The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-03-24
RdTLROIDTNG ~ THE SKY
Completion Of One OF the Grcatea Mechanical
Wonders uf the World.

| In the Christmas week uf last year tho
Diorio Ofcioi of Mexico informed it, rend RS
that the vIadut of Acoi'ing). near Orizaba. had
bcen completed and safely passed by test
train: ana thus announce, the solution ~ the
Frandest mechanical problem ever attempted hy
human hands and human skill since Queen
Semirams hridged the sky with her hanging.
gardens.
The plateau Of Anahuac contains four cities
and nine larger towns. with an aggregate popu-
lation of two millions. whose exports and i'm
ports 70 all via Vera Graz; and the advantages
of railroad along such highway Of com
merce were 50 unmstakahle that as early as
1852 the merchants Of the Calle Real the
Broadway Of tho Mexican CAPITAL, commits
stoned nm American engineer TO survey a
| rond from their city TO the seashore and
send them an estimate OF the probable costs.
but 1t really seemed as II nature had tried how
many chances against such an Undertaking
could bc crowded into space Of two hundred
| miles. Between the coast and the foothill. of
the Sierra Madre extends broad belt Of hon
duras or quagmirc agoons. a mixture of lakes
and swamps that makes 1t doubtful If the name
OF a terra ilrma can be- applied to such place
| honiura swamp could not be called ahso-
utcy inlpeneirabic without undcrratingthe YER
satile accomplishments ofthe maranon or Mou-
| chn laIir, VINO can swim and dive ike "A bpuyor.
outrun Cincinnati burglar aud break through
! n hodg" Of lancet cactus without scratching hi-
SKIN hu, human being might ~ we'll attempt
| 10 make his way To- the North Pole with "A walk
| ing SUCK "a To cross the swamp belt Of Vera
Cruz without choice assortment Of axes ropes,
cr4whars, and graphing hooks.
=, The minimum width of this swamp belt IS
| thiry-nyo miles hut it, difficulties wero more
| ifin's compared WITH thoscuf the Tppor sierra
n the first year oftheJuarez Administration the
| Nl,Nnans talked Of tunnclling the Sierra Nnira
u " II, Mont ms, but Yankee experts AMI Maxi
| mlllhn millary engineers pronounced against
me practcability, of the idea with unanimous
| pp-lN'nesS. We managed 20 perforate n
diameter" wrote Coi. Bicdcnicli ~ the Amsir".
MeNican army. but II It comes To- boring
| through twenty-five leagues OF solid porphNry.
| W. might A. woll give up all hope II roam ngthe
| fruits of our labor. for the united resources 81
| Mexico. Austria. and France would not suffice
! To- finish thr work ina lifrfime W. eannnt 40
/ through the CprdillrraS. but Wo may ale them
though their stoepnnss and height viii MAKE II
/ a desrerlie Job" II the Sierra had only boon
steep and high. the difficulties Of tho job would
/ ny hhNc been cSs 'ntay different from those
/ m0untans. though the apex Of the Trans-Cor-
| d.Hnras road pet is fully 5000 feet above that
| sierra Madre is not its height, but it, ahysmal
/ u'phs. the hlrrnneas or unfaihomable deillrs
| thAt luter-rct the CoIdlleras in every direction.
N" onh'ns OF our Rocky mountains are hut u
| ieerl" prototype OF the bOttomless eorg"s Of tho
southern Sl"rrls that resemble Il volcanic rent
| IN IN" rust y tho solid earth rather than any
| timeworn waterway. From Colorado to (iuaio-
malh those mountain ceitS seem to grow deeper
as the mountains become higher and the con
/ tin"ni nnrrowcr and in the central portions II
h ei., MN,'3 Wn,rs me sierra Madre rses To-
H H.lgi, H. inu'u le't lhe harrahcns constitute
"',rtr,H .ne nimst interesting leature q a
ivi'i' ~ n"'uIulng III rcthl, surpriSrS. fol-
diN ,- ~. ~ ,,',uous rurN's 81 NJ rallInnl ne
i na,,,s lip'n W. s 81 t'nst 10 'ne fhpW Is -
rr"i- ar 80" - i',E.'sn ilivS' Tilq M
si..hh III H. s.,p 'hat uurlhf tu1 up-ill nan
m Ian f,,r ~. h 1Nnrht.- i,ar,,,y yen tio-
r,a ', ~ "ii w up"h EIal,s 'l' "nglhe'r
i % P ,.t IoSt uIIne' - ta, th' Journey can
,,,uii','., 'nl n''tM'rh ll' utWh anu evening
wi y IL "I u sumner gay anu j. very Doubt
.,r ~. ~ 9 LII" , p4rt Oh eur pilt'l lraNrurr
ar y" , mpur@ ,r~usn scenic Won
III ~ W. , ,su" E.al ',x,uI Hilu NarIrY.
n ,n,i, t'aNs VIZ r,lZ lltr n'tor' o;7l
g., ~ unu nt,eT rnlnnnhg 'hroush ihe lrnrls IN
it , ~ " , irlu'uiHlS Elides INTO the
''','s ri,',. vi We xxx ,n..'il'. Il, ~,
,o,.,,'.,t ~ ., ,nc uiiuh- IN ihr surrounding
nfsn,'ul'n u'i'unes NOR d',iurd. Gum trees;
STILL r'it,sss ,hhn lhIh,s ~ every FORM ana
~ :, .a,.l il ,h'ir h'aiS as"Nr ", lunIl' "i
MA 'r.,u "a ,rlis nqt IN tic iuot nuns liyr OAKS
n, i nnshnilas PR l"inlhat'' ana ny ami hy W.
Curtv tmuE" sa'ueiis' cAesthu's ana groves vi
u h'N' sutton Is pretty mountain village.
W,,n sIt,y eonN'nt' some modern looking
IL 49, ~ ~ a. n,k' urppe WnIrr the
"ytr "n,ne for We ero ' pay NJ NJ ~ ga
Sara N7,1r ,h "rr AZ" ~ w, gay" oi NE
"a ~ ~, ~, 'n,n ..."'. n' W., W., ,,iul'