Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-11-24
DAILY HERALD.
THE SHIP CANAL.
An Interesting Account of q
Breaking of the Ground.


An Interesting Account of the
Breaking of the Ground.
The following interesting account Of
the breaking of ground for the great
ship canal across the Tehauntepec istt-
mus was received by lady of this city
the other day:
HEADQUARTERS OF THE NICARAGUA
CANAL CONSTRUCTION COMPANY,
October 30,.1SS9.
DEAR GoDMoTHER-I wrote you long
letter last month, telling you all about
the canal and also Greytown. Now am
writing this to tell you all about the
formal opening of the canal, which took
place on tho 23d of this month, of which
you have seen in the New York papers
a much better account than what can
give you. Still will tell you that on the
23d at 9 O'Clock large number of in
vited persons of Greytown arrived at the
spot by steamer hired for the occasion.
I was sent to town TO receive the invited
parties, and accompanied them to the
landing. A large number of people came
in boats, carriages and on foot. Mr..
Manocal having made some appropriate
remarks to the Governor of the town oi
the suspicious undertaking, and the
Governor having in the name of his
Government most heartily expressed his
best wishes and success to the grand un-
dertaking, everybody was invited to the
large tents of refreshments to take q
glass Of champagne, and afterwsrd, every
body went to see the formal open
ing. Some thirty or forty men stood
with shovels in hand in q line ready to
take up the first shoveleful of earth. AT
the proper moment all dug together,
and wheelbarrows received and carted
away as fast as loaded the dirt, and the
canal was declared to oe begun. More
champagne was drunk; success to the
canal was the general toast, and then
all retired. l loaded along with fellow
officer friend of mine, two wheelbarrows
of dirt, just after they began; so you see
helped dig the canal, if it is ever fin
ished. A number OF us also picked up
some of the sand of the first shovelsful
dug, and if you would like to have eome
shall be very happy to send you some.
A number of little lots have been sent to
the States by officers of this company to
their friends at home as curiosity.
On the evening of the 23d there was a
grand banquet given by General Mac.
Cauly. About seventy persons were
seated. OF the clerks of the company !
was the only one invited / attended,
and it was very nice affair. Mr..
Menocal was toasted the dinner through
out, and everything was Of the very best
that money could procure.
Work all through the line of the canal
is progressing. Telegraph connection ia
now being made to the lake. A railroad
is nearly completed which will run for a
distance of about a mile here on the
beach. Everything begins to look
different to what it was month ago.
Every steamer brings new clerks and
engineers l expect soon to be trans
ferred to different place.
The syndicate who bought out the line
OF steamers from Peelas have taken
charge and have begun operations. Cen
eral DAME! Macauly is the General Man
ager. and is running everything very
different and better than what was done
during MIR. Pellas' time. John Angus
tine is employed in the position of Store
house Manager. He brought with him
his three eldest children, and they are
now living with us. John made arrange.
ments with my wife to take entire care
OF them, 30 their home is now with US.
His wife and youngest child are with
Nina Rosa and Sam Carlos.
Mr.. Menocal left for the interior few
days ago and suppose will arrange
satisfactorily some difficulty that this
Government has been, it seems, for
some time, putting in the way.
A number of people have just arrived
from New Orleans, and are looking for
work and the prospect of doing business.
ALI the hotels are full, and the town, l
hear, is looking much livelier. Rent is
high and houses scarce. One could
make more money by building large
tenement houses than any other way, as
room is hard to get.
am glad to be able to say that all my
folks are Of much better health than they
were when wrote to you last. Papa is
still complaining. and seems to be i'm.
proving very slowly. We all send our
love to you, and hoping that you are en-.
joying good health and that everything
is bright in Los Angeles, I remain your
loving and affectionate godson,
HERBERT P. SALTER.