Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1883-10-25
CROSSING THE ISTHMUS.
The DIrtIcst Town Om the Continental
Trip On the Panama KailrORd-WO Ork
on the Canal.


on the Canal.
Three days of the Caribbean sea"
writes Il correspondent, land the next
sunrise reveals the dark green mount
ain range of the isthmus. and II few
hours later the engines give their last
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 Il wonderful impetus. The
French are there 10y 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 ut fabulous prices. Residents
admit that it is the dirtiest town on the
Western continent. The strangers
first impression is that it would be a
good thing to turn the hose on it-and
on a very large percentage of the peo-
pie, too. The better classes live in a
suburban section, known as the Beach
road This runs beside the shore, and
the houses, whitewashed and of a light
frame construction, face upon it. Their
inmates see little of the filth and degra-
tion 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 south
east forty-seven miles, from Aspinwall
to Panama, winding among hills, with
some appalling curves. 1t wrecks a
freight tain 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 resi-
dent, and it makes no difference
whether you 60 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 a steam
er, and was conyersant with the pecu-
liarities of this most peculiar ticket
system purchased a ticket for part
of the distance for So He left the
train at the midway station to attend
to business matter, and the following
day paid only s. for the remaining
distance. The scenery along the road
is attractive. The operators along 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 considerable
distance. The landscape is dotted with
the white stakes placed by the survey
ing parties. Gangs of workmcn are
eating into hillside at one point at
another filling up gulch. \ con-
ductor pointed out a spot where there
are to be forty-two acres Of filling to a
height of from thirty to sixty feet. 1t
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 tropi-
cal scenery. The foliage is luxuriant,
and strange trees and Towering shrubs
meet the eye everywhere. The cocoa
nut 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, earthern floors, and roofs
thatched with palm leaves. The
natives, of mixed Indian and negro
blood, are of brown hue, and rather
undersized. Their clothing is in the
interest of economy. The men are
satisfied with white cotton shirts and
breeches and broad straw hat. The
women find most comfort in a 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"
Rustic New England in Old England
While in England | caught a man