Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-07-23

..rraa.TIEr5us swauSFrs. Eun5S1 lmpene-
trable i,Tnxies aud formidable streams
ana mountains neeesslfated incredibly
hard labor aud continuous work RON
$50 to Jan .. 1870 when tue hFst
train reached Panama from eoaoh.
The line was forty seven miles long,
built 81 Belgian rails and on gauge
of dve feet
The standard gauge tu the United
states * four feet eight AND halt
inches. so that ali locomotives and cars
used on the Panama railroad nave 20
be specially built with wheels set TAR.
| ther apart.
The total cost had been ST,40i.'a,3 or
/ about SI5S0eO mile. Dividends We're
/ paid every year from 1913 to iSl@ anu
from 1901 TO 1908, when II became
United States property
The great prosperity OF the railroad
suffered a serious setback Win the
Ieompletion OF the California overland
railroad In 1860 Thenceforward tue
valuable bullion shipments avoided
l,panama. as well MS passenger ana
freight business. The business shows
a steady decline from ttiat year
i Colombia turned TO the French AFTER
negotiating fruitlessly with the United
states over canal concession. anu
the company headed by NJ. lie l.esSeps
was granted right OF way, IL
bouebt the road for $fstElt, 600 IN 1881.
having considerably more than II was
warth. or $50 IA share for sixty-eight
seyentieths OF the capital stock
Tbe French neglected the CONNER
eiaI possibIlities even more than the
American owners had, though aiNl.
dends were earned during the lie OF
the first company. When the United
states bought the interests OF the
French company In 1904 the Panama
U railroad was one Of the properties
trans .erred. II was sadly run down
hut under the Americans II was MADE
; nrer .ato n modernIy equipped ana op
: Grated system. though subordinatei ~
commercial proposition to the con
/, struction OF the canal.
. Passenger rates dropped from S-a
, one way ticket in 1870 to $40 nnde
: the Americans today. The trip frou
= cplon tn Panama is two hours and
halt. aud the coaches are painted ye
law beeause that color best stands ia
: isthmian climate.
i The plans for the canal as adopte
~ by the Americans In 1906 played haNo
- with the right OF way Of tue railroad
"a On In June. 1907, the work OF reloea
~ ing it back among the hills cut
- reaeh of Gatun lake was begun. Ate
i. Eve years work. or as long as Il r.
3. auired to build the original line
1906. the new line vas opened
of traffic In 1912.
ON This twentieth century Panama ra
Ell road has cost $9OO0000. as eoinpar'
M. with the cost Of the nineteenth ce
FOR tury- road. $IlO0a0c0. an increase
s.. 00O.eO0 after Il lapse of sixty ven
Frs The dream OF PAN American "a
IN ro,,d has been entertained ever sin
ng steam locomotion came into use. Wh'
ian several gaps are flIed in there VIII
me raiiroad communication through Me
the lto Guatemala and Nicaragua TO Cos
nit I,iea. which adjoins Panama. The
BON nul,IIc of Panama has been planni
an interior railroad system that VOC
OF he part Of an all rail route from I
ted United Stetes to the canal. Befe
the many years it Is likely that Bird
cen will span the canal In a railroad $.
ma TEN that reaches from Canada throu
the Panama to the mainland Of sot
America. thence down the west cot
neu to Valparaiso.
ue Ferdinand de Lesseps and bis Pa
:. ma career yindicate strfkingiy
80 truth or the adage that nothing 5
:, ceeds like success The French Pa
l,si ma Canal company was noated on
~ strength OF his Achievements IA entt
/. !, a sea leyeI aass----a t=o@ the .edii