The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-08-04
LAnOn TnAIN TAIlINc MEN HoME rnoM won1

other. Those rates prevailed for about
thirty years.
Think of paying s25 for hfty-m
journey. The rate was more than 30
cents n mile. AT the same charge 1T
would cost you si16 to 20 from New
York to Boston, and tho fare to Chi
cago would be Sis0 The cost across
the Continent on tho railroad would
be $1,000. and at the present rate OF
fest travel II would cost something
like $50 en- hour to ride on the cars
To day the nrst-class rate on Uncle
Sans road IS about cents a mile.
and second class passengers pay 2
cents. wfIle mileage books cost you l-2
cent moro per mile than in the Uni,-'
ed states. Notwithstanding all this
the Isthinus is hot and the walking
Is not over good. cnd so every ono
rides
Across the Isthmus ny Rnnrond.
We can buy frst-class tickets from
Colon to Panama for about two dol
lars and half and We shaft take
q run over the road before we look
into It's management. We shall take
the new line which is now being con
strrc,ed TO 90 around Gatun Lake
hish above tho canal level. The old
track ran through the bed OF the lake,
and 1t has gons since been swallowed
up by the waters held back by the
dam The new roads, well built. he
Ing equipped with ninety-pound rails
and for the most part with ties OF pine
and cypress soaked I'm creosote. The
hrst road was huilt with ties OF ma
hogany and lignum vitae. which are
the only ties that will Withstand the
'voodea'ing ants. There are some
hardwood ties IN the present road
Tnat wood IS so tough that tho spikes
cannot be driven without holes arc
nrst bored for them They arc put in
with special boring machines. and pat
ent tic plates and screw spikes are in
use. The telegraph poles are OF steel
TO withstand the white ants.
Tho cars arc excellent. The frst-
class. where we ride. has rows OF
wicker seats on each side OF the aisle
that runs through tho centre. and there
IS room for two passengers on each
seat. We md the cars filled. and that
with pay passengers.
Going on to the second class, wa
find them crowded with silver en-
pioyes. mostly negroes. The seats here
run under the windows. Ike those OF
street car, and as q result about
double the number arc carried Tne
conductors are whites. 4 careful rec
ord is made OF the tickets at both
ends OF the Journey There are gates
through which you must go to enter
The cars. and turnstiles through which
YOU pass out when you leave tho ter
n'nsl station. The number Of passen-
gers Is thus registered. and the OFF,
cials know exactly how rn.ny people
travel each day.
4 Scenic Route.
But the train mas Left Colon ana
crossed over TO the Mount Hope reser-
voir which supplies that city with
water. Il goes by great warehouses
holding supplies for The canal. anu
then begins the scenery which makes
i, one OF the picturesque routes OF
the Continent. &c pass wide,
grassy plain which was formerly in
rested With tapirs and deer. and thence
rise into the hills OF Gntun. where one
can see the great LOCKS or the right
The road now turns and cuts around
Gatun Lake. which is In view for Il
great part of the journey. The road
BED has been built ten feets above tho
surface OF the lake. and II is now on
the ninety five-foot Lowell throughout
the main part OF tho way. on the
right we can see tho great sheet or
water. with It's many islands. and In
the future one will be able to look
at tho ships going through.
The vegetation on both sides of the
road is tropical. There are palm
trees and bamboos and fern trees as
tall as one-story cottage. Some OF
the trees have<magnincent foliage. be-
Ing covered with blossoms of the
brightest OF red. yellow and blue
Some of them are loaded with orchids
and others are bearded with Spanish
moss. Part Of the way is through a
Jingle like that OF the Himalaya foot
hills above the plains OF the Gauges
and In other places tho country IS
open, and again we see hills and
ridges not unlike shqse of the Blue
Ridge.
Going on.,we pass many iittIe towns
composed of mere shacKs. and at Guile
bra and Empire find the great build
ings of the canal ana the homes OF
tho employees. A little farther on WI
| SEQ cucnracha and Paradise and then
stop at Pedro Miguel, where there is
big engine yard and roundhousc.