New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-13

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mo re Knowing residents. however whose experience
had ext nc ed to the modern mystery of Steamboat
coon restored the people to confidence BY assuIsnces
of esfefy; ard we were received, on our LAID
iro with DO more th.n the usual curious
ini.rest evirced at the sight Of so many civil
zee shsfeers i care not now 10 give you
any detailed account OF my observations aud erPer'-
ences on the Interesting occasion of our yist 70
place 20 entirely Of the course Of the or1nsry
travellers geography. The town is a struggling col
lection OF uboo and palm that he'd nuts. aud the
Inhabitants Of the us mixed races OF the sDan-
nh clan end negro-wbere the latter darkly over
shadows the rect. OF the fishery We could zee moth
iDg-i, not being The for pesi-dlvug. Posri-
shells We fOuIc abundant, stored up IL square heaps,
ready Tor sbIpme 1T the ARRIVAL Oi trading Vessels,
arc use0 cit the walls OF the houses. Jst
Of the nhstitsnts seemed, moreover TO have ssup-
ply Of the more valuable pearls, and wsrs ready
with their little caDebOxes Ike pin cases turn
their doz,n 80, and trade with the stranger.
One cOalbeck feliO@-tbe lsotbscbild OF the place
showed us a COLI ction OF his vsuabl-s which
amounted, in the aggregate, to nearly 800 600 sud
among which there were pearls as large boys
marbles Some purchases were msde By our party
but probably, lot by any means, To the dssdvso-
t0ge of the seller. TIE day speedily passed "a
we roaned about the town, trading for pearls, helping
ourselves to COcOs Duts tGmITitg the ebony ia ads
sDo exercising our faculties Of CD, ervsou upon the
iIhabItsI Il LeDeiay. Ia the evening ubsrked
boao OF our steamer aad sailed for cabogs where
arrived next morning, and we're greeted with
breakfast Oh b0arc OF the John L. STE shens lying in
the boz bor Of that beautiful island. Two DAYS a. Ts.
togs here Ill the dehghis OF it, natural beauties,
in the comforts Of tho civilized appliances cev
ery administered by the cunniug hand OF IA ne host
of the Pavilion Hotel we would have liked to
leDgihen out stay, and the rest Of the week at
Panama AID AspinwaIl completed ourt9o wesks resi-
dtIce upon The lstbmus OF Panama, and prepared US
for OF r tourney hone, whittier t-ntIng
with ali he haste OF steam board the steamer IL
linois in one of the close state OF which
writing on tbs hot day Of March thu 9TH, with the
thermometer a "a
.d., LIT a,ith br;o ri,
upon the railroad with the CONDITION and prospect
Of vhioh my longer stay has given ms better az
quaibtaLce.
The great fact of the opening Of the railroad, is
the very Orfing to the traveller, that he
pA nom t. IN the short period OF little
more than four hours with ali the facility and con-
fort that the space may be raversed on any OF
the beet appointed roads ID the United States. Dur
ing NV resioebce ON the ls bmus oar ses of psssen.
gfIs, 20 md from California, averaging about 800
sch the transit i'll the average time of fur snd
q ba houis sid neither occasion Vas there ausht
to interfere with the personel enjoyment and snety
OF the traveller. The trains regularly every day
ouiIg the intervals between the arrival OF tho Cali
forI ans, but lot without al occ.s,oa detyntlon.
have already Informed you Of oae delay by which |
personal sufferer The engine, you will recoi-
lect OFF the track and the train detained for
| len bours the route. THIS unto ward event WAS
owing 10 the fact that the giOe running Jack
va. d, there beng no switch or turning out place
| at Panama. The same suse produced the sans re-
sult on vers Ell osequent occas ons. TINS viii, how
| ever be soon reneGIed by the urn.tab and switch
nov IN progress OF construction at the Panama term
inns On another occasion the train detained all
Light in Consequence Of the Yielding Of the large
| ban kmeDr at he Summit, washed down by a nesvy
abdlurs, al shower oi rain. The recurrence Of
this accident II aso be coon remedied, oy throwing
| back the embaLhnSent, al which many hundred Ia
! boreIs arc now occupied. The speed OF the train,
! which averages about 10 miles an hour, cannOt at
pre eDt be much quicker in consequence of certain
SIT parts Of the road. The engine proceeds over
these portions With great necessary sOwBess
the crossies, which have been constructed of the
native wood are already decayed aud the road con-
stQueItly has become iBsecure The substitution OF
ties pers of gHuD rH brought from the forests
Of CsTbag,D will secure this at present weak part.
The Uest- work CT the To4 also requires DtasuDg,
with which The constructors are fast proceeding. We
deliberately state the opinion founded upon expert
ard cloee observation, that the lsthnus route
by railroad from the Atlantic and Pacific, offers TO
the traveller the best meaDs OF transit ia the world
from OcesD to ocean Fnly, however, TO realize the
advantages CT tins road il Will be necessary to pass
the traveller directly from steamer to steamer. This
very desirable object is, however not yet accom-
plisbed The California traveller going aud ming,
has been hitherto obliged to remain a. AsploSalii
sometime s in consequence Of the railroad not beng
ready TO convey him, and at Others because the
att amer bsO not arrived. An extra boat always IN
readiness at either terminus, and a better rezu'
lston Of the railroad, would secure all that
is desirable in this respect. 1t is especially
TO be wished On the score Of humanity, apart from
considerations Of facilitating commercial intercourse,
that should be unnecessarily delayed single
hour ia that fatal town OF Aspinwsu or in the u1-
healthy City OF Panama. The passengers now on
their way 10 New York were kept forty.eight hours
ON the Isthmus because there was 10 stesmer to
carry them away Immediately on their arrival on the
shores of the Atlantic TIE vOy age from California
bas thus been heightened from nineteen TO twenty
one Gays, and with loss 10 health aud life; those
Gully can calculate whe knew the malignant nature OF
the mssIa attic poison exhaled from the worse than
PoDtine marshes OF tie Atlantic terminus OF the rail-
road
There is one fact which will surprise the people Of
the United Sstes generally, ana the stockholders In
particular | alluoe TO the utter impractcablly OF
ire Psi ana Railroad carrying heavy freight. The
cond ton OF the road at present in consequence OF
its We ak points does not admit OF heavy GRATIS and,
do il admit of them the obstacle Ded by the want
of a hatbor at Panama is such az TO be insuperable,
without very important addition % the contraction
OF the road. At present the terminus a. the Pachc -
outside of the gates of the City Of Panama, aud al
freight, as well as passengers, must be conveyed
distance of at least two miles 10 ship-tne
hdrbor not admitting sea vessels OF any draft nearer
to the shore. The Railroad Company are perfectly
aware of the Incompetence OF their work. aud, hay
ing purchased two islands III the bay propose to con-
rect them TO the man lard by G,esns of pier, in
order that the railroad may terminate az the sides of
the ship. Another plan, that OF building dock ike
those of Liverpool, has been proposed Either will
cost least millions OF dollars, and the
other is absolutely essential to carry out the great
purpose OF the Isiosd-tbat Of carrying freight snd
revolutioniziIg the of trade, by dlverDg it
from the old cbapnel of Cape Horn.
In regard to the question whether the road Will pay,
can merely hazard conjecture IS have only such
data az to justify an spproximsve calculation. The
enterprise has already cost seven mlliOns-tSo NIL
lions more than is generally supposed The additional
amount has been raised The private notes of the
Directors and friends of the road, anu the lOan
| in the market is for ths purpose of relic wing
these oblig atoms. Tie additional two millions
which ere asked ncrsase 10 the capital from the