Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-08-19

1895 1t was projected that the TWO
oceans on either side should be united
BY a canal cutting the Isthmus. New
Grenada, never abandoning the idea,
has vainly sought the aid OF other ma
tons to accomplish it. There are no
fewer than one hundred and forty differ
eut rivers from which to choose those
to be used in forming this canal, and
three or four different routes are now
esteemed practicable, so that the only
remaining question is the important
question of cost. 0ne route from Port
Escoces to the mouth Of the Savannah,
at Darien, is only n hundred and fifty
feet at the summit, and could be built,
according to the estimates, for sixty
millions of dollars. There will be no
| doubt an effort made to carry q canal
through some day. But for present pur-
poses the Railroad, which cost $780,
900, appears to answer reasonably well.
Such a railroad was FIRST projected in
1929, aud 10 1885 President Jackson APP
pointed Charles Biddle q commissioner,
TO report the best route for interoceanic
! communication. He visited Chagres,
crossed TO Panama, went to Bogota, the
the seat of government, obtained the
right TO build a railroad, but returning
to this country in the blue times Of 1887,
died, we believe, without making any
report to the Government, or anything
Of consequence being done. France in
the meantime surveyed a route, but the
cost was too great. At last, in ls4s,
when we we're put in u%ndisputed posses.
sion of al important Pacific coast, the
Government undertook to establish mail
routes by steamers, one from New York
10 Chagres, and another from Panama
to California. Messrs. Aspinwall, John
l.. Stephens and Henry Chauucey en-
tered into 3 contract with the Govern
ment Of New Grenada, who conceded
all government lands needful, and $780,
900 acres to be selected BY the company.
The two ports were to be free, and the
company established such tolls as it
pleased, paying to the Greuadian Gov
eminent three per cent. on dividends.
Just as they began to build, the discov.
cry of gold in California threw all prices
into confusion, labor advanced, and
Colonel Hughes, and afterwards Colo.
mel Totteu had to send almost all over
the world to secure laborers atauy cost.
The natives soon gave out; white labor
ers from the United. States, negroes from
jamaica, and even coolies from China,
were all tried. Many deserted, many
were taken sick, many were disguised
with the heat, and the insects, and the
terrible work Of clearing all sorts Of
prickly shrubs in swamps and waters
infested with snakes, and where, from
May to December, was a prolonged
rainy season. When q million Of dol
lars had been spent, the credit Of the
company wa, at the lowest ebb, but
few miles OF railroad were accomplish
ed. A fortunate circumstance revived
its credit. A steamer laden with pas
seugers was forced by weather into Navy
Bay, aud by the railroad the passengers
were conveyed up to Gatun. This
showed the advantage Of the railroad,
and though it cost 81, 500, 900, hope car
RED it through to be the success it is
now. It cost many valuable lives, but
is now one of>the great Centres Of the
worlds travel. The danger and diff
culties of crossing the Isthmus now
| seem incredible the traveller is rolled
across by steam in a few hours, easily
aud pleasantly, while freights of large
steamboats, are unladen and packed on
board the transportation cars in q few
hours. Four hundred thousand passen-
gers have been transported across, and
scarcely a case Of sickness or death has
occurred; while before, the malarious
climate and sudden change from sea to
shore, with the fatigues and toll across
the mountains, rendered that journey
one Of perils and frequent deaths. Seven
hundred and fifty millions of dollars
have been sent across, without the loss
Of a dollar, and the value Of the trade
across is $50, OOo, 900 per annum. The
Pacific Nail Steamship Company EN-.
ploys a feet Of twenty-five large steam
ships between New York, Panama, Mex.
leo, California, Japan and China. There
is q French general Transatlantic Com
pany, with a large and powerful feet,
An English, West India and Pacific
Steamship Company, with another large
steam feet, connecting Liverpool and
Central America. Another Royal Mail
Steam-Packet Company, with nineteen
ships. Another line connects New zes.
land and Australia with this railroad.
Other lines run up and down the coast,
connecting South America and MEXICO
with IL. The business is immense the
lsthmus is rapidly becoming American
ICED, and the relations between the
United States and this important point
are every hour becoming more close, by
the simple torce of natural ties. The
authentic details OF everything counec.
ted with this subject ought to be the
study Of all u statesmen. They are
brought together with great c~learness
and precision BY Dr.. Otis, in this i'm
portsnt volume.