The Osceola times., 1881-11-19

ests hlishing portage scross the lsthnIs
AZ this verv poini 70 the S.srth SEA, vish
a view to realizing the idea OF Columbus
Of reaching ~Zipzngu and far CSthsy by
a Western course. Spain favored the
project Of Cortez, and having taken three
hundred years 10 think about II issued a
decree in 1914 authorizing the attempt.
Bat the resolution had already started
and prevented all further proceedings
until lS42, when the republic granted
concession % Don j sse De tTaray TO build
S rsiiroal there. The Garay concession
lsuSe,i slihulgh the government OF the
D1i;et States Was prepared TO pay si9'-
On .0J1 for a right Of way across the 18th
mus. and authorized the commissioners
Of the boundary treaty h offer that sum
20 Mexico. This, too, fell through; but
after the gold discoveries Of California,
our government kept its eve on the 18TH
mus. and has since made two surveys for
the purpose Of determining the prsctic-
ability Of S oAnsl. These SURVEYS were
bv Gen. Barnard in 1881. and by Com
nioiore Shufeldt in ls-0; but it looks as
IL the isthmus was waiting for the ship
railroad, for in the interval three con-
secltive concessions were made 10 Mex
: =
vet the Panama canal, 200 miles away
from Us, was begun before the Mexican
government turned q willing ear 10 the
idea Of Eads.
Thus. II Will be seen that the idea Of
an interoceanic route at this point is his
torical. which may account, in part, for
the favor with which Mr.. Eads' project is
looked upon by the people and govern
ment Of Mexico. The latter hssexpress-
ed its approval by giving to Capt. Eads
the most liberal concession thai any gov
ernment ever granted TO a private per-
son. II exempts his company from
taxei and imDosts Of every nature, ac-
cords Il the right Of way and gives it en-
tire control Of tolls and regulations. As
one Of the few opponents Of the bill in
the Mexican congress put it, the grant
made Eads sovereign Of the isthmus in
place Of Mexico, which had abdicatedl
The plan Of Capt Eads is primarily
based on the idea that wherever it is
practicable to dig a canal to float a ship
il is also practicable to build railway
to carry one. The plan meets with the
approval Of the most sober minded and
competent engineers in this country and
England, and is declared to be scientif-
cally sound and quite practicable. Any
person who has seen ship raised out Of
the water for repairs upon floating
dock. securely propped and braced in
position. and who will imagine this dock
with wheels under it dragged by the aid
of steam windlass upon a rail way suit
ably constructed and Afterwards hauled
by locomotive power, will have fair
idea Of Capt. Eads' plan. The car or
dock is designed TO move rails under il
10 be placed as close together as their
diamameters will permit. The tractile
power will be furnished by four locomo-
tives. each Of which will be five times as
powerful as those ordinarily in use. A
car 800 feet in length, such as would car
~ a ship of 400 tons. would have 100
wheels on each rail and 200 wheels in
all. This would give a pressure Of five
tons on each wheel, which is not as great
as 10 borne by the roadbed of an ordin-
ary railway. The following disposes Of
the most usual objections to Capt. Eads'
plan:
There is popular delusion that a
ship, which represents the highest per-
fection of human skill in the harmon
ious adjustment Of its proportions, is so
part were left unsupported. Few people
are aware that Lloyds' rules, which are
the basis Of ocean insurance, require a
sea. coming vessel to be so strong that il
would sustain no injury if supported on
| a single bearing across its center, or il
suspended between two supports at its
ends. A ship that cannot stand this
without injury is not fl TO 90 to sea, yet
there is no room on the ship railway for
any such strain as this.
The width ofthe isthmus at its narrow
est part-namely, from the bar of the
| Ceatzacoalcos river on the north, to the
chain Of natural harbors on the south is
/ l43 miles. The river named is a broad
and deep stream, and with its tributary,
the Uspanapa, navigable by tke largest
vessels fifty-fye miles to Ceiba Bonita
where the railway will begin. The
course Of the road, is now under final
survery, and the estimated cost is $780,
/ 600 per mile. The estimated total cost
Of the road, including equipment and
harbor work, is S75,00O,0O0, and its com
pletion will not take more than five
I