The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-01-23
From the Alta Californian
Mineral Wealth and Agricultural Products OF
the Isthmus.

II the ishmus nothing than sterile waste,
studded here and there with lofty hills, shorn OF all
verdure, 1t would still be object of great commercial
value But lis physical character is precisely the
From the time OF lis discovery IT has always been be.
lieyed and asserted that il contains large amount of
mineral wealth These assertions have been made IN
view Of the of the SOIL the position of the
tans, the character OF the Immense rocks passed the
route from ocean 10 ocean, and from the auval deposit
found IN the deep sluces between the mountains Geolo
gsts at this day confirm the belief long cherished on
this subject; and il is only few weeks this belief
was confirmed by actual discovery Two gentlemen
sding IN Panama MAJOR Dors and MIR. Slennet went
out on private survey far the Rio Terrible, and
found gold They pushed their researches, and came
TO the satisfactory conclusion that immense mineral
wealth existed there Ga their return 10 Panama they
produced specimens OF the gold they had found, and
gave particular report OF their discoveries This report,
together with their speciNns, the origin OF regu
larly organized company, who Immediately started TO the
newly discovered mines. The rainy had Just
in. Among the mountains the RAIN fell IN such torrents
as TO prevent the company being very successful They
concluded 10 abandon their mining operations until the
rainy season should be past They returned 10 Pan
ANA, bringing not only fine specimens OF the pre-
cious metal but very superior quality OF coal closely
resembling anthracite. The latter was by a
Der OF good Judges, who all agreed II was excellent
The mining company reported that the beds OF coal
from which they obtained these specimens truly inn
mel se The field OF their operations is a short distance
up the Rio Terrible. The river itself is located little
the north OF the Gulf OF San Miguel and some fifty miles
south OF Panama. On portions OF the Cruces may
be found deep rsvines formed by the rains during the
rainy seasons; and Judging from the conformation OF the
country, satisfactory conclusion Is formed that the
sources OF these ravnes may lead to traces of minerals
IL the gold mines al Cheppo the only gold districts
the ishmus-but they are no-here other deposiles
which, for some purposes are worth more than gold To
say nothing OF silver, gold, iron, lead, and copper,
rational doubt cannot be cherished relative to the
ence of coal And when these coal fields shall be open
ed by the sleepess enterprise of this age they will be Of
ncalculabe advantage TO the Pacific Mail Steamship
Company's steamers. Nature has not scattered those
mountains formed those deep gorges the is,hmus
in vain
Tha,. 80 a. - ;rmon.o ro,,sos 81 .,o,o ~ ,,orv
peror quality for all building purposes The heavy stone
buildings AT Cbagres aid Panama derived Their materials
from very contiguous sources In the interior those ma
teals still better There amos, endless veins OF
limestone, which could be worked for building material
and these specimens to be found almost the entire
length of the route The mineral OF the lstbmus
well developed, would supply materials for every
chanca purpose.
But the agricultural character Of this region deserves
brief notice IL is very rich All the beauty and lu1u
of the tropics unite here 10 delight the eye and
tonish the mind Here fruits of almost every variety
deriving their culture from other source but the kind
and lavish hand of Nature. Flowers of the most gor
geous hues are everywhere seen. There trees OF
gigantic growth and solid texture, adapted to every
department of naval and domestic architecture. OF
their large size correct idea may be formed when il il
stated that the native at the port OF Panama
each made out of single tree. Many OF them
from forty to fifty feet in length, five six feet deep in
the hold, and as many IN "breadh OF beam" They ire
Quen,ly carry immense loads Of fruit and live stock from
the other side of the bay besides having accomnoda
ton for three four native sailors On the banks oil
the Rio Grande and The Cbagres river are numerous
sites which may established splendid farms and on
the streams may be erected lumber mills, which
could be made 10 perform almost any amount OF labor,
and insure handsome proht IL ~ owing 10 Inc absence
of these improvements that the lumber Tor building s
brought at great expense from Guaysquil to Panama
fine view of the agricultural character OF the country
may be obtained by ascending Bolivar HILL on the pre-
cincts OF the last mentioned city. The eye ranges
over miles OF fine territory, embracing several large and
fertile plans The envrons OF Panama constitute fne
farming country-a portion Of which has recently been
purchased and settled for that purpose by Col Bell.
To form adequate idea OF the climate, soil, and pro-
ducts OF the sbmus, it must be And all which
may be said OF can be affirmed Of the entire county OF