The New York herald., 1871-07-11
THE TEHUANTEPEc SHIP CANAL SCHEME

CITY OF TEHUANTEpEo, Mexico, June l, 1871.
Tehuantepeo, still beautiful CITY, built several
hundred years before COrtez came to Mexico, has
lost much Of It's former greatness though 1t has now
q population Of about sixteen thousand, situated on
the banks OF the river Tehuantcpec, eleven miles
from where 1t empties into the Pacific Ocean. and
about the came distance from Salina Cruz. the new
port just opened by the government the proposed
southern termination OF the Tehuantepec Railway
projected across the Isthmus.
Like your Brooklyn 1t Is q city OF churches, one OF
the Oldest and most interesting OF which is the
venerable ParrOqua, built by Oocopi last Caciq ue
OF the Zapoecos, IN $780, when 1t was dedicated to
the PURPOSES Of Christian worship by the Dominican
friars, to whom 1t was left as legacy by
the Chylstanlzed dying Cacique, This Church Is an
extensive rectangular building, Of semi saracenic
STYLE OF architecture. Its massive walls arched
gateways and ruined dome are silent evidences OF
the greatness Of people whose dust is mingled
with Its own. In the western end Is large chapel,
containing three altars and many rich ornaments IN
silver and some wooden statuary. In some Of the
corridors are many musty pictures Of saints and
scenes long since forgotten. Some Of the apart
ments have been appropriated for the college estab-
llshed here In 1850. The archives Of the convent
have long since been transferred to the city Of
Oaxaca.
The market place on the north side Of the plaza
is Of great interest The principal part OF the mar
keting Ia done BY women and girls, who throng the
long tiled shed by hundreds at earliest dawn. Here
are motley groups OF venders and buyers, inter-
spersed with hogs, dogs, donKeys and monkeys; the
shouts ana grunts and barks and brays OF each min.
gled with the human voices, ring In the morning
air, startling the echoes Of the overhangng CerrO
del Tlgre through the broad plaza. morning
stroll here cheers one wonderfully. and the fruits
regale Us as well.
This city is governed by q town coun H. and the
police duty performed by soldiers Of the National
Guard, whose quarters command the entrance Of
the plaza. The cleaning Of streets and the repairs
Of pavements are done by the prisoners from the
TRADE AND MANUFACTURES.
The principal trade Of Tehuanlepec is in cochinea
cacao. fish, camarOnes saddles, shoes and leather.
The manufactures are, to q considerable extent,
leather cotton cloth, silken sashes, Shoes hats,
mats silverware, saddles horse appointments. pot
NEW IMPETUS TO BUSINESS.
Anew impetus has been given to the city, o. well
M s
missoners on the part Of the Mexican government
the United states exploring expedition which re.
Gently made explorations and rec0nnOissances
OF the summit, mat as supply OF 2ooo CUBIC lee 1eet
NIT level In the Tarlfa Pass from the Rio del Corte
This announcement simply confirms tne OPINION 1 ls,
Tehuantepec Railway and Ship Canal, In report
made 0y him In 1852, when he was principal assls.
TO General Barnard In that celebrated survey OF
THE MEXICAN COMPANY AND CAPTAIN sHUFELDrs
Speaking OF the proposed railway ana ship canal,
the Mexican engineers fully concur in the vews eX-
pressed by the companys engneers and en-,
expedition. 1t is reported that the lowest
summit OF the Tarifa Pass is es4 feet
now being run by the company with the Mexican
engineers viii demonstrate that the height Of d. the
perfectly feasible to cut down that summit at least
wenty fee'> which Will then leave 1t an elevation OF
only about $50 eet TINS elevation can be overcome
summit .,,. ,-.
surveys were unfortunately, limited 10 ascertalnlng
be found above the elevation and contig uous the
of the Gulf and Pacific coasts, for the purpose OF
ascer;anng definitely whether servlceaoe harbors
Of the commerce which would make use CI Tie fal
Captain shuledt having ascertained that water
from the Rio del COrte could be supplied at Tarfa
sufficient quantities for ship canal it Is understood
here from the engineers Of the Mexican governments
that the Tehuantepec Railway Company, which also
holds the ship canal concession. viii now make
without delay complete survey OF the isthmus
from the lagOons nortn to Minattlan, which sur
veys when Completed, Will, as am informed, be
submitted by the company to board OF eminent
rope % Who win De De requested 70 examine the maps,
plans profits and estimates, and define the precise
location Of tile railway and ship canal.
The execution Of the work on the Sue2 and the
Amsterdam canal into the North Sea should demon.
strate the company tna the southern terminus OF
the railway and canal should be the upper lagoon,
which can be dredged where channel Is needed,
leading to the Pacific, by cutting canal OF about
'TS es e sHso % e cana at
the iagOons, canal proper oil nity miles IN length,
northerly, would reach the mouth OF the Matalengo
River; from thence tue COatzacOalcos River would
be utilized to tide water, the head OF snip navlga-
tlon, thiry:hye miles from the Gull, making about
l23 miles Of slack water navigation.
ESTIMATED COST OF THE CANAL.
The Mexican engineers, estimating the cost OF the
Canal y in scotland scotland, at siS2o0 per mile Tor w i7S
miles, fifty of which Is canal proper and l2S or slack
water NAVIGATION, 1uld give $40 ,OoO to which
must be added the cost OF eighty LOCKS say double
those OF the Caledonian Canal-s6 400, ,0OO-lnaking
grand total OF $52, ,o96,oOo Then for feeders, say
thirty miles, at 100000 per mile, would be
s3000 600; for basins ports and contingencies. say
$4,3o4,ooo, maklng grand total OF s4o,ooooou,
The present location Of the line OF railway Is
through the Chvela Pass, about slx miles TO west
ward OF Tarlfa but Will be changed to Tarlfa now
demonstrated and should 90 to near MinattlaD, on
the east side or the Coatzacoalcos River.
THE PEOPLE ANXIOUS.
Thousands or people upon the lsthmus are anx-
iously awaiting active operations by the company,
ment % in opening their Country to the commerce Of
the world This Isthmus OF all others, Ia the one In
which the United States s most directly Interested
10 be convinced OF which It Is only necessary to look
at the map OF the world.
In the construction OF great works Ike these the
health Of tue climate Is Of the utmost Importance
No part OF America Is more healthy than this 18TH
mus. The route upon which the heaviest work Is 10
be done extends partly through pincy wood region
everywhere noted to be healthy. In fact history for
three hundred years has demonstrated that the Te-
huantepec Is much more healthy than any other
lsthm1an rOufe.
Captain Shulfeldts expedition having concluded
their labors have returned to the United States TO
report, and the Mexican engineers have gone home
TO report to their government, aud learn that
Colonel Williams has been recalled TO New York tenn
porarly leaving his corps In the field; but he Is ex-
pccted 10 return by the second steamer from New
Won hmm 4 no Iath mn N