The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-04-18
New Orleans Letter.
From OUR SPECIAL CohREsPoNpENT.
New ORLEANS. April Z, 1885.

FROM OUR SPECIAL CokREsPoNpENT.
New ORLEANS, April Z, 1885.
Some new and attractive exhibits are
almost constantly being aided to this
greatest show on earth, " whose last
days bid fair to be its best The latest
single object of universal interest to be
placed on exhibition, and one deserving
of more than passing notice, is COM
plete working model of Capt. Eads pro-
posed "Tehautepec Ship Railway" now
on exhibition, very appropriately, in the
Mexican section of the Main building,
and is constantly surrounded by an iu-
terested crowd of spectators. This most
interesting model" shows the entire
practicabi!ity OF lifting the heaviest yes.
sels out Of the water by means of pom
toons, or floating docks. almost precisely
such as are on the river in this port,lhe
ordinary method in use for docking ships
in all commercial countries. The ''mod-
ell shows the sinking of the pontoon in
the dock to receive the vessel when she
is raised by lifting block which is cap
able of raising vessel of five thousand
tons gross weight; the dock will be 450
feet long, rs feet wide and Is feet deep,
arranged with a system of hydraulic
rams placed on an intermediate deck of
the pontoon. Tue object of these rams
is 10 distribute equally the weight of the
vessel. The pontoon is guided in its
upward and downward movement by
strong anchor rods, or columns, passir g
through it freely, and firmly secured IN
the foundations of the dock. Upon the
pontoon is placed II carriage for support
log aud moving the vessel, aud, as
shown 10 the model receives and moves
off with the ship with as much apparent
ease as any railway train. The track"
or railway, will have six rails, three
standard gauge tracks of feet 81 inches
each. A full detail oGthe proposed rail-
way would occupy too much of your space
and could not be made clear without the
aid of diagrams, but the working of the
"model" conclusively demonstrates it's
entire feasibility, and the gentleman in
chargs of the exhibit remarked to your
correspondent, that "they wonld certain
ly not be advocating the enterprise il
any doubt existed in their minds Of the
success of the system"
1t may be added that all the best en-.
gineers in Europe and America have
given Capt. Ead's plan their endorsement,
and it only remains TO obtain the neees-
sary capital, when the work will be be-
gun aud prosecuted to successful COM
pletion. Several surveys have already
been made to find a suitable route across
the lsthmus, and the distance it is known
can be reduced to 1874 miles of track, al
cost not to exceed fifty millions. though
Capt, Eads him self believes he can COM
plete the entire work at total cost of
thirty five millions. The result of this
mammoth undertaking will be 10 revolu-
tionize the carrying trade of the world,
and cannot fail to be of incalculcDle
benefit to the people not only Of America
but of Europe aud Asia. To the people
of the entire Mississippi Valley it must
especially prove OF vast commercial in
terest opening up, as it must, new and
most desirable trade with the entire
Pacific coast, and its now far off Islands.
This ronte will reduce the distance OF
ocean travel between San Francisco and
New Orleans ~ SOL miles below that via
Cape Horn, and lessen the distance be-
tween the former city and NeE York. by
water, 10 797 miles, aud between SAu
Francisco and Liverpool the Ship Rail.
way will reduce the ocean travel from
l5,SO9 via Cape Horn to 1897 miles