Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1885-05-12
EXPOSITION LETTER.
From our tegnlar % respondent.
Ntw ORLEANS, La, April 30, 1850

the name OF Capt. James b. Eads.
He has shown his ability as CIVIL
Engineer especially in the construc-
sion OF the bridge over the Mississippi
river at St. Louis, and the opening OF
the mouth Of the Mississippi river by
the .Jetties. These and other impor-
tant works have given him o world
wide reputation as successful engi-
nher.
The most important work Of his life
Il now prominently before the world.
The Atlantic and Pacific Railway, to
be built across the thmus OF Tehn-
antepec il Mexico, is intended by him
fb be his last and greatest work for
the benefit OF his race. This bold but
perfectly feasible undertaking has oc-
cupied his thoughts and time for near
Iy five years, 1t follows, in logical
sequence after the completion OF his
work at the mouth Of the Mississippi,
and it is intended by him to be com
.mercial extension OF that river into
the Pacific OceaE and to open up to
The Mississippi Valley and to our At
iantic ports the vast commerce OF the
Pacific by the shortest possible route.
n The immense cost OF any other In
,tet- Oceanic transit and the great ad-
yantages of the route through Mexico
were the reasons which led to the in
ception Of this great enterprise. 1t
may be said that the best engineering
minds of the world have given their
thought and study to perfectng the
mechanical plans for transporting
vessels overland. The final plans for
the work are very clearly shown by
the working model which until the
last two or three days, has been on
exhibition. ltillustrates how the YES
sells are to be raised from the water,
transported overland and placed in
the ocean on the other side. With
out going into details we will briefly
say that the vessel is raised by lift
ing dock aud its weight as it rises out
Of the water is evenly distributed on
the carriage which is to transport it.
This is done by system of hydraulic
presses which are built in the lifting
dock, and which bring large num-
Der Of adjustable supports up to their
positions under the keel, bottom, bill
GEES and sides of the vessel They are
held in the position given them by
these hydraulic rams, and the vessel
rests on perfect cushion adapted ex-
actly to her shape. The railway for
transporting the vessels will be built
on solid ggound and through coun.
try remarkably healthy for tropical
region. There are no obstacles in the
construction of the road-b that are
not met in ordinary railroads. A sub
stantial road bed, aud a perfect su-
perstrueture for it are destined.
The locomotives for hauling the
vessels will have about twice the trae-
ton power of the ordinary freight To-
comotive. Where it is necessary to
make changes in the direction OF the
route they will be made by floating
turn tables. All this il. shown in the
working model, which is made by
scale from the place Of work. About
10000 people have witnessed the
movements of this model and it has
been fully explained by the chief en-
gineer of the railway, Mr.. NJ. l.. Cor
thell, and the almost universal opin,
Ion has been in favor of the entire
praetlcabihty of the project.
a large number of practicable men
who are experts in handling vessels,
have given their opinions in favor of
the method proposed. When we con-
slider the immense advantage that the
Tehuantepec route has over any other
tor connecting the oceans, and when
we consider the economy of the rail-
way in its construction and operations
over any other means, we are led to
believe that this work will be success
fully carried through and that too, at
no distant day.
The statesmen Of Mexico and the
United States since the DAYS of Cor
tez have considered the Tehuantepec
route the most favorable for Ameri-
can commerce and in fact for the
Commerce of the whole world. Plans
and surveys for inter-oceanic RAILWAYS
and canals have been made by gov
grnments and individuals during the
last 500 years. IL the necessity for