Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1871-01-27

Mr.. Editor;-I left your readers in my
last at the wharf in Aspinwall. This
wharf rests on iron screw piles, and they
only resist the ravages of the teredo.-
Aspinwall is contemporaneous with the
Panama Railroad, and it was named in
honor of w. H. Aspinwall in 1852. 1t
contains about three thousand inhabi-
tants, four-ffths Of whom are black, the
whites being mostly employees of the
Pacific Mail Steamship and the Panama
Railroad companies. The whole island
of Manzanilla is low coral formation,
on which Aspinwall is situated The
highest point is only few feet above the
level of the sea. There are no springs
of water, and the inhabitants are forced
to use rain-water. The long pennated
leafed cocoas are visable in every direc-
ton, bending under their loads OF nuts.
The heat is very oppressive, and in our
strolls it is necessary to use an umbrella.
The streets are very filthy, and dogs and
swine dispute for the remnants lying
around. We saw bronze statue of CO.
lumbus and an Indian maiden, of colos-
sal size. Clothing here seems to be at
discount, to judge by its scanty use
among this people. A poster informs us
that the train will start at one O'Clock,
P. NJ, as that time has nearly arrived, all
are fortifying themselves for the isthmial
trip whose terrors of former days before
the quick transit now made, still fingers
in the minds of many. The natives and
Jamaica negresses throve by peddling
out those things that our travellers need-
ed. Passengers with valises, oranges,
bananas, &C., come crowding in the cars
whose accommodations are much limited
everyway. Soon peddlers pass through
the train with eve ything eatable and
liquors of such surprising cheapness that
all purchased of them, for present neces-
sites. Aspinwall and Panama being
free ports make imported articles of re
duced price. Brokers urge US to change
green backs for gold, but we demur as
the rate of discount is too high. The
bottle passes around freely and none re-
fuse, not even the ladies refuse to smile,
under stress of circumstances. The
heavy ladened train at last is in motion.
This road was upwards of seven years in
building through almost unsurmountable
difficulties. 1t is forty-seven miles long
with innumerable curves and cost $780,
900 per mile. Thousands of men per-
ished in its construction. The telegraph
poles are of cement. The reason of this
is that if merely wood was used, the
wood would soon decay or the insects
bore the poles down. The natives pay
ten dollars each for crossing the Isthmus
but all othershave to pay twenty-five dol
lars in American gold and ten cents pei
pound for freight. The train passes
through low marshy ground with pools
of water filled with all kinds of aquatic
plants, for the first few miles. The Ric
Gatun comes in sight partially hidden
by the tall bamboo and other grasses
This stream is crossed by an iron truss
bridge of ninrty-seven feet span. VIZ
occasionally pass small gangs of natives
cutting and bringing wood to the Rail
road on pack horses. A couple of miles
more of forest intersected bya few small
tributaries of the Chagres, and we ar
rived at FrIoli. Here an amusing
scene occurs. A short distance from
the station, there was a grove of trees
ladened with fruit which attracted tn,
attention of our travellers who thought
they were ranges. Then comes rusI
for them through mud and brush. Th'
fortunate ones procured few sour lime
to offset torn and bespotted garments :
Leaving here we pass through a portion
of country beautiful to behold. Flower
are seen in the greatest profusion, sucl
as are only found IN greenhouses In othe
places. Palms loaded with fruit and in
Vulnerable varieties of trees so that i
seems more like dream than a real ty
We now obtain at Barbacoa a magnif
cent view of the Chagres river. The re
cent rains have so swollen it that it
banks barely retain its waters. We eros
: the Chagres here by a huge wrought irol
| bridge six hundred and twenty-five fee
in length and eighteen feet in breadth
standing forty-feet above the surface Q
the river. This bridge is composed Q
SIX spans of over hundred feet each
) built of boiler iron. The railway has
side track at Matachin for a passin
train. This is the last place of impor
5 lance before reaching the Pacific. Thi
station consists of some thirty native hut
i of the same general stamp as those "
have already passed. The natives
dwellings are constructed of cane an
palm matched just enough to keep ou
tho rain Notwithstanding rain was 9all