Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1913-10-17

Colon, c. With the completion o.
the Panama canal The importance O.
the Panama railway will decline 81
most 60 the vanishing point
For nearly SIXTY years this railway
has been carrying people and freight
/ ffom ocean ~ ocean Though only A
miles LONG, 10 has been for certain
I periods one Of tie most important and
most interesting railroad lines Do ths
I world During the building OF tho
/ canal under the ownership Of the
United States. 1t has become one oil
/ the best equipped and most efficient OF
railways lt has given great help in
the construction Of the canal that will
prove its virtual death.
The finding OF gold in California was
the cause of the building OF the Pana-
ma railroad. For long years before
the wild rush of argOnauts In 1649 the
lsthmus was almost forgotten by the
civilized world, but when the yellow
metal was discovered on the west
coast It became once more a great
trade route. In order to avoid the long
trip across the plains in prairie
schooners." thousands OF gold-seekers
went by boat to Chagres, up the Cha
gres river to GoTgona or Cruces and
thence over tho old Spanish road to
Panama. This, too, was a long route
aud In the rainy season a painful and
dangerous one because of the preva-
lence of disease.
To the rescue OF the gold hunters
came three bold Americans, w. H. As
pinwail. Henry Chauncey and John L.
Stevens. In 1913 these men had asked
the government OF New Granada for
concession for the road. and In 1850
Stevens obtained it at Bogota The
Pacific terminus could not be otherwise
than at Panama, but at first the har-
Dor of Porto Bello was selected for the
Atlantic terminus. However, a New
York Spectator spoiled this plan by
buying up all the land about the mar
Dor and holding it at a very high price,
so Navy Bay was chosen instead.
When work on the line was begun In
May, 1850, there was no celebration,
no turning of the first spadeful OF
earth with golden shovel
Two Americans with gang of In
dians landed on ManEanillo island, now
the site of the city of Colon. then
desolate. uninhabited spot. and began
the tremndous task of clearing the
route through the dense Jungle. The
surveying party suffered intensely, for
the land was 80 swampy and so infest-
ed with malaria and yellow fever bear
Ing mosquitoes that they were COM
PEELED to sleep aboard a ship. Much
OF the time they carried their lunches
tied on their heads and ate them
standing waist-deep in the water.
The efforts of the company to OBJ
tain iaborers we're attended by Il ter
rible tragedy Eight hundred Chinese
were brought over from Hong Kong,
but within week of their landing
scores of them died. Opium was given
the survivors and for short time
checked the ravages of disease. But
the supply of the drug was shut off on
account of les cost. and again the
deaths became numerous. The poor
Orientais la despair began to commit
suicide. some by hanging, others by
implement, while some deliberately
sat down upon the eeashore and wait
ed for the rising tide TO overwhelm
thom. In a few weeks scarce two hun
dred were left. and these, broken In
health and spirits. were sent to ia
maica.
Another shipload OF laborers. this
time from Ireland. met no better fate.
for nearly every man died.
Tho material difficulties that con-
fronted the railway builders are thus
by Tones in his Panama
in 1855" "Tba isthmus did not sup |
ply single resource necessary for the |
Not only tho capital, |
slCiI and enterprise, but the labor, the |
wood and iron, the daily food, the |
clothing, tho roof to cover and the in
struments to work with came from |
abroad. Most OF tho material 1
used for the construction OF the road |
was brought from vast distances. |
Although the country abounded /
In forests, It was found necessary. !
from the expense OF labor and the
want of routes OF communication. TO
send the timber, for the most part.
from the United States. and not only
were the rails. "a 8 considerable ex-
.ent. laid on American pine. but the
bridges, and the houses and work
lhops OF the various settlements were
II the same wood all fashioned in
Halne aud Georgia. The metal work,
he rails, tho locomotives and the tools
we're brought either from England or
he United States. The daily food Of
he laborers, even, came from q New
fork market"
The first section of the road was
aid through mangrove swamp In
which no Bottom was found, the tracks
icing Hoated on an immense pOntoon.
lv October. 1851 EIGHT miles h1a been
.lsss.H.lI srsht ]