The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-15

.ptse and Pacific Railway Commur
tnOu.

What the northwestern passage was 70 tne early
ropean adventures In the Arctic regions, the line
railway communication between the Atlantic and
c6c oceans now is to our practical friends in the
hited States. There is this difference, however,
tween the two, that the fosmas-as the experience
two hundred and fifty years has shown-was q
oblem of most uncertain and difficult solution,
hereas the latter is distinct and Ineligible plan
pendent only for its execution upon those details
construction which the resources of existing sci
Zee have placed within the reach of modern enter
Use.
The earliest project for establishing the desired
ute, and the most obvious one in relation merely to
actual distance between the two oceans was the
bnsit across the Isthmus of Panama. Next came
line which included the ascent Of the river San
ian de Nicaragua, the passage Of the great lake of
at name, and q canal or railway communication
om La Palma on the lake, to Port San Juan, on
Pacific. To this succeeded the proposed ar
|ngement for crossing the continent Of Central
merica by way Of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.
Ind now fourth plan is on the tapis, called " The
onduras nteroceanic Railway" which, so far as the
(itiatory proceedings enable US to judge, appears
kelly to be looked upon with greater favor by the
U 0R,s 'Os on''s' 0'A'e' 'nAn NY ''s ''4'
The chief obstacle that seemed to oppose itself to
(e construction Of railway across the The State OF
reat and apparently continuous elevation Of which
resented, 1t was supposed, insurmountable engi-
eering difficulties. Unless transverse pass exist
} in the Cordileras, all hope Of access to the Paci
by piercing that mountain range was shut OUT
nd so recently as down to the close of the year
b52 no certain information on this important
pint had been obtained. The existence of such
hss was, however, conjectured by those who be-
eyed that an available route might be discovered
etween one Of the ports on the northern coast of
Honduras and the Bay of Fonseca or Conchagua
the Pacific To survey this line and report on
practicability, the projectors in the early part of
fghly intelligen MT traveller and Lieutenant LETTERS,
the United States navy. 1t is from the prelmi
AIRY notes to q report on the proposed Honduras
pteroceanic Railway, which have only very recent.
entleman, that we have derived the information
hich we now proceed to lay before the public.
The spot selected for the northern terminus of
bis projected railway is Puerto Caballos, in the
capacity and security it is stated to be the best
ost on the Atlantic between New York and Rio
aniero; it is easy of entrance and exit, and the
bcalty is considered highly favorable for the
be southern extremity is indisputably the largest,
IND in all respects the best, harbor on the Pacific
cast of the American continent. The distance
between the two ports is hundred and fifty
he proposed route, which nearly comedies with the
meridian, and lies between the parallels of 81 deg
Ind SO degwest longitude, where varies five miles
Rom right line. After traversing portion of the
department. of OmOa, the route crosses the river
[Jlua at short distance below its junction with
|he Humuya, which latter it skirts on its right
Sr eastern bank to the city of Comayagua, the
|apital of Honduras, situated nearly midway be-
|ween the two oceans The line then ascends the
bailey of the Humuya till it reaches the Cordileras
(which here bear the name of the Lepaterique
h0untains), and may be conducted by two separate
passes into the valley of the Goascoran, until it
peaches the Pacific, either at the town of La Union
pr the island OF Sacate Grande both in the Bay of
Fonseca. The latter is considered the preferable
point as La Union is in the republic of Salvador.
All the materials necessary for the construction
bf the road exist" says Mr. Squier, on the line.
There are inexhaustible quantities of the finest
white and blue marble and sandstone as also of the
best pine oak and other varieties of useful timber.
The country, with the exception perhaps of mar
bow belt on the northern coast, is eminenty cool
md salubrious, and proper for the employment Of
labor. In the latter respect (hat Of
abor) the proposed line is eminently favored; for
whatever amount may be required can be obtained
Rom the mahogany-cuttings on the coast"
A. the greatest ssRprshenaed difficulty was ex
nation of that chain that Mr. Squier gave his first
attention. Commencing his reconnaissance on the
Pacific side, he assembled the valley Of the Goasco
ran, which conducted him to the pass Of Rancho
level Of the sea. This spot is natural meadow, or
savannah, upwards of o mile wide, opening north
and south, and skirted on the right bank and left
by high mountains. Here are two streams, rising
only 200 yards apart, and running in opposite drec
tions one Of them IL the source of the Goascoran,
which falls into the bay Of Fonseca-the other
that Of the Humuya, which joins the Ulua and
discharges itself into the Atlantic, between Pner
Of opinion that this summit-to reach which the
maximum grades would nowhere exceed 10 feet
In the mile, and that only for short distances
was not unfavorabe to the construction Of the line
and this opinion was confirmed by the profess
siOnal dictum of Lieutenant Jeffers; but being
inclined to think that lower pass might be found,
he sought one somewhere further TO the westward,
In the parallel valley of eururu, or Guaoca, where,
III H. E.-rk Il~os a..
waters flow also from twin sources at an elevation
of one hundred feet less than the pass of Rancho
Chquit0. " The relative advantages of these two
passes" observes Lieutenant LETTERS, can only be
established by detailed survey. The pass Of Rancho
Chguio presents more favorable ground for ths de-
scent TO the plain that Of Guajoca, better route
from the valley Of the Rancho Grande, with less
elevation The distance BY the pass Of Guajoca is
also described being rather longer, and devatng
more from right line than that by Rancho Chi
quito. But whichever route may be eventually de-
cided upon, both suficiepty direct. The coun-
try is open and free Of dense forests thus avoiding
In great degree, the expense Of clearing and grub
bling; there Is an abundance OF line timber on the
cavations are to be made in it, Is soft
sandstone, which may be cut almost as
readily as clay, with the advantage Of
admitting Of vertical walls, and not requiring bal
last for the road bed abundance Of fine marble and
other stone for abutments and mortar; a country
cool and entirely salubrious; the magnificent bay
Fonseca, where men, tools, and provisions may be
sent by sea- for base Of operations and the great
and fertile plain Of Comayagua in the very centre
of the work. for the other.n The longer division
of the line, from Puerto Caballos to Comayagua,
offers numerous facilities for the construction Of
railway. "Quite fifty miles will be over level
plain, or an ascent SO gentle as hardly to be per-
ceived, and that portion Of the line which lays on
the bank Of the Humuya the alienation Of cut and
fill is highly favorable" Another great advantage
in forming the northern section of the road is the
navigability Of the river Ulua and Humuya, which
may be ascended by vessels drawing seven feet Of
water for half the year, high the mouth Of the
Rio Bianco, which is called half way from Comay
aqua to In. coast For light steamers the Humuya
is navigabIe to the mouth OF we Sulaco, some dis
lance higher up.
The terms upon which the Honduras Interoceanic
Hallway Company have obtained the concession OF
the line from the government Of Honduras are
more liberal aud comprehensive than have yet been
granted in that part OF the world for similar pur-
pose. "The property Of the company in the pro-
posed roadn says Mr.. Squer, lis perpetual, but the
charter Is limited to seventy years from the date Of
the completion and opening sf the road for which
~