New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-12-06

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grant from the Mexican government, which
object, after much trouble and labor, and
repeated visits to Mexico and New York,
MIR. LaSere finally succeeded in accom-
plishing.
On the second of January, 1869, bill
which had been previously adopted by
the Mexican Congress in December, 1868,
was approved by President Juarez. BY
that bill privilege was granted to Mr..
LaSere to form company in the United
States, for the purpose of opening inter-
oceanic communication by railway through
the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, said priv
lege to run for seventy years from the
completion of the road Mr.. LaSere,
having thereupon transferred his grant to
Mr.. Simon Stevens, of New York, acting
for Mr.. NIarshaA O. Roberts and other
Northern capitalists, company was
formed in New York, under the title O,
the 'sTehuantepec Railway Company"
with Mr.. Stevens as president and Mr..
Roberts and others as directors. Colonel
J. J. Williams, chief engineer of the new
company, completed in June last
thorough survey of the proposed railway
line, and his plans and specifications, after
being examined by the Mexican authori-
ties, and favorably reported upon by the
Mexican commissioner, were approved in
September last by the Mexican govern
ment, who authorized the company to
build the road in accordance Herewith.
We were informed by Colonel Williams,
who passed through this city some weeks
ago, that the work of grading and prepar-
ing the track would commence before
January next, and that he felt assured the
road would be finished and railway COM
munication from ocean to ocean would be
established within the period specified in
the grant, viz: three years from the COM
mencement of the work. Letters received
from New York confirm that impression.
Such, as far as our information goes, is
the present condition, and such are the
prospects of the Tehuantepec Railway
Company.
The bill to which we referred last week,
and which is still pending before the
Mexican Congress, has no connection
with Mr.. LaSeres railway grant, beyond
the fact that the company, of which he is
one of the directors, has applied for the
additional privilege Of making ship canal
across the isthmus, provided he survey
now being made by the expedition just
sent down to the Tehuantepec by the
United States government shall demon
strate the feasibility of the work. Should
the interoceanic canal bill, now under
be re-enacted by the
Mexican Congress with the amendments
suggested by President Juarez, and should
the report of Commodore Shufeldt and |
his party of American. and Mexican engi-
neers be favorable to the project-both of
which events are considered almost certain
by the best informed parties-a colossal
enterprise, fraught with immense benefit |
to the commerce of the world and calcu- |
lated to promote to an unlimited extent |
the Development of our mercantile navy,
IS well as the untold profits Of our trade |
with the whole Pacific coast of North and |
South America, and the ports OF China,
Japan, Indo-China and British India, will
be inaugurated under the auspices of the
governments of Mexico and the United
States. The cost of such canal would be
lar below that of the Suez canal, while the
profits would be UNNECESSARILY greater;
md there can be no doubt that the required
capital will be forthcomin: whenever the
and the comparative cheap
ness of the scheme are fully understood.
At all events, whatever may come of the
rehuantepec canal project, the Tehuante-
pee railway is now in fair way to become
''fixed fact" and it will doubtless be in
operation before the first spadefull of
,arth is dug up on the Isthmus for Te-
!. Z lntepec canal.
When that great work, only second in
Importance as regards Mexico and the
United States to the proposed Isthmian
hip canal, shall have been completed, no
share of the credit will be-
ong to Mr.. LaSere for the persevering in
crest and the unfagging energy he has
devoted to its success.
Mr.. Simon Stevens, the President of the
rehuantepec Railway Company, is a gen.
leman of high position and fine admins
rative ability, who has devoted the last
hree years to the successful prosecution
# the railway and canal enterprise Of
which he is the efficient head. The entire
of the affairs is now CEN
cred in his hands and those of the New
Iork board of directors.
ON CARONDELET STREET.
~ ~ 80, |