Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1885-05-23
NEW ORLEANS LETTER.
New Orleans. May Is, Is

New Orleans, May Is, 1885.
AS a text for this letter, give you
the name of Capt. J. B. Eads. He has
shown his ability as a civil Engineer es-
pecially in the construction 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 important works have
given him a world wide reputation as
successful engineer,
The most important work of bic life
is now prominently before the world.
The Atlantic and Pacific Railway to be
built across the Isthmus of Tehuante-
pee in Mexico, is intended by him to be
his last and greatest work for the bene-
fit of his race. This bold but perfectly
feasible undertaking has occupied his
thoughts and time for nearly five years.
1t follows in logical sequence after the
completion of his works at the mouth
of the Mississippi, and 1t is intended by
him to be a commercial extension of
that river into the Pacific Ocean and to
open up to the Mississippi Valley and
to our atlantic ports the vast commerce
of the Pacific by the shortest possible
route.
The immense cost of any other Inter
Oceanic transfer and the great advan-
tages of the route through Mexico were
the reasons which lead to the inception
of this great enterprise. 1t may be said,
that the best engineering minds of the
world have given their thought and
study to perfeeting the mechanical
plans for transporting vessels overland.
The final plans for the work arc very
clearly shown by the working model
which until the last two or three days,
has been an exhibition. 1t illustrates
how the vessels are to be raised from
the water, transported overland and
placed in the ocean on the other side.
Without going into details we will brief
ly say that the vessel is raised by a lift
ing dock and its weight as it rises out of !
the water is evenly distributed on the
carriage which is to transport it. This
is done by a system of hydraulic presses |
which are built in the lifting dock, and
which bring large number of adjust |
able supports up to their positions IN
der the keel bottom, bilges and sides !
OF the vessel. They are held in the
position given them by these hydraulic |
rams, and the vessel rests on a perfect !
cushion adapted exactly to her shape. !
The railway for transporting the YES /
sells will be built on sold ground and
through a country remarkably healthy
for tropical region. There are no
obstacles in the construction of the road /
bed that are not met in ordinary rail
roads. a substantial road bed, and a
perfect supersructure for it are des-
tined.
The locomotives for hauling the YES
sells will have about twice the traction
power OF the ordinary freight IocamO-
tive. Where it is necessary to make
changes in the direction of the route
they will be made by floating turn Ia
bles. All this Is shown in the working
model, which is made by scale from
the place of work. About 10000 peO-
pie have witnessed the movements of
this model and it has been fully ex-
planned by the chief engineer of the
railway. Mr.. NJ L. COrtheI, and
the almost universal opinion has been
in favor of the entire practicability Of
the project.
A large number Of practical 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
for 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 viii DC success