The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1883-10-10
ACROSS THE ISTHMUS.
From Aspinwan to Panama-.-Queer
Towns and People--The
Panama Canal.

y h'IA
wall and Panama, one leaving at z in the
morning and the other at l in the afternoon,
and each train occupies four hoursin making
the trip.
We were to leave by the early train, so a
few minutes before z we entered the cars.
They were clean, and looked Ike those at
home, except that the seats were covered with
mating and there were no windows, only
blinds to exclude the rain and dust. We
started punctually, and in a few moments
We're slowly passing the French buildings at
the mouth Of Fox river, which is at the
western end Of Aspinwall.
They have filed in quite a large tract of
ground here and are enlarging it all the while,
and on this ground they have built quite a
number of neat houses for their employees.
The sides are generally of wood painted gray,
and the roofs of corrugated iron painted rec.
Near the car track they were putting up a
fine bronze statue Of Columbus with an In
dian maiden, which statue was presented by
the ex-Empress Eugene to tho town, and
which has stood in various places in the
vicinity at different times. Then there were
several workshops, and in one of them tley
were very busy putting together machinery
that had been sent out in pieces. We could
see three dredges hard at work deepening
and widening the river, which they intend to
use for some distance. Crossing the river,
we soon lost sight of it behind Monkey hill.
Monkey hill is the cemetery of Aspinwall; it
is quite high, steep, and there are some trees
upon it. A few graves are fenced about and
seemingly cared for, but most of them were
marked by d%ilapidated wooden cross. and
appeared as if the unfortunates had died of
some malignant disease, and their friends
burying them out of the way had forgotten
them. 1t was desolate, and even seemed to
lack the luxuriant tropical growth that now
began to greet us on both sides of the way.
Everything that met my eyes was strange,
from the tall, Towering trees to the low lilies
in the bitches, except, perhaps, the white
spider lily, of which | had seen a few in
Florida. There were wild bananas and
cocoanuts, tall palms with long punches of
bright red palms, oil nuts, tamarind trees,
with many scarlet blossoms that showed
clearly against the small pointed CLASSY
leaves, strange ferns, and numerous other
beautiful growths that 1 could not find out
the names of. The whole made a dense
jungle, and about and around fitted hundreds
of butterflies, the most striking of which
were as large as my hand and of a BRIGHT
metallic blue.
1 was astonished to find the train stopping
at different stations, as 1 had never read or
heard of there being any before, so l took
down the names of some, and give them for
the edifcation Of those who are ignorant as l
was. They are Chagres, Puolo, Buena Vista,
Mamei, Gorgona, Haut Obispo, Bias Obispo and
Rio Grande Superieure. They were all com
posed of a few well-built buildings belonging
to the French, a nice house for the station
master. and a lot of native huts scattered
about promiscuously. These huts were made
of poles stuck in the ground and cross poles
tied to them at the top with strips of
rawhide, and these top poles supported a
heavy matched roof made of cane and banana
leaves. The sides were covered with split
cane; sometimes woven like basket work, and
this was tied on with strings of any kind.
Very few of them boosted of more than one
room. but there were generally a number of
small children playing around the fire, md
numbers Of their elders outside watching the
train. In these gatherings the men wore
brooches, the women voluminous trailing cal
leo skirts and cheInise made of coarse curtain
lace. The children generally wore nothing.
The resident French superintendent of the
canal was on the train and l enjoyed very
much talking with him, as well as the noise
of the train would allow, about his work. In
stead Of being, as some might suppose, q pom
derous, elderly gentleman, he was tall, Eight,
and may perhaps have seen 40 years, but he
did not look it. His light brown hair was
obAAl VAN bAhJy dLiI NC lAlh iOol
none of his inherent French politeness during
a two years residence in a comparative wild
erneSs. Their route is not only well planned
and surveyed, but cleared of underground
no small task-and they have been l~eveling
the highest places that they must cross on the
divide. They are dredging in Fox river, al
ready having a depth of thirty feet on the
bar, which is all they wish. They nave 5000
men at work, mostly negroes. They pay $50
a head for them landed at Colon las he and
all Frenchmen call AspinwalD, in addition to
which they receive 81 n day wages.
All necessary buildings, such as quarters
and hospitals, are finished, and whenever it
is possible they are placed on an eminence or
slope. They have been very fortunate so far,
only losing on an average one man a day.
Five died the day before at Colon of fever,
and when the wind blew down the Chagrcs
river he said it was very deadly. If no cpl
demic should occur he hoped next year to
nave something to show for the immense
sums expended, but he would not venture an
opinion as to when the gigantic task would
be accomplished. He was very warmly
dressed, although the day was sultry, and
said that he found it necessary to dress
warmly and lead a very regular life, abstain
ing from all alcoholic drink. He said the
overseers at the interior posts were too apt to
1OrgeC anu MAKE INC Lhuo puSS, UuL InaI
meant death.
The deepest cutting is to be 397 feet, and
near this they are constructing a large reser.
voir to receive the overflow of the Chagrcs
and prevent a freshet il the rainy season.
We are told that in 1873 the railway had
thirty miles Of track under water, and a
heavy iron bridge was lifted and turned
around by this same river. 1t was appar-
emily a much dreaded stream, but now was
quietly rolling along well within its banks,
the water very muddy, and its surface was
frequently dotted with dugouts and other
native boats:
The canal follows the line Of the railway
closely until it nears Panama, when it turns
slightly to the eastward and comes out at a
place called Aneon.
We looked under the ties Of the railway
for the Irishmeu that are said to lie one un
der each tie, but they were not visible. We
saw frequent wrecks of cars, however, and
were informed that we were fortunate to get
over without running Off the track, as it was
a frequent occurrence, but seldom resulted
in the injury of any one, as they go so slowly.
"society" Dilemma
Texas Siftings.l
"Why is It that you treat me with such dis.
dain, - asked a young society beau OF a mar
ried lady.
uAs Iopo an pD, ara not IN oood tar,pa