New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-21
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
BUILDER OF PANAMA RAILROAD.
Credit Due to George H. Totten, Chief En-
gineer
To tho Editor OF The Tribune

To tho Editor OF The Tribune
sir: In your issue of January Is 1904 your cor
respondent writing Of the Panama Railroad gives
entire credit for the immense engineering feat to
Aspinwall. Stephens and Chauncey There is an
omission here which venture to supply The man
who penetrated the swamps designed the roadbed
and surveyed the line from Navy Bay on the At
lantic, to the Bay OF Panama on the Pacific whose
brain thought out and put the Panama Railroad
into working condition. George NJ. Totteu of
New-Haven, chief engineer Of the Panama Rail-
road Company.
To verify this assertion General Information
Series No. w.: information from abroad. Navy
Department. Bureau OF Navigation. Office OF Naval
Intelligence: Plate " appended to the report
OF Commander McCalla u. S. N upon the canal
expedition to the isthmus IN April. 1885. These
words will be found: '"The railroad was commenced
in the year 1850. and the last rail was laid on
January q. 1856: the whole has been constructed
under the direction OF George NJ Totem chief
engineer. and James l. Baldwin chief assistant
engineer" In 1s49 the Panama Railroad Company
entered into contract with Messrs, George Muirson
TOtten and John c. Trautwine for the construction
OF the road. Totten and Trautw!ne knew more
about the climate terrain, flora and fauna OF this
region than any other OF their day. Some
years before they had been in the employ OF the
Colombian government. building canal Canal del
Dique) from the Magdaena River to the Carib-
bean Sea at Cartagena. Hence the conditions
they were 20 encounter were we'll known to them
Their operations were outlined by a reconnaissance
previous 10 their employment by Colonel C. W.
Hughes. Z. S. A. corps of engineers.
At this period the isthmus swarmed with emil
grants route TO California for gold The con
dtious OF the original contract could not Dc ao-
hered TO, this account. Mr.. Totten made his
reasons clear to the company. and he was then
engaged engineer OF the road. and not as
contractor. James L. Baldwin chief as
sistart engineer, and Mr. Trautwine, assistant,
proceeded to Manzanilla Island and began clearing
in the month OF May. 1850.
On June l. 1850 Chief Engineer Totten arrived
from Cartagena with forty native workmen 70
start with Mr.. Stephens. president OF the COM
pany. with Mr.. Totten. Both had been to Bo-
gotta TO obtain revisions in the original contract
The rainy on. with its list OF
multiplied discomforts. The engineers were en-
camped upon unnhabted island and forced TO
bunk in a brig crowded 10 suffocation Below
decks mosquitoes sand flies and other vermin held
high carnival. while upon the upper deck any one
would be wet 10 the skin by the drenchinS RAIN
The labor OF the day In malartous and yellow
Jack climate. with little rest al night, soon told
upon the engineers and laborers alike. In short
time most of the party had malaria and no surgeon
The company obtained condemned steamer that
was tied up at Chagres. and sent IL down as a
residence. The insects continued their annoy
ance, but the quarters bettered.
At tho end Of June 1-r. Totten again went 10
Cartagena for men. his first supply was hors
dc combat. Meantime Stephens and Trautwine
returned to New-York doubling II Totten and
Baldwin could carry out the road. Baldwin and the
few workmen remained surveying and cutting
their way through the jungle. till Totten returned
in July with fifty men, Totten the strong
est physically. and he able go further into
the swamps. having at times swing from the
limbs OF trees 70 stretch the lines In the latter
part Of July Trautwire returned with n surgeon.
DR.. John Augustus Totten. Of New-Haven. Conn.
brother Of The chief engineer. together With MY
been run two miles and half. and two miles
had TO be surveyed. The road was to strike
range OF hills half league from the terminus and
then 10 stretch into the deep morasS. II IS need
less TO further with the description OF the line
splendid roadbed George NJ. Totten. chief engi-
nser. built. but omitted TO mention his name
pair and modern traffic demanded. but THO first lire
shows that work WAS done in those days by
wrought iron bridge placed upon stone pillars that
crosses the ChaRres at Barhaccss. This bridge,
s25 feet long IS feet in breadth and 40 feet above
the surface Of the water. the time Of
the longest and best built bridges in the world.
Mr.. Totten went to the isthmus young. ath-
Ietio man He returned hrosen In health His
New-Haven IN 1852. 10 OFFER his services 20 his
government but died few months after hts re-
turn. C. n. Totten was l1rEely inetrumentel IN
The church was consecrated nv the Right Rev.
Bishop Aonzo Potter. OF PENNSYLVANIA. In tn,
month of June 1865. Shortly after this ceremony
Vethake lotion. eldest soa OF the chief engineer.
buried from -
Later. when NJ De I,esseps went to the isthuus
in George NJ Totten as OF the most experienced
men In this country as consulting enrineer. on &C
count of his knowledge of the country Nathan
Anpleton in a letter In May OF last year 10 the
Tribune. gave 10 Mr. Totten credit for building
the Panama Railroad. The Panama Railroad At
the date Of IT'S completion was considered one or
the greatest feetS of engineering in the world
GILBERT TOTTEN MMASTER. NJ. D.
New-Haven. Conn. Jan IT. 1904