New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-07-24
TOPOGRAPHY,

The prevailing idea entertained in this coun-
| try concerning the Isthmus, seems TO be that
of an impenetrable swamp on either coast, sud
| denly rising into an impossible mountan-chai
| in the center, with variations of confused jun
gle and volcano and climate in whose fiery
and pestilential vspors only monkeys and ALI
gators are supposed TO be really " at home
How far this impression is erroneous has already
been partly shown but the same subject fur
nishes another important text when we come
to the discussion of the practical work of rail.
bodybuilding.
| The town of Minatitan, the present head of
| ship navigation on the GOatzacoacOs river, il
the northern terminus of the proposed transit
and is on the western bank of the river, about
twenty miles from its mouth. IL is. already
trading town of some Importance The climate
is equable and salubrious I; the land rising into
high rolling savannas at some distance from
the margin of the river and leaving but
small strip subject to the periodical cverfiows.
Minatitlan lies in what is geographically desig-
mated as the Atlantic plains" through which
the drainage of the northern slope or the Cor
dilleras finds its way to the Cult. lie Is an ex-
ceedingly rich and fertile region, and, for nearly
fifty miles from the coast, seems to, present no
features of difficult at all worthy of remark
in connection with railway construction. The
engineers report says !" For this division of
the road, the line is quite direct, the curves Of
easy radius, and the grades gentle.' All ne
cessary stone, timber &c, Reconstruction, are
supplied in abundance by the forests and
by easily accessible quarries.
The mountainous regien" occupies a strip
Of territory with an average width of about
forty miles, in the center OF the Isthmus and
may be said TO extend from the Jaltepec river,
on the NORTH to within twenty-five miles, OF
the Pacific coast. Here, in the elevated ridges
and spurs of the CordiIleras, are the only inn
portant obstacles to railway construction ): but
the continuity of the mountain chain is very
nearly broken by a pass which lies neayly in
the line Of shortest communication between tho
two oceans. 1t is as If nature had proViden-
TALLY cared for such an exigency as the present
proposed road for the depression is SO marked
that the highest grade to the mile at any part
of the line is but little more than sixty feet
On the Pacific side, the gap or opening is mar
row, and the descent quite rapid to a series
of table lands which incline slowly to the
coast at about fifteen or twenty feet to the
mile. The surface is remarkably smooth and
even, and their gentle slope is admirably
adapted to railway purposes The amount of
tunneling which viii be required. even in the
mountain region, is comparatively small, and
none of the rivers present unusual difficulties
in the way Of bridging. The work of con-
struction can go on at all seasons of the
year, almost without interruption, the steady,
eQuabe temperature, and the extreme sala.
brity of the climate, are every way fayOra.
BILE. With reference to this latter feature, the
report of the Surgeon to the surveying expe.
dition under p. E. TrastooF, in 1851, quoted by
| Mr.. Stevens, says:
"It will be seen that the Isthmus Of Tehuan-
| tepee naturally divides itself into three re-
| gions each different from the other in tOpo.
graphy, geological formation, and salubrity.
1.-The plain of GoatzacOalcOs river, flat and
! low, with an extremely fertile alluvial soil,
covered with thick forests, intersected by
many rivers, here and there subject to inunda-
| ton, although the least healthy, yet enjoys a
| high degree of salubrity and no fears need
be entertained, as proved by the experience Of
the French emigrants, for those who may in fu.
ture settle permanently in this region, and much
less so for those who may cross it as travellers.
y" The region of hills and mountains is as
healthy as The Most salubriOus portions of Eu.
| -, ..I. see Eleventh Page, I--