New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-01-13
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE,
THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA.
Continued from First Page.

out glasses the direct abuses to which the road mas
been subjected First, its entire system, 80 long IN
forming, has been shattered to pieces. 1t was
thought expedient, for what private ends know
not, by the recent managers that every official who
had grown gray in the service should be put where
he could do no harm' Under ono pretense and
another the most experienced compelled to re-
sign. Younger heads were chopped off without cere-
mony; all the sillful lingusts, accountants, rail-
road men discharged, and the good old Pam
anna soon was like dismasted ship at the mercy Of
the storm.
In the absence Of tried and capable men, who re-
garded the lsthmus as their home, horde of IL
norant, commonplace employees needy and broken
down, has been sent here. BY singular coinci-
dencc they are chiefly from Bennington, Vermont,
or its vicinity and if they allowed to 20 home
and vote should say that Mr.. Trenor W. Park
could easily be elected to Congress by their suf-
frages Unless he has political aspirations of tins
sort can't see why he supports a single one of this
continuation the superintendent to the
poorest clerk. They pcryade the whole 18th
mus, and are yainly trying TO master the
Topography business, and general System Of
fine Panama Transit Mr.. Superintendent White has
made quite a leap from Lis provincial experience
upon the Harlem Extension" to the management OF
q worlds roadway. He is n well-disposed man. VINO
il acting under home orders, and seems hopeiesSy
bewildered and desparng with respect to the large
operatons given to his control, and his subordnates
arc worthy Of their leader. The other day locoino-
tive dragged hithcra long tram Of empty freight
cars which should have brought from Aspinwal to
Panama the cargo of n newly-arrived steamer. The
mistake was here discovered and to rectify 1t the
engine was sent back with tram of loaded cars
containing freight just received from the eastern
side and awaiting shipment to Pacific ports But
cannot undertake to describe the coniuSion' delay
and damage to all parties concerned Except the gen
tlemen from Bennington, Va that prevail here and
at Aspinwall. Both foreign aud local shippers are
indignant, and the former are beginning to avail
themselves largely Of the Straits Line to South
American ports.
The Pacific Mail Company has taken pains to Sc
cure tho services Of some of the best men among
those to whom the Panama Railroad owed It's former
success. Other steamship lines succeed in dschars-
ing or receiving cargOes III manner the reverse oil
satisfactory. II the complex accounts OF the rail-
road are in keeping with It's external condition. II
will be no snccurc labor for IN investigating COM
mittce to mraycl them Every nerve seems to have
been strained in continuing the quarterly DIVIDENDS
of 3 per cent but during the past Is months not
two-thirls of this sum can have been squar'iy
earned. The reserve" including the T12O'oOO IT,
ceiyed from the sale of the Railroads. Central AInru
can Steam rs has been awaited ofin this crisis and the
economy The latter il q cutting down of iudis-
pensablc expenditures. The working force has been
reduced to a minimum. Wear and tear and recon
struction are wholly ignored. Ia this latitude
road passing through swamps, over mountains, sur
rounded by the rlnkcst tropical vegetation, ara
flooded by fierce and prolonged rains must be Kept
up" at Whatever cost, before any but tho most
transient profits can b. secured. stitch IN time
saves q vast deal moro than nine. But moth
ing has been spent on the road oil Ia'e'
Hearing many remarks about the CONDITION
Of the wharycs at ApinWall | have taken
pains TO examine them. Two Of the four are nece7-
sary ont of use, and going to ruin, no permanent
repairs having been made since it was broken
through by vessels adrift in "northcr" tTo years
ago ard the wood work, above and below, Of iilc
other being rotten and WOrm-caton in the extreme.
There is neither iron lumber here ior repairs,
and none can be procured from New-lork but The
road aud rolling stock demand closer attention. The
old rails of the former in a SAL condition rap
idly wearing out aud must be largely renewed very
soon. Scarcely amy iron has been bought
since the four miles of steel rail procured
by the stockwcll administration. About 10000
cross-tcs need immediate rcplacing-lO miles IN all
Upon the rolling stock large expenditures must
shortly be made. The locomotives aic rapidly wear
ing ont The cars are badly out Of repair and there
are not enough of either class. or freight there
are not more than two-thirds the number required
for the prompt and economical transmission OF
freight and for storage. The shops at AspinwaH
have neither skilled workmcn, nor material for re
pairs Finally the material condition OF the road
added to the meager and Inefficient Office t.rce' Is
working delay ami constant loss to shippers, ana
hcaping up bill, of damages against the Company
For every dollar saved 10 the y-rols 10y employing
q green and short handed force, 80 must be pad IA
reclamatons."
Those here who are familiar with tho history anu
working Of The road see that this must soon tell
fraIfnlly that the reckoning cannot be much longer
DELAYED, and a feeling of sorrow and anger exists
npon the Isthmus. To further swell It's temporary
receipts the Company has again and again advanced
tho rate, on local freight growing trade has been
checked by this action, the charges being almost
pr,lbtory. This has raised an cutlery, and attracts
the attention OF che Sta,o authorities, being in direct
violation OF the contract with the Colombian Gov
erimrnt. Some heavy suits are beng initiated by
the injured merchants audit il likely that still more
serious consequences viii soon cnsde.
The I-lay and Itata are noT in port on this SIDE
and fine Honduras and Constitution fully due. Inc
Alps AMI Acapulco sail to-day from A-pnwall 10
Ncw-York Mir j. G.. Mciggs and family are ptsscn-
gers by the latter vessel. The ship Colombo, rom
Cardiff via Cape Horn, laden with coal, came INTO
ihis harbor under full sail Oh the 10Th ina StTicN
filed and went down IN plain ssht oil the Town.
Pier deck is covered at low water. snip ana cargo
are valued at 500 600 and the disaster Is coihid-
cred very surprising AFFAIR.
Mr.. T. W. PARKS BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
From" 4ae FaHema S'e' aaa h'a!e-0e Aa"S papa" ''
Occupying the position as we do III relation
TO The crfci4I tauc oI tIe world, longer silence on
gt