The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-07-08


lFrom the Lexington (Missour) Express.I
An Intelligent friend. who has been three times
10 California within tho last throe years, and whose
statements may DO implicitly relied on, has just
spent several hours in our Office He has crossed
the Istbmus four times-twcc by the way of Pane
ma. and twoo by way of Nicaragua. He Is MN
of experience, who has seen much Of tho world. and
bis judg ment in this case is founded upon acua OBJ
seryation From the following statement il will be
seen that he greatly prefers the Nicaragua and
lake route to the old route by way Of Panama
Our friend estimates tho distance from San Fran
cisco to New York. at s. 200 miles, which he divides
as follows From tho city fSsn Francisco TO San
Juan del Sur, or st John Of the South $500 miles,
thence by land TO Virgin Bay. on Lake Nicaragua.
lZs miles; thence across the Lake to Ban Carlos.
ut the head Of tho river St John. 40 miles; thence
down the river St Johns TO the portage at tho
rapids, commonly called the Castillian Rapids, n
miles. This is portage Of only about three hun
dred yardsse descent in the river being too great
to admit of q safe passage for boats Thenoe TO the
mouth of the st. Johns river at Greytown, on tho
Caribbean Sea-, 80 miles From Greytown to New
York the distance is estimated at 2200 miles. From
this point the voI ager without delay, tako ship
directly for the city Of New York, and, generally
speaking can procure passage directly for the city
Of New Orleans, without any ofthose delays which
are alike vexaiious and expensive TO the traveller
the distance being only 500 miles Tho company
design, rs speedily as practicable forming oon-
by placing on the lire two steamships OF the first
class to run regularly between those TIVE ports
When this arrangement shall DO made, the trip from
San Francisco To New Orleans mar be made in about
twenty days The entire line being in the hands Of
company, every vessel will have its regular day
Of departure
The Prometheus. Dauiel ebster Northern Light,
and PamperO. the Atlantic side, and the Pacific,
s. S Lewis, Brother jonathan. Pioneer. and indie
pendece. on the Pacific side are all steamships of
the first class. and commanded by able and accom-
modating officers. Tho Central America. 6ne
boat Of 375 tons, with aide Wheels runs upon tho
lake, in connection with the Director The river
boats have stern wheels and are considered entirely
safe In the month Of February last there wers
three steamboats, in number upon the river, oaps~
BILE Of carrying 290 passengers each. Two Other
new boats were, at that time, daily expected, With
capacity to accommodate 500 passengers each.
The average time Of crossing from sea to sca on
this route s at present about forty hours, but vita
the addition Of the boats now preparing for the
river part of the route, the time will not exceed
thirty hours.
AS to health, safety, comfort, and beauty Of sos
merry there is no comparison between the two routes
that by way Of Panama being very sickly, and iu-
tested by bands Of robbers-whie this route is very
healthy for the latitudeandup to the present time
not single robbery has been perpetrated-she lant
travel being only twelve miles and half. ono halt
the distance Of the Panama route-and the read
passing over a country comparatively open and
even quite safe for ladies or gentlemen, on horses
and mules.
The ship company on the now route by way Of
Nicaragua, have entered into contracts for the Goa
structOn Of plank road over the entire land part
Of the route, with pier at each Of the following
paces:-One at San Juan del Sur, on tho Pacific.
one at Virgin Bay, on Lake Nicaragua, and emo ct
San Juan del Norte, or Greytown, on the Atlantic
side Of the Isthmus According to the stipulatioAS
of tins contract, the road and piers to be oom-
peted by the first day Of August, 1852. On the
completion Of these works, ships will lie along side
the PIERS which will supersede tho necessity Of boats
to run between the ships and the shore.
Our informant. though detained four days at Ban
Juan, in consequence Of the insuciency Of boats to
meet the demands of passengers, made the entire
trip from San Francisco to New York in twenty-siK
days and half
The gentleman from whom we derive tho above
information, has no design in making this state
ment offaots except wish to confer favor on that
portion Of his fellow men who may desire to GROSS
the Isthmus, either to or from California. Few
Americans have travelled half the distance either
by land or sea- that has been traversed by aged
friend, who prefers having his statements condensed
into the form Of editorial article, to appear in
p0mp0us article over his own name-either in
pamphlet or the columns Of q Newspaper. He ID,
however, well known to our entire community, and
We hazard nothing in saying that the State Of Mis-
souri, does not contain a man of more veracity thaa
the ono from whom we derive tho foregoing facts.
This article was written as dictated BY him, and
was carefully examined by himself before it was put
in type We therefore commend it to the perasal
ofall who have any desire to cross tho Isthmus.