The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-24

oaaresssd ~ that soldier to the Emperor Charles
the Fifth OF Spain that It had become IN
his MIND an object or Intense economic and national
Interest to discover STRAIT or way by which the
1.-TWO seasn could be naturally united. Cortez nnr-
ssnera hone sppears 20 have declined however in
conseouence OF his having conceived soon alter-
NV means OF the formation OF carriage road cross
ing the ishmus OF ienuantepec, and which he hoped
utilize for the supplying SPAN with the spices
new regions" a. he then expected to discover on
this side. Cortez even appointed commission.
made up OF his pilots and other scientific persons.
the members Of watch 10y his order surveyed tue
south OF Vera Cruz as lar as the river Coatza-
coalco. Cortez was thus on the path OF develop
ment; for Humboldt, speaking OF road, tells US
that the river Coatzacoalco furnished Immense
facilities the transportation over tile istnmus from
Vera Cruz W materials to 90 used In the building OF
vessels which ne nJted out In Tehuantepec Tor SER
vice in the Pacific. Viewing Uortez as q great SOL
der Legislator and prevalent 'land clasuant,n we
have additional confirmation Of the tendency OF the
calculations which were passing in ms mind IN
knowledge OF tue fact that even when sort VI
OF monarch, by force ol arms. III Mexico he Sc
lected as his individual property extensive tracts OF
the land lying on The CoatzacoalcoS river and In the
district OF oaxaca tue immediate neignbornOod OF
Tehuantepec. THIS estaie Was confirmed to Oorte1
by the grateful Emperor The land was cultivated
ana mines opened ana worked 10y Coltez with vast
profit at the tIine out 10 the moment OF his deatl
yaniages which were 70 be had Dy the establish
ment and maintenance Vi me transit OF the lsthnas
by the line OF 1eisusrtepec route. HIS gains
great his profits snss and his progeny favored
by fortune; his Immediate descendants possessing
to-day tracts VI iand near 10 fenuantepec whca
are KnowA as the estates OF Tie Marqicsaias Al
ter the DEAN OF Cole1, spain marched elsewhere 10
Hesh conqucsLs No person seemed able 70 CON-
prebend his plans OF improvement ana 50 thu $40
jects Doth OF the new route aud oceanic union,
were allowed t0 siss INTO state OF oD.iyion-eveh
more than comparauive-whi endured ior very
many years.
Dampier made an exploration of the country
around the Coatzacoa'eo towards the Close OF
the seventeenth century Ia tile year l1a5 the proecs
OF opening the eaa2DtePec route was revived,
when the vieeroy vi dexico was strenuously urged
In ma n loo "A
merchants OF VEGA Cruz and Acapulco ala
not support the Idea OUT .d IN Ia cb,,, oo
the canvass OF such propos ton. During tue year
1774 Don Antonio NJ Bucareli, Ficefoy OF Mexico.
ordered Don AuSustin CIaIneF, Governor or The san
Juan dc uiioa an englnesr oy proisssion ~ MAKE
survey OF the whole route. lie confirmed previous
statement OIL ths depth OF water GA the bar at the
mouth OF the river ana acded that the bar rs per.
manent one. never having changed In depth OF water
since It's discovery dis snfvey was made Ior Tue p1r
pose or opening water CO REMUNERATION between the
two oceans, tho entire pracLicaoiiity oil which he
demonstrated, snd at comparatively small cost, re-
marsing on the FACILITIES when exist ior good road
TO Fehuantepec. These results also those 70 the
same purporr furnished ut a iaer day BY che VICE
roys OF Mexico, ReviilEigelo and Iturrl2aray, the
importance OF winch vas urged upon the spanish
Cores failed to elicit any response or action Irom
the government oil SPAN. wnicn losing its hith-
erto wei earned character energy and enterprise.
However, IN 1914, The spanish Cortes walked up SUI
ncently to issue a decree for the opening Of the
canal by way OF the isrhnus OF Tanuanepec In pre-
ference TO that oI Nicaragua or Panama. but the po-
htcal distractions which SHORTY followed, aud the
men without either tAe means Oh the power 10 pro.
mote such a scheme.
In the year 1923 William -. Robinson, an Ameri-
can citizen WHO hsd spent considerable time
yelasquez de Leon aud Hsrnaado CorIez, pub
lished the results OF ais OBSERVATIONS on the
tention OF commercial mea to The advantages OF
Tehuantepec he saws, speaking OF the Coatlac0al-
COS has nv Is Tue eh p9r sra sns sSa als G c
enter ana is lar superior 10 PENSACOLA or EspiItu
Santo.' When the aexicans established their inde-
pendence tbelr hrst natural desire was 10
develop the Clements or prosperity which their
territory possessed In lo24 the state o. Vera
Cruz and the federal government appointed each
commission 10 survey the isthmas, consisting OF
Don J. de ORTIZ and Colonel Juan de Orbeg0zo; but
from the political contests tIe State tile govern
ment vas for some years prevented from attempt
ing the realization oil this enterprise ana 1t was not
until 1912 tl9t, upon the representation or
Don JOSE De GAgAY,
the government OF Santa Anna conferred upon him
an exclusive grant, with LIBERAL provisions, TO con-
struct and operate ine OF railroads In connection
with river navigation, to be operated by steam
power, from ocean to ocean across the lsthmas Of
1enuautepec. SO Important and valuable was this
transit considered oy the government OF the United
States IN lo47, the period when tue treaty OF peace
with the republic OF Mexico engaged the attention
Ing
pUcnAsAS, szoRrrAHv OF STATE, TO rHIsr
UNITED STATES COMMISSIONER 10 MEXICO.
.wAsnISeroN, April H. is47{
the ruth articles for The extension OF boundary
.S5ssss The 10 any 'um no. ss0sss1S
isaas Tsssnspeo tho tsissd States y
eighth article of The ire sha form part OF the treaty
This was followed by Instructions of the Mexican
government 10 tner commissioners, dated 2atn Au-
gust, 1543, which says:-
United States to navigate tns river Iehuantepe TO trac
Po any s or rsa Mat nay % Ss., e
fuses 20 conceds any such right.
THIS offer Sufficient nearly to build two such ra.
roads "a the company propose 10 construcH " as
made before the acquisition OF California and.
although we now have the Union Pacific Ra1Ifoad 1t
five years tnat tue new impetus given to the settle
OF the Pscitc coast and the trade with the In
dies WIN require these and several more railways to
supply the commerce OF the world.
THE TEEuAETEPEC LA sERE GRANT
az Aled In the city OF Mexico, Department OF 1n-
provement, COLONIZATION, Industry and Commerce,
on Monday. the 4th Of January, 1868. 1t reads
thus
The citizen President OF the republic has been
pleased TO address me the following decree:-
BEsTo JUAErz, Constitutional President of the Mexican
me! ne co.ssy;s Of n ns Union has ecrsed
AEqTorEi TIE dserse ss1ed By the ExecuSe on the 9Th
ocober 1851, authorizing Don Emilio La re, The
cation the sthnus Of fehuantepec IS modified In the
Arr Authorization granted The company tina, Don
Emilio "a ssrS may ,oTm 70 oPep s co..
diuons EXPRESSED in tbs decree.
AIR g. The company De formed by Las re may estab.
sh water IN The nayga6o portion OF tho
oazacoacos and where that ends, the roads will
commence the following srtices but If IL
should deemed expeiient TO the river The ronds
will commence at the mouth OF the ssne-
f. Tue LA Sere Company bound 10 construct n
railroad statn. from tho point where navigation
the river Terminates from ts mouth, 10
conformity with preceding article, and continue said
road 20 the ro % venoss, or % other port the Pa
that be deemed suitable While the railroad
fs being finished La VIII establish the communication
By of carriage road which he Will keep In good
bervcesbls coalition, With bridges necessary for the
psssae Of vehicles carrying passengers and merchandise Of
light burden.
ART. s. The necessary surveys being made for the rail
road for the carriage road and the corresponding maps
plans being the engineers these will be snbmt.
ted for the appreciation OF the general government without
which they viii be allowed so carried into execution
Axr. The Ia Company shall notify the government
opporuncy the when OF the lands through
which roads begin, that the
may appoint the commissioners who
In the which will follow their
be psld by the company for the demsrcaon OF the
claimed ceded that
the government win intarvsna hese will be
attn the