the building ol the road, and
consequently the prepondera ting influence in the
future management, are now fully in the hands Of
New Orleans. The magnitude of these inter-
ests, and the prodigious future which it opens TO
New Orleans as mart for the commerce of the
Pacific and the boundess East, make this event
one of infinite Importance to our citizens, and a
subject for warm and universal congratulation.
! The thanks of the people of the city are spe-
cally due TO the VIC rklng members of the commit.
| tee, who have, with rare industry, prosecuted
| these negotiations to so happy a conclusion.
! They have executed the duty assigned to them
with as much zeal and perseverance as though
they were working for their private interests--a
degree of enlightened public spirit which is m
| fortunately not often found in committees.
| Among the members ofthe committee it might te
invidlous to discriminate, but they have made
one discrimination among themselves which we
take pleasure in making public. In the completion
| of the agreement with AIR. HargOus, the commit
tee recognised the services of Mr. Bernard Fal-
lon, of this city, in the following complimentary
| terms: C.
| "Resolved, That the thanks of the committee,
( representing the citizens Of New Orleans, and @!
all persons who are to BE benefited by the OPEN
ing o. the route to the Pacific, by the sthmus Of
Tehauntepec, are due to Mr. B. Fallon for his
patriotic and praiseworthy exertinns in promot-
ing. by his talents, zeal and energies, the con-
| summation 0, this great enterprise"
This tribute is well merited, for to our know
ledge Mr. Fallon has devoted his time and his tai
ents, without reserve and with eminent adyan-
tage, TO all the details OF this happy arrangement,
which gives us every assurance that a great
highway between the East and the West for the
commerce of all nations, will pass within few
hours access Of the mouth of the Mississippi.
The details Of the arrangement will bepublish-
ed, we presume, in an authentic form by the
committee, as soon as they are ready to come
before the public with their plans. But our citi-
Zens NAV be assured of the main and essential
fact that the grant of right OF way, with all its
privileges, is in the hands and under the control
OF citizens of New Orleans, on such terms as are
exceedingly advantageous. and on such condl-
lions as are easy of accomplishment by the peo-
pie of New Orleans.
a still more decisive progress has been made,
which shows the earnestness with which this
scheme is taken up by men o. enterprise among
US. The obtaining Of charter, and the organ
izaton of permanent company, require time and
must produce unavoidable delay. To counter
act this some gentlemen, who have taken an ac-
tive interest in the road, have agreed to associ-
ate themselves at once, and make an advance of
such sums as they propose to invest in the stock
of the company when organized. The amount
| will be sufficient to ests 5lsh an immediate COM
municatlon across the lsthmus They venture
their means boldly upon the experiment, taking
all the risk of failure or loss upon themselves;
and if successful the benefit is to e1ure TO the
/ company when it is formed. The amount of
their stock aud accruing profits will be a SUBJ
) scription to the company, and their work basis
for future operations The prospect Of the work
will be thereby very much accelerated, and the
objects of the permanent committee and OF the
citizens of New Orleans materially advanced.
This is very significant and important move
: ment, and these gentlemen deserve the most
, grateful acknowledgements and warmest encomi-
ums OF onr citizens for their jealous exertons in
the common cause. The commencement Of this
work may now be considered at a very early
: day, and its progress under their auspices will
|
capital, so soon as the company is organized, TO
ask them for their cooperation.
By this route, with very little addition to the
natural means of communication, New Orleans
will be brought within fortnights travel OF San
Francisco. The calculation has been often made,
but our readers may not remember the details.
For ocean steam vessels, such as can cross the
: bar at the monte of the CoatZacoalcos, the head
of navigation is Minatitlan, about eighteen
miles up the river. The northern terminus Of
the railroad will probably be at or near that
point. But steamers such as are used tor pas
sengers on the Ohio river, between Pittsburg
and Wheeling, can proceed more than hundred
miles farther, by the windings of the river, to
, the mouth Of the Sarabia river. Fromthe mouth
: of the Sarabia to the Pacific shore the distance
is only fifty-fve miles, which is now traversed
only by a horse path winding OBVIOUSLY from vii
, lage to village. 1t is travelled on horseback, in
from fifteen TO twenty-four hours. carriage
road, or a plank road-ether OF which is feasi-
Bile: at a comparatively small expense-would
reduce both the distance and the time Of travel.
| Now taking these elements, as they are sta
ted, and allowing nothing for acceleration of
speed on the land part of the trail, we have the
following computation of the time necessary TO
make voyage from New Orleans to San. Fran
, cisco From New Orleans to MnatitIan (nine
hundred miles) isabout four day steaming; from
Minatit!an to Sarabia, about twelve hours-from
Sarahia to the Pacific twenty -four hours-from
The port on the Pacific CTehauntepec) to San
: Francisco (2,200 mies) about nine days steam
ing. Total from New Orleans TO San FranCfsco
fourteen days and twelve honrs. Compared with
Panama (lS00 miles in disiance) and there is a
gain Of ten days in time, and TO travellers on that
l route timh is inappreciable. The food OF travel
will pour through that ronte, as soon as the con.
E yenieRces for transportation are provided, the
steamboats,, and the subsistence or the route. Ii
il remarkable, also, FOR its agreeable climate and
: healthtuneSs. Passengers would rusb to line
where they could not only save time, but gel
u over the Isthmus almost by daylight, and at a
3 reduced cost. This preliminary travel provided
o for, the first few hundreds who are gently car
4 ried across the Isthmus without toll, meeting q
speedy conveyance at once to the land Of gold
= will be pioneers Of innumerable hosts who will
: hurry ON the more costly and permanent work
. as demanded by the pressing wants oftravel, ant
e almost indispensable to the good OF all nations
n Application has already been made to the pro
|. per department at Washington. for the detail o
$ an engineer of eminent standing and skill, Il
d give the weight of national reputation to tht
l IL