The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1883-09-14
CROSSING THE ISTHMUS.

i
Trip on the Panama Raiiroad-work o'
the Canal.
"Three days of the Caribbean sea.
writes a correspondent, sand the mex.
sunrise reveals the dark green mount
an range of the isthmus, and few
hours later the engines give their Lass
throb beside the dock at Aspinwall.
A few years ago the place had 500
population; it now claims ten times
that number. The great canal has
given it wonderful impetus. The
French are there by the thousand, and
other nationalities are drifting In for
/ the benefit of trade and barter Build
ings are springing up at every hand
and rent at fabulous prices. Residents
admit that it is the dirtiest town on the
Western continent. The strangers
first impression is that it would be
good thing to turn the hose on it-and
on very large percentage of the peo-
pie, too. The better classes live In
suburban section, known as the Beach
road This runs beside the shore, and
the houses, whitewashed and of light
frame construction, face upon it. Their
inmates see little of the filth and degra-
dation of the town, and certainly need
not wish to- An English resident said:
'Oh, this isn't very bad place, you
know. There are not many deaths
among the whites This statement
may be true, yet it is not surprising.
No respectable person would care to
die in Aspinwall if he could get any
other place on the face of this earth to
make his start into eternity.
THE Panama railroad runs southeast
forty-seven miles, from Aspinwall to
Panama, winding among hills, with
some appalling curves. 1t wrecks a
freight train or two daily, and it has a
ticket system which wrecks the mind
and reasoning faculties of the stranger.
In Gods country otherwise known as
the United States) your fare is cheaper
if you take a through ticket. Here
they charge $25 for through ticket
for forty-seven miles-that is, if you
are a stranger. But if you are a resi-
dent, and it makes no difference
whether you go to-day or next year,
You can secure a ticket for about so.
Even this figure may be bettered. A
gentleman who came down on steamer,
and was conversant with the peculiari-
ties of this most peculiar ticket system,
purchased ticket for part of the
distance for So. He left the train at
the midway station to attend to bust
ness matter, and the following day paid
only 50 for the remaining distance.
The scenery along the road is attract
i've. The operators upon the canal are
in view at many points from the car
windows, for the route of the canal
traverses very closely the line of the
railroad. The dredging machines are
deepening the Chagres river, which
will be utilized for a considerable dis
lance. The landscape is dotted with
the white stakes placed by the survey
ing parties. Gangs of workmen are
eating into hillside at one point; at
another filling up a gulch. A con-
ductor pointed out spot where there
are to be forty-two acres of filling to q
height of from thirty to sixty feet. II
seems an anomaly to run canal on
the top of an embankment, but it will
be not an uncommon thing on many
parts of the line. From the train there
is a panorama of beautiful tropical
scenery. The foliage is luxuriant, and
strange trees and towering shrubs meet
the eye everywhere. The cocoanut
palm, the orange, lemon, pineapple,
banana and similar growths become
, familiar sights. Beside the road are
frequent groups of native huts of a
single story, earthen floors, and roofs
, matched with palm leaves. The
; natives, of mixed Indian and negro
blood, are of brown hue, and rather
understood. Their clothing is in the
interest of economy. The men are
| satisfied with white cotton shirts and
breaches and broad straw hat. The
women find most comfort in single
, white cotton garment, always in immi
nent danger of falling clear to the
, ground from the shoulders, which are
, not half covered With the little
children this danger is often a reality.
Industry does not burden any of these
people. A days labor furnishes for a
week such simple food as they require
beyond what nature yields them free Of
, charge.