The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-12-09

"a mhI h0u Improvement III buO w oJ VI
common interests seems to have taken
place during the last ten years. Mex
leo now has American steamships on
both oceans, American newspapers.
railroads, machinery of all kinds, and
more American morey than her own
invested in her mines. Nicaragua has
made a treaty of the greatest conse-
quenoe with the United States, and is
soon 20 achieve
AN AMERICAN INTER OCEANIC CANAL,
and though NJ. de Lesseps is yet digging
his ditch across Colombia, the Amer
leans have had railroad in Panama
for more than thirty years.
Looking on the map again, you will
observe that the Isthmus is shaped like
an arc curving from east to west for
about three hundred miles } varying In
breadth from thirty to forty miles,
presenting its convex side TO the
Caribbean Sea, while its concavity is &C.
cupied by the Bay OF Panama. This
beautiful sheet of water extending up
ward from the Pacific, is exactly
100 miles across. and flows nearly
as far inland. Its shores, for the
most part, are low and swampy, and so
famous for deadly feyers that the most
adventurous mariners are content to
view them from respectful distance.
Scattered all about the bay, particu-
larly on the eastern side, are numerous
islands. where the sailors stop for pro-
visions and supplies of pure, cool water,
avoiding the main land IS far as posi-
BILE. The loveliest of these islands arr
the group called Las Perlas (the pe7rls)
from the fisheries once carried on
there. and the larger island of Ceiba.
The former cluster includes at least
400 miles of fertile soil and valuable
forests, picturesque villages and Quilt
waited fields; and the latter is occupied
by the city of Damas. Several harDors
indent the bay the most important be
ing this of Panama, and San Miguel q
little further to the eastward.
For nearly 300 years
OUR SAILORS STEAMED UP AND DOWN
on both oceans, gazing at the frowning
mountain wall, whose highest peaks
pierce the clouds, before it was dis
covered that this hyphen of the hemis-
pheres is lot all rugged heights and
fever-haunted swamps, but that q
portion of it consists of low hills. alter
mated by fertile valleys and undulating
plains, watered by many streams, GOV
cred with excellent timber and cap able
OF yielding in greatest abundance most
OF the productions of both tropical and
temperate zones. The chief crops of the
Isthmus to-day (onltiYated mainly fol
the purpose of supplying the transit)
are corn. coffee, cocoa, rice, sugar, to-
baoco and bananas The virginia. for
ests. however, yield greater wealth in
their abundance OF mahogany, tulip
India rubber and other valuable trees
while in their primeval soli,udes jalap,
vanilla, storax, indigo and other of ma
lures valuable commodities flourish
undisturbed.
AS To MINERAL WEALTH,
the question is yet a mooted ona, nc
extensive researches having ever been
made. 1t is generally believed that the
isthmus is not as prolific of gold and
silver as the countries to the north and
south of it, though mines of copper,
coal, iron and salt are now being worked
with profit, and gold has been found in
paying quantities. In ancient times
the coasts were famous for their pearl
fisheries, but now they are nearly
abandoned. The climate is the most
serious drawback to industries of all
kinds. In Panama the dry season lasts
from December to June, and during the
remaining months of the year the rain
fall is prodigious, especially during
July, August and September, it rains
necessarily, as only it can rain in the
tropics, when literally the windows OF
heaven" seem opened anew as in Noah s
time. Throughout the annual season
of deluge, we stern winds prevail, send
ing heavy sWells even into Panama Bay
which tranquil sheet of water is other
wi entirely undisturbed by wind OF
sea. So sheltered and protected is the
harbor by the islands on one hand, ard
mountains on the other, that
DESTRUCTIVE TEMPEsTs ARE NEVER KNOWN
there, the only perils being in the snaps
of sharks and caIenturGs.
The city of Panama, the principal
seaport OF the Columbian Republic on
the Pacific side, presents an imposing
aspect from the sea. 1t stands at the
head of the bay, on the southern shore
of the Isthmus, occupying a rocky
peninsula which extends some distance
out in the shallow water. Though the
famous Panama harbor is one of the
safest and most commodious in the
world, vessels of more than eighty tons
burden cannot approach the shore, but
must anchor at Perico Island, three
miles distant.
This old fortified town, whose wide,
clean streets extend across the tongue
of land from sea to sea, Is quaint
enough to interest the most blase
tourist. Though now crumbling to
decay, its massive buildings show
traces of former grandeur, being con-
structed in the ancient Spanish style,
of solid stone, with inside patios, or
court yards. Previous to 1746 (when
the trade to the Pacific first began to be
carried around Cape Horn), Panama
City was the principal entrepot between
Europe and the western coasts oil
America. From that date, however, il
began to decline, and since the indie.
pendence of the Spanish-Americau
States and the opening of other Pacific
ports,
ITS DOWNFALL PROGRESS
has been very rapid. Immediately after
the discovery of the California GOLD
mines, in the historic days of '49, Pana-
ma recuperated to a considerable ex
tent, though to nothing of its former