Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1869-01-06
Aspinwall.-Panama r. r. -Yegeta-
tiOn in the TrOpicS.-The Natives.
The Pacille.-Death on ShipbOard.
Volcanic DeSOlatiOnS.
STEAMER, SACRAMENTO,
OFF LOWER CALIFORNIA,

STEAMER, SACRAMENTO,
OFF LOWER CALIFORNIA,
Nov. -, 1S6S.
We left New York in the Steamer
ArizOHid, Oct. 3lst, and in nine days
came 10 anchor by the docks of Aspin-
wall, the eastern terminus of the
Panama r. r. This is u Railroad
town, built on an Island, n small la
COON sepei iating it from the main land,
which is reached by crossing an I'M
mense swamp, a distance of seven
miles, through which the II. r. Is
built on piles.
The Panama Railroad is great mo-
nOpoly. 1t pays an immense percent
age, the stock is worth 80 per cent,
and none III the market. Although
the natural obstacles to be overcome
in building it we've not great-iew
high mountains ana difficult passes
yet, in consequence of having To trans
port all the material so far and the
unhealthlulness of the climate, it Sc
veveTely taxed Yankee enterprise.
1t was completed at the sacrifice OF
many hundreds of lives, first of Irish
laboTers, then Of Coolies imported
from China. 1t is said that the first
seven miles could be paved with the
skulls of its victims, anu n human
skeleton under every tie. 1t was only
by labor of the natives, who were at
length taught to work, that it was
completed Its length is 80 miles,
and the fare is S25, over 80 cents Il
mile. This is what the Steamship
Company pay for every passenger; /;
and every pound of baggage, over 100,
which the amount allowed each pas
sengeT, costs 10 cents pound. All
our baggage was carefully weighed,
and the excess above the 100 pounds,
if much or little, was taxed the inev-
liable 10 cents costing some passengers
II or l5 dollars for an extra trunk.
Hand baggage went free, some carry
ing a large amount, and so saving eX-
pense. 1t takes about three hours TO
cross the lSthmus, the cars being
| scarcely equal to the secOnd-class cars
on our Railroads at home. But the
ride is n grand one, because of the fine
view we get of the country, and the
>plendor of the tropical Vegetation.
/ To see, it pays for the whole trip, 1t
was in the midst of the rainy season,
and the foliage was in its glOry-such
variety and so wonderful-such q
! prOfusiOn of gay flowers, trailing vines
and broad-leaved ferns. The forrest
trees were covered with runners reach
! ing their highest tops, and dipping
| to the ground. A profusion of morn
| ing glOries covered the lower trees
and shrubs. The lOwlands blOssomed
with lilies. Long-legged birds, OI
white plumage-the crane species
waded in the shadows. The open
grounds were beautified by long rows
of graceful palms and cOcOa-nut trees
and plantations of bananas and
oranges, loaded with fruit; and the
occasional depOts were surrounded
by gardens Of Towering trees anC
shrubs of the gayest cOlors, so tEa
the houses latterly looked out of the
center of a huge boquet of roses.
saw i'm the trees birds of the most bril-
liant plumage, and back from thu
road the forests are full of MONKEYS
and wild cats, and other fierce animals
none of which however, show them
selves to the passing traveller, tht
: shrill whistle driving them into tn,
denser shades.
Along the road every now and then
we passed through a native village
some of them quite pOpulous. Tn,
houses were made of poles set upright
and woven together, and some of then
+ plastered with mud. The roofs wer
steep and thatehed with the lon;
leaves of a specie of palm. Some q
them were set up two or three fee
from mtheground on sticks to prevent tn
. entrance Of poisoning reptiles whicl