Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-01-10
The Proposed Intereceanic Ship
Railway.

The New Orleans Picayune thinks
there is not the slightest doubt of the
entire practicability of Captain Eads'
projected ship railway across the Isthmus
of Tehuantepec, for the construction of
which he has recently received such
liberal concessions from the Mexican
Government Captain Eads proposes, if
the United States will aid the work, to
demonstrate the feasibility of his plan
by constructing and operating ten miles
of his railway, upon which he will take
up several firSt-class ocean steam
ers, transport them over the sec
ton of ten miles and return
them to the waters of the Gulf.
The Ptcdyune thinks the construction of
the Eads' railway calculated to largely
benefit the commerce and advance the
prosperity of the United States and
urges the Louisiana representatives in
Congress to give the project their jealous
support. Commenting on the advan-
tages which the ship railway would have
over the proposed Panama and NIcara-
guam canal route the Picayune says:
''The Isthmus of Tehuantepec on the
line of the projected road is $50 miles
wide, and there are no engineering diff
culties to be overcome; while harbors
exist at either terminus, that with small
expenditures could be made to accommo-
date all the shipping patronizing the
route The location of the isthmus is
far more favorable as transcOntinental
highway than either Nicaragua or Pana-
ma. not only on account of the great
saving in distance, but for the reason Of
its position being above the calm belt.
From New Orleans to San Francisco the
distance is 1886 miles shorter than by
way of Panama. On the round trip be-
tween New Orleans and China or Japan
the saving of distance via Tehuantepec
would be 3, $40 miles A ship sailing from
New York for San Francisco, and
crossing ION the Eads railway, would
have to travel 1905 miles, while one
going via the Panama canal must go
6.0j7 miles. The crossing is ], $50 miles
nearer TO New Orleans than Nicaragua,
and 1890 miles nearer than Panama.
The location is certainly more advan-
tagcous to the commercial nations than
any other isthmus in the world, and an
interoceanic highway there would inure
more largely to the benefit of the United
States than any route further South.
The railway would certainly vastly bene-
fit the commerce of New Orleans, and
would enable the Western cities to par
ticipate in the trade of the Pacific"
Few will venture to doubt the practi-
cability of scheme that has the in
dorsement of such distinguished and
experienced engineer as Captain
Eads. Besides, in this day of wonder
full progress, we should be surprised at
no achievement of science. Neverthe-
less, we find it difficult to divest our
mind of misgivings in regard to the
practical working of ship rail
way one hundred miles in length.
Even if ships could with safety sus-
tain the strain and jar of railway trans
portation, the casualties to which such
MISUNDERSTANDING to:sustain the immense
weight of ship and cargo-would neces
sarily be subjected under the most
favorable circumstances must, it seems
to US, render the plan one of doubtful
practicability. Before the scheme is
seriously undertaken the ten mile test
proposed by Captain Eads should GER
tainly be made.