Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-01
FROM OCEAN TO OCEAN.
LIFE ON The ISTHMUS OF PANAMA.
Pandemonium at Aspinwall--Across
the Isthmus in Four Hours-In
the Days of the Buccaneers.
From TnE sr.a's travelling Commissioner

tuition than the world at large is aware of. Its
managers have discreetly chosen to keep their
affaiis 20 themselves. as other wise men of the
east "a 9 been known to do in various kinds OF
remunerative business; and should you ask one
Of them about 1t you would doubtless some
how receive the impression that it had been
losing investment.
The facts IN the case are that ever since its
completion Gin 1850 this railroad has been one
Of the most profitable in the world. For nearly
twenty years the local fare between Aspinwall
and Panama was S25 each person for a ride of
Al miles, or more than 80 cents per mile! Dur
ing those days the traffic was much heavier than
now and each month thousands were carried
over the hne-every thousand passengers
yielding to the company precisely $4,000. At
that time the Pacific Mail steamship company
was carrying Storage people Gas they now
carry tirst-class passengers) all the way around
from New York to San Francisco,
DISTANCE OF FIFTY-FIvE HUNDRED MILES,
including passage across the isthmus by this
same road and the best of board and lodging
during thirty-two days, for only $50 while for
four hours suffocation in a crowded second
class car, with no food or other comfort one
was repaired TO pay S25.
With the completion of the Pacific railroads
across the United States it was deemed adyis-
able 20 come down a little and the fare across
tnc IsthUlus Was reduced 10 : III ticket.
The difference, however, Is largely offset by
Charge OF cents per pound for extra bag
gage tonly 100 pounds being allowed gratis)
which generally doubles the price of the ticket
lady OF my acquaintance lately crossed with
three trunks of ordinary size and a small box
OF curiOS and her bill for extra baggage was
S45-AmerIcan gold-for a distance of AZ miles,
But the old price trebled would have seemed
cheap IN the days of 47-49 to the thousands
who hOcked across this highway to California
q with rha cold
Then the trip occupied a week at the best
there being no road whatever; first a tedious
Journey up the Chagres river in native bongors
and thence by horse or mule through slimy
swamps and tangled thickets, where the trail
was soon well marked by graves and bleaching
bones.
NO ACCOMMODATIONS
As there was no accommodation for travellers
along the route they were compelled to sleep
in the open air. while the price of horse or
mule and enough food to keep soul and BODY
together during the fearful passage almost
equalcd the sum that the most sanguine lunatic
might reasonably expect TO reap in the gold
regions II he lived to get there. And so many
persisted by the waysIde from camping nights
near the deadly river that the ''isthmus fever"
became known to the world distinct malady
and one almost Incurable. Those who managed
TO survive or escape il came out a great deal
poorer IN purse and III person: and years later
many Il teyered sufferer could trace his long
line Of ills directly back to the exposure and
hardshIps encountered in crossing the isthmus
Remembering these things, nobody feels dis
posed to grUmble at whatever price NAV be
asked Tor rapid transit across this valley of
death. The road was built under discourage
ments that would have ruined most men and
therefore the Undaunted few who carried it to
successful completion are fairly entitled to a
rich reward
SINGLE STREAK OF CIVILIZATION,
u runs through "a wilderness that is yet, for the
most part. totally unexplored, and has not only
saved unnumbered lives but added greatly to
the commercial facilities of the world At
present 1t transports an annual average of
3iO.OOO tons OF merchandise and 5000 passen-
gers from ocean TO ocean.
Along Its course there are TWENTY-FIVE villages
and stations, each possessing some feature of
interest peculiar to itself. And so close upon
II crowds the trOplc wilderness that scarcely
half a mile from the largest village one may
ind untrodden solItudes where no sound pene-
trates but the shrill whistle of the engine, the
Chatter OF monkeys, the hiss of serpents and
the haI-notes OF gorgeous birds-a lovely waste
teemlnS with animal life, but where death to
man turks III some gulse under every leaf
Unfortunately Tor the naturalist the sports-
man and the lover OF solitude there is not even
loot path from ocean to ocean nor a wagon
ROAD, properly so called, anywhere on the 18TH
mus. Nature Is here in such generous mood
that one couldn not possibly make his way alone
through svamps choked with Shiny verdure
anu sWdrmluS with yenOmOus reptiles and iun-
giles whose rIOtOus grOwths are SO closely en-
IWlned that Old Sol cannot pierce them with an
arrow lew months ago Senior Ricardo
Remero. an intrepid explorer of Panama de-
termlned to seek out amid the tangled growths
OF centuries one of the ancient transatlantic
roads which the early Spaniards are known to
nave made. Starting from a point on the
eastern coast called David he succeeded i'm
crossing the isthmus in nine days. cutting a
path as he went for his cattle to pass. He CON
templates making another attempt soon, with
larger BODY OF men, mules, horses and cattle,
10 improve and widen the same trail Being
assisted by several men of means and prOmi-
nence 1t Is not improbable that a wagon road
across the lstLmus may one day dispute the
railway exclusive right OF transportation.
SUCH PASDEMoS1UM
as reigns supreme In the Aspinwall depot when
the daily train is about to startI Passengers of
ali nauonaIities are crowded in. sometimes
three IN seat, closely as nature packs her
seedlings, all iabbering at once in every idioma
known TO man. The greatest trouble is with
the luggage, some being generally astray
whose now hali-frantic owners neglected this
or that precautlOn, while many astonished per-
sons stand valnly dsputing with the powers
that be over the sum demanded for extra
welght-some even III tears because of the uu-
expected lnrOad upon their little all
Al last We steam away and despite the excess
slSe neat every head that can find room for
1851 - WI U.s. Jul VI u WluuOW IN EOclferOus
admiration OF the beautiful scenery on every
side. The abOrtlye ship canal follows us most
OF the way, showing long lines of cars. engines
and mighty dredges slowly sinking into the
mud. amid a wilderness of wild bananas fir
trees, palms, manSoes, all twisted together and
twlned over and over by bloSsoming creepers
Orchids are everywhere In infinite variety OF
shape and color. Ii Is said that "a; least twenty
-FOUR species of the palm family may be found
here-mOre than are collected together any
where else in the " I'D. There is the ivory
palm, the palm from hich sugar is made, the
palm that produces the sage and another the
OIL OF commerce, the cabbage palm" whose
edible stalks resemble that vegetable in taste
and color; the palm from whose sweet
zap the natives distill their favorite wine; the
glove palm. from whose fibers grain
saeks carpets, &c., are made. and MANY more
varieties win whose names and uses we are
entirely 'cqualnted. The palm tree PLAYS
as important a part IL this section of the uni
verse ana Is as necessary to the existence of
the people as the r.aguey century plant
IN Mexico, the bamboo IN tropical Asia, or the
nee plant III China. Domestic utensils and
weapons oil war. pms. needles. cloth and
Unread boats, houses, roofs and furniture are
made from 1t and IN many Instances II answers
also for food ami drink. Children are born
under ITS shadow, Graded III its leaves reared
on ITS fruit and sap. clothed III its woven fibers
and nnAlly go to the last sleep in q coffin made
OF Its bark
The railway villages are all populated with
blacks,
JOLLY SET OF CREATURES
who exhibit wide expanse of ivory and cheer