Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1856-12-13
SOUTHERN SENTINEL.
The TehuantepeO Enterprise.
From the New Orleans Bulletin

she Ts,hmus of Tehuantepec, to be followed by
a railroad with the least possible delay, will
form an epoch in the history, tot only of New
Orleans and Louisiana, but of the Southern
States, aud of the whole Valley Of the Missis~
sippi. We venture to affirm that the experience
of a few years will show that the most sanguine
among us at the present time, do not fully rea-
lie its Importance, or the results in the chan~
nels Of trade, which it will effect. The whole
transit business between the Atlantic and the
Pacific oceans will take this direction in pres
ference to all other. A few facts will show
this beyond all contradiction. The route is
twelve hundred miles north of Panama. The
distance between New York aud San Francisco,
by the latter route, is four thousand nine hun
dred and ninety-two miles. By the Tehuante>
pee route, it is only three thousand eight hun
dred and four miles-a difference in favor of
TehuantePec of eleven hundred and eighty
eight miles. The distance from New Orleans
to San Francisco is, via Panama, four thousand
five hundred and five miles; via 1'ehuanrepec,
but two thousand seven hundred and four
mlles--a difference in favor of the latter of
eight hundred and one miles nearly as great as
the distance between this city and Pittsburg. in
Pennsylvania. The time for the transit Of
mails and passengers from New York to San
~S PiSSNhte - HONae bAC
days, never less than twenty-five; and from
this city to San Francisco, the time is never
less than twenty-one days, and frequently
much longer. BY the Tehuantepec route, the
company agrees to carry the mails after the first
Of January next, from New Orleans TO San
Francisco, even with the carriage road only, in
thirteen days, thereby saying eight days in
point OF Time with the carriage road, and which
saving Will be, of course, further increased
when the railroad is completed. When the
latter is done, the passage will doubtless be
made between this city and San Francisco in
ten days, or even less, thus bringing this city,
and through it the valley Of the Mississippi, into
immediate connection with our vast and in
cteaslng possessions on the Pacific coast
These are not matters of conjecture, or hypot
thetical specuIations. They are fired facts
facts which we are about TO realize, much to the
establishment OF many good easy souls among
our citizens with whom it has become fashiOnar
BILE, or rather a habit, 10 talk of the 'decadeEce
of New Orleans and of some others elsewhere
who would like to see verified, for reasons
which they well understand when they thus
talk about. The company is at this moment
pushing on the construction of the carriage
road with great energy. Five hundred labor
ers foreign TO Mexico, and q large number of
natives, are now employed on the route, and
two hundred more will be sent down next week
with additional implements, provisions, etc
The road IN 10 be completed within sixty days
at farthest. Ia order TO he in readiness to
transport passengers across the Isthmus as
soon as the road is done, the company has al.
ready entered into contract with an extensive
stage proprietor, to place at once upon The route
twenty stages, with the necessary teams and
equipments, for the transmission of passenger,
aud mails, Preliminary measures for tbs
building Of The necessary stables and hotels
at convenient distances, have already been
commenced. and the contractor for this particu=
lar department, William Stevens, Esq, is now
on his way TO the Isthmus to superintend the
business. The road is to be completely stock
ed by the FIRST of February. The road com
at The little town Of Suchil, about
ninety miles from the mouth of the CoatZa~
coalcas river, and on its banks. This river is
navigabIe at all seasons of The year to Minatit-
Ian, twenty miles from its mouth, for vessels
thirteen feetof water, and for the re-
distance 10 the point where the cars
road commences, seventy miles, il is
navigabie at all seasons for vessels of lighter
draft.
The Company has now one steamer, the
Leon0Ta, on the river for the transportation up
it of men and materials of construction, and is
in negotiation for a number of others, to ply
this city and the Coatzacoalcos. The
length of the whole road from its eastern
terminus at Suchil 70 its western at the Bay Of
VeHtosa on the Pacific, will be ninety-six
The whole must be done, and in runs
ming order, pursuant 10 the provisions of the
with the Mexican Government, made
February 9th, 1853, three years from the date
of said contract; that is, by the 9th of February
next. BY the same contract the Company has
bound itself under heavy forfeiture, to build
the railroad in five years from the latter date
II intends, however, to have it done and in
long before the expiration of the
time, and the energy and ability it has already
manifested are proofs that it can and will carry
its purposes into execution. The channel Of
the COatzacoalcos is to be deepened by the
Company, two and a half per cent Of the net
Of the roads being appropriated by the
Smarter to this and kindred objects, so that
during Q large portion Of the year steamboats,
OF ordinary draft will be enabled to go directly
from New Orleans to the western terminus Of
the road ct Suchil, thus doing away with the
necessity OF %reshipping at Minatitlan. By the
Gadsden treaty his road, both plank and rail, is
placed specially under the protection of the
United States, and it will be as free from obs
ssacles for the transmission Of passengers. mails
and freight across the Isthmus, as any road inl
the United States; and further, the Mexican
Government has bound itself by tue same
treaty to allow the Government Of the United
States the right to transmit troops and NUNS
sous ct war, without interposing any obstacles
Whatever. S0 imnortant waa This RIGHT MI