The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1882-05-06
The Teuhuantepec ship-Railway.
Engineering, August 20.

Wnile the preliminary works OF
the Panama Ship Canal are in pro-
gress-though, according to the
imperfect information afforded, the
progress is very small and the diff
culties far greater than were fore
seen-Capt. Eads is earnestly de-
veloping his project for the con-
struction of ship-railway across
the isthmus at Tehuantepec. The
abilities of Capt. Eads, both as an
engineer and a financier, have been
too well established by the success
J full completion of one of the greatest
engineering works of the world
the deepening of one of the mouths
of the Mississippi-for this scheme
to be passed lightly on one side, and
pronounced chimerical; on the con-
trary, emenating from such source
it commands the most serious at
tention both in a professional and a
commercial point of view. 1t would
be at once the most original and
boldest engineering work ever at
tempted, and if successful would
have an incalculable effect upon the
carrying trade of America. and to
less extent upon that of the whole
world. In the United States the
question is one attracting great at
tention, for not only is the work of
M. de Lesseps generally regarded
with feeling of mistrust, and with
a sentiment of jealousy also, but the
route located by Capt. Eads lies so
much nearer the direct line of
travel that it would naturally absorb
nearly all the trans-isthmian traffic.
On subsequent occasion we shall
consider this point in more detail,
but at present we will content our
selves with few figures relating
to the two routes. Speaking rough
ly, the ship-railway route is at the
north and the ship canal at the
south of the isthmus, connecting the
two continents, the lines of cross
ing being about HOO miles apart.
This is matter of the utmost i'm
portance, especially since Capt.
Eads has opened for large ships the
great waterway of the United
States, and converted New Orleans
into vast seaport. A ship leaving
the mouth of the Mississippi for
California Japan or China, would
if intending to cross the isthmus by
the canal, after passing the site of
the railway, be oblinged to follow
the coast for HOO miles to reach
the canal, and having crossed, as
up the coast on the western side for
the same distance before reaching
Tehuantepec. Thus the voyage
would be necessarily 1900 miles
further than by the ship-railway.
This would represent saving of
about 10 days on round trip be-
tween New Orleans and San Fran
cisco, and saving of IL days on
round trip between New York
and San Francisco. Shipowners
and merchants alike will under
stand the practical results of such
an economy.
Although Capt. Eads' project
has not yet advanced so far upon
the ground as that of NJ. de Les
seps, it stands upon at least as firm
foundation, and its ultimate pros
poets are probably far brighter,
apart from its physical advantages
The concession granted by Mexico
to Capt. Eads is a peculiarly ad,
vantageous one, the estimate for
construction is only 4I5,ooo, 900, as
compared with f4S,ooo,ooo for the
canal, and if these figures are insult
ficient, the excess of cost in each
case will proba bly, be in the pro-
portion of the estimates; the work
could be completed in four years
and there is no. doubt as to the
amount of traffic which would wait
the railway on its completion. Ma
turally the undertaking will meet
with much political opposition in
the United States, but on the other
hand it will meet with widespread
and powerful support. The chief
opponents will be those whose ma
terial interests lie in preserving
railway monopolies and preventing
the carrying out of any work
which no matter how vast the ma
tional benefit resulting from them,
would produce competition and de.
stroy monopoly. On the other
hand support will come on all sides
from those who desire the welfare
of the country, and who also have
great material interests at stake
such for an example as the mer.
chants.of New Orleans now possess
Under these conditions we think
there is little doubt that the United
States government will accord the
guarantee asked of 6 per cent. on
two thiros of the capital for maxi
mum term of IS years, subject
to conditions which throw the
whole responsibility on Capt. Eads
and also to special advantages,
which would well repay them for
guarantee which they might never
be called upon to redeem.
The High Aims and Ends of the
Grange Movement