The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-10-31
Important InterOceamc Intelligence.
New Route to the Pacific, Shorter by Seven
Days than the Panama Route.
OUR HONDURAS CORRESPONDENCE.

DUB HONDURAS CORRESPONDENCE.
C0MAYAGUA, Honduras, Sept 10, 1853.
The return Of part Of the surveying party enables
me 10 send You with this an abstract of the grant
made by the Honduras government of the right Of
way between the two oceans to the Honduras In
teroceanic Railroad Company, which ronte Of COM
nanicaton will shorten the time between New York
and San Francisco seven days less than by the Psna-
ma route. The terminus on the Gulf OF Mexico ID
Puerto Cabello Steamers passing the west end OF
the island of Cuba make course south and by west,
and reach this harbor, which is ten miles east of
Omoa. The entrance is from the southwest, with six
thoms of water and well protected from all winds,
with good anchorage in four fathems. The bay is
about three miles long aud one mile wide. The
railroad, starting from this point, will cross level
savannah in nearly straight line for thirty miles, to
the OF the rivers Ullua and Hamula crossing
the latter by bridge Of three hundred feet, and,
keeping the east bank Of the river on the side Of the
hills, ascend to the plains of Comayagua-in no place
with grade Of ascent Of over forty feet to mile
The plain of Comayagua is a level prairie
Of fifty miles long and thirty miles wide, in
which flow the rivers Humula, that empties
into the Gulf Of Mexico, near Omoa, and the
Guascaron that empties into the Gulf of Fonseca ON
the Pacific Ocean. At one place these two streams
flow within one hundred yards Of each other The
road will cross this plain and 70 low the east bank Of
the Guascaron, by gradual descent in no place
grade of over sixty feet to mile, and terminate in
the Gulf Of Fonseca, near the island of Tigre. The
valley of the Guascaron is from three to six miles
wide, with mountains three to five thousand feet
high each side that on the east soping very gra
duslly to the plain
This route is one hundred and fortyseven miles
from sea to sea, aud is in ss straight line as the
Hudson River Railroad and presents few obstacles to
building road, as in no place is there any swamp or
marshy lands that will require any pile driving, and
only two bridges Of over thirty feet in length. The
ascent to and descent from the summit will be Of an
easy grade, nowhere over sixty feet to mile and
with but little cutting and filing The haroor Of
Fonseca is the best the Pacific side of this CONT
men, with ten athons water at the entrance and five
fathomsat the anchorage, which is sufficiently large
to accommodate at one time every ship now aaoat.
The road passes through q country rich in mines
Of silver "copper" and lead. Under the Spanish rule
for many years. the exports of silver from the port
of Omoa averaged three millions Of dollars annual
y. These mines have mostly been abandoned, and
are full Of water the miners having been pressed
into military service in the war of independence.
BY measurement on the map you will see that this
route between New York and San Francisco is
about as near as the Tehuantepec roate, with the
advantage Of unimpeachabe harbors on both ends
Of the road, passing through fertile and healthy
country.
ABSTRACT FROM THE CHARTER OF THE HONDURAS
NTEkOCEANlC RAILWAY COMPANY.
The supreme government Of the State of Honduras in
Central America and Il Honduras Interoceanic Railway
Company composed Of citizens of the United States
srous TO settle the terms of contract for opening
route Of communication between the Atlantic Pacific
Oceans wholly or in part within the territories of Hondu
ras, have appointed commissioners the part Of
the supreme Of Honduras Seniors Don Justo
T. Rodas and Don Leon Aarado and on the part Of said
company, George Squier with full powers to arrange
and conclude contract for the named purposes
which commissioners having exchanged their respective
powers have agreed upon and concluded the following
articles =
ARTICLE l. The State Of Honduras comedies to the s.i
company the exclusive right and privilege o. constructor
. route of comm uncaoa by water BY railway acros
and through its territories between such moi alta ad nv
sach line may find feasible md proper and the RIGHT
0f making free of such ports, rivers lakes waters
hnds and natural be convenient and ne
oessary Tor huch purpose under conditions hereinafter
provided.
The company it, part, binds itself to construct
To
b concluded within three years. the road completed
within eight years from the date of ratification Of this
contract.
The rights and privileges herein granted to the said
company shall be enjoyed by the excu ively for
the term OF seventy years-countng from the day in
which the works herein contemplated shall be completed
and put in operation; and during this time the Sta 3
agrees to make no other grant charter any Of the
purposes herein specified
e. Grants right of way and the land on each side NJ
the line OF the road for the of two hundred Yards
without payment OF indemnity, and in the ports where
the shall terminate free use of pu bhc lands and va
ters, to build docks depots. &c.
D. Grants to the company any public lands now unap-
Proprated free from charge or Indemnity the
OF one million two hundred and fifty thousand acres and
the right to take and timber from private lands
the value to be settled by arbitration
9. How tribunal Of arbitration shall be constituted
T. All steamers and vessels employed BY the company
tobe free Of port charges Of all kinds in harbors rivers
and waters of the State Of Honduras.
8. AL machines, instruments provisions and other
articles that the company may require for exploration
and survey and for the construction aud the road
snail be admitted into the state lrse of duty.
g. The State binds itself TO facilitate md aid in every
possible way the engineers contractors employees and
borers OF the company anu all citizens in the employ
ment of the company to be fres from military service
10. The company shall have the right to constitute
itself into stock company and make such regulations
and bye laws the administration of its internal affairs
~ 1t may deem proper and its stock property tights and
effects, shall be exempt from taxation charge or any
burden or duty on the part OF the state
ii. When the route shall be established and in opera
one dollar for each adult passenger who may be trans
Pof'eu over the Ats through the state Il om to
H. The company agrees TO conway the mails of Hon.
uuras over the road for the sum of third of the post
age collected thereon.
rs II Is expressly provided that the citizens Of the
United States and n al nations at peace with Hon'uras
snau always he permitted pass the route or road
mncf may be established by tho company from sea
70 the other I'VE ~ taxes any charges of every kind
nor shall passports be required Of them.
H. All mails, goods merchandise, manufactured art
ces or other petty destined for transportation from
one sea TO the other shall be entered and cleared free
rom al KINDS OF government inspection duties, and
aha be SECURE from all interruption and detention the
route on the part a. the state All articles baggage of
travellers destined for transportation from sea
70 shall be carried cars specially appropriated for
such purpose under such guards may be agreed upon
signed sealed and delivered. thi. enty third day OF
June, 1858. IusTO T. ROnAS RI, a
LEON ALvARADO. H. s
T. GEO. SQUIER. IT, s
1858. CiRANoS1 '
R0eAIAa
ANoTIEn TRAGEDY N CISCINNATI-OSE MAN