The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-03-29
from Smith g. Co. s California ExpIess.l
IAfhmus ItemR.

ltTOm smith q 20. 8 CaMiOrnla ENpIes9.l
Isthmus Itemss
THE RAILRoAD-The following facts, gathered
from observation and conversation with persons
who have resided long enough on the Esthmus to
form an intelligent opinion may enable our readers
to judge of the prO5ab hy Of the speedy completion
of this much Wanted work:
lst. The country through which it passes, for
twenty. four miles, resembles very much, and pre-.
sents as many difficulties as the Allegheny noun
| tains.
| ID. In the States the work would cost at least
So goo coo, and take two years to build it and on
the Isthmus it cannot be built for three times that
sum, in less than eight years, for the following
reasons
LIST No white man can, by any possibility, work
| on the Isthmus two months in the year
d. The work must be done by natives, who,
trken they work, will only do as much in three days
AS one of our laborers will accomplish in one.
81 These natives, having no desire 10 aceumu-
late or lay by for rainy day." can by no con-
sideration be induced to labor any greater number
of days than will procure the few necessaries of
their simple way of living. At present this can be
accomplished in about one or two days labor per
week, al an average OF 80 per day consequently,
each days labor will cost Sc,
4th. The dry season lasts but four months, and
little nothing be done during the tget, on ac-
| count of the enormous quantity of water which
daily falls To say that it rains, conveys but d
feeble idea of the sheets of water which frequently
deuge the country, causing the streams to rise 10
| feet in an hour. Immediately after these showers
the sky is perfectly clear and the air cool and
balmy for few hours, when the sun again pours
| down with an intensity that cannot be resisted.
The soil is of the richest kind, and under the ex.
tremes of heat and moisture vegetation of an enor-
mons growth speedily appears and as rapidly de-
Gays, causing constant masmatic exhalations which
no one but natives can resist
These are few of the difficulties that appear to
casual observer, and which lead us to advise all
I persons wishing to invest in a sinking fund, to
procure stock in this magnificent undertaking as
speedily as possible. From all that we can learn,
the Of 1925 to be re-enacted stock will be
run up to 800 and 400 per cent, when the magnsni-
nous holders will accommodate their friends with
fer millions after which the scene will close
The neghing of the iron horse will surely be heard
on the shores of the broad Pacific, but not at the
IsIhmus. The braying of asses is alone destined,
we fear, to break the silence which must there
/ reign perpetual amid these sohtudes Of nature
SINGULAR CUSTOM AT GoRGoNA.-We were
greatly annoyed by the performance Of single tune
through the entire night, by band OF FIVE or six
musicians, who made up in zeal what they lacked
in science Surprising it to be fandango, we
stepped in, and found that the friends of the be-
reaved mother had assembled to assist her in re.
ioicng at the escape Of her darling infant from the
troubles of this wicked world. The child, tricket
out in most fantastic manner, was placed upright
on table, with lighted taper in each hand. The
men were engaged at cards, the women were smo
p king, and all were merry wine and brandy
could make them. Leaving them at their orgies
we entered our canoe, and in 20 hours found our
9 selves at Chagres.
INTERESTING EXPERIMENT. - In returnin,
from Panama to Cruces, it good fortune II
e fall in company with Senior Pse, an nteligen
! and well educated gentleman, who gave Us man!
interesting facts relative to matters and things OIL
! the lsthmus. Among other things he stated tina
some sixty State prisoners, whom passed, ha
been sent from the prisons, with ball and chain
and guard Of one hundred soldiers, to assist in re
o pairing the road. The commandant a kind heart
ed, generous man, not willing to see them toll il
! such an uncomfortable manner, determined to tr
an experiment. and calling them together he Of
fered to release all who would pledge themselves
remain faithful till the end of their sentence vary
ing from one TO ten years w TN Joy they accepte
the proposition, and now prisoners and soldiers ar
daily seen working side by side, bound by no cord
save that of gratitude to the man whose whole cor
: duct proves his will to promote their Happiness
J And what must be the final effect Of such trea
nent upon these unhappy erring man! We car
not outrage the better feelings Of human nature
!, supposing anything else than entire refOrmatO
. in many, and an improvements the moral feeling
= Of all.
We hold il to be a sef.evident truth that the vi
, fortunate criminal is more to be pited than col
demned and detested, and that the entire system
treatment, from the arrest to the expiration Of the
sentence, is directly calculated to harden and col
ffn them in to which they were at fir
n impelled by the force of circumstances or a 10
: moral organization. In either case it seems I'll
a, more rational and humane course to attempta refo
% nation by means of mental and moral improvement
and uniform kind treatment during their incarcer'
ton. THIS is subject that commends itself to ii
81 philanthropis with peculiar force, and affords fin
field for the active efforts Of those who believ
= that good time is coming"
e /. -------s0S---~-----
y G- Alta ST. Patrck's Festival in New Yorl
on the 18th inst, the following is the 10th Of til
regular resolutions adopted
TO- Father .AaeAsp-The trus phlsnthropist and Erea