The National tribune., 1891-09-24
WASHINGTON D. c. THURSDAY SEPTEMBER a. 1901

and it is out OF thu way for central Mexico.
Here at Iampico two great rivers empty into
the sea. These rivers join just before they
reach Tampico, and their mouth is very deep.
One can sail for more than a hundred miles mp
tho PanucO River into the interior aud il would
not cost much 10 improve the canal system of
Mexico so rs 10 give water communication be-
tween this point and the Capital. The only
trouble about the Tampco harbor at present IS
q great bar which lies between II and the sea.
The Mexican Government and the Central
Railroad are spending millions OF dollars % re-
move this bar, and are constructing here the
most remarkable Jetty system o. the world.
The Jettles arc on the same principle as those
Of tie Mississippi River, but are much larger,
and they have the sea 10 contend with. The
engineers propose 10 build two great walls from
the mouth OF tile river, nearly mile and
hall, right out into the sea. This Will COnaEc
the river within these walls. and its current
will be such that it viii carry the sand Of this
bar out into the waters Of the Gulf Of Mexico
These walls are now nearly completed and
the engineers are working steadily upon them.
They are made In q curious way, and are con-
structCd OF brush and stone. In the first place
great piles are driven into the sea- and q rail
road Is run along the top OF these. These piles
arc suUKCu At distance Of about 60 feet apart,
and this is tho width Of the top Of each Of these
jetty walls. Great bundles Of brush are cut in
the jungle along the TampicO Railroad. and
these bundles by tic car loads are brought up
to the jetty walls. They IRE laid cr0F5wiSe IN
a sort OF mat. and are sunk by machinery
down 10 the bottom Of the ocean between these
piles. As soon as a layer OF brush has been
thus woven together a layer Of heavy rocks is
placed upon them, and then another layer Of
brush IS placed upon this, and then another
layer o! rocks, until there is q solid wall Of
brush and rocks from the bottom of tho sea 10
some distance above its surface. Shortly after
the wall Is completed tue saIid drifts in and fills
all the places in the brush aud makes q solid
wall Of sand and rock with the brush. This
wall Is aiterWarl ceWentcd outside and on the
top and there are now already two walls nearly
a mile long Of this kind. The work is going
steadily ON. and when 1t is completed 10 vii.
give lampiCD ono Of tho finest h1rbOT7 i'm tho
world. The railroad already runs out 10 the
Jctties aud the plies upon which the tracks
are built are 10 feet above high tide The
mats, which arc made Of the brush before they
are sunk, are from 30 to - feet wide aud from
three 10 five feet thick. They are fastened to-
gcthcr with iron rods. and as soon IS tho mat
is dropped upon tho water carloads Of stone arc
thrown upon IT, and the work is 4 good deal
stronger than We can imagine il. Between
these two walls Of jettic5 there will be a cham
ne about go feet Wide, and IL is believed that
the intties viii keen this always clear Of sand
already the bar has ToceiCd 20 a considerable
distance, aud within year or SO the work viii
tr completed. town has been laid out by the
raj .Inad about six miles from tho present city
and this Will be the future IampicO. By the
time this letter IS published new railroad viii
have been built connecting Monterey with
Iampiro and another road IS already projected
which is to go from here 20 the City OF Mexico.