THE PANAMA RAILROAD. [From the Sydney Morning Herald, Sept. 4.}

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 749, 6 October 1852, Page 4

THE PANAMA RAILROAD. [From the Sydney Morning Herald, Sept. 4.}

The following interesting account of the progress of this great work, is taken from the Alta California of the 17th of June last, and contains the latest particulars from the Isthmus : — Within the past few days, we have had occasion to make an examination of the Panama Railroad, from its terminus at Aspinwall, (late Navy Bay,) to King's Station, a distance of about 20 miles by railroad, and about 40 by the river route. We left Aspinwjall iri| company with John L. Stephons, Esq., the president of the company, and George Law; Esq., a prominent director and a very large .stockholder, and M. C. Story, Esq., one of the largest railroad contractors in the world. These two lattec gentlemen wjere on a visit of personal examination, and we availed ourselves; of their offer to accompany them in their trip of observation. At Aspinwall, we found every thing instinct with' life and motion. Many large warehouses, threeor four hotels, and numerous 1 private dwellings, were' either already constructed, or in the 'course of erection. A large and commodious

brick edifice, designed is the office of the company, was rapidly striding upward,, under- the active energy of a hundred masons, bricklayers, and joiners. We had the pleasure of being present at the interesting ceremonies of laying the corner stone of this building. Large' docks have been constructed, "so that vessels drawing upwards of twenty feet J of water may be moored safely at their sides, and another intended solely for the use of the U. S. Mail Company's steamers, is in the course of construction, by Mr. (Seorge Law, Several vessels were arriving and discharging their cargoes at these docks, and others Were lying at anchor a short distance from the shore. Men were busily engaged in " cribbing in," or filling* the spaceway between the piles on which the road runs some distance, with stones, large quantities of which were found in the neighbourhood. Locomotives and trains of dirt and stone cars were constantly in motion, arriving at, or departing froo* their depots. Barrow-men were trundling their vehicles, loaded with coral- rock, with which the streets are being laid out and constructed, and, in fact, everything, by stir and activity, indicated more of the spirit of genuine American enterprise, than we have ever witnessed in this country. Leaving Aspinwall^after having been nearly two days -there with no inconsiderable satisfaction, we proceeded in' the road fo Gatun. A large portion!^^"this section of the road has been laid upon^pjS&s, all of which are being rapidly cribbed iv Iwilh dirt and stones by hundreds of workmen,lwbo employ locomotives and trains of boxcars for the service. This has always been considered,, and no doubt was, the most difficult part of construction of the whole road. It passes through the most swampy portion of the whole route, and bad, of 1 course, to be constructed on strong piles. The whole is being rapidly filled up by cribbing and embankment, so that in a few day 3 it will be as* firm and solid as the better portion of the road. Distance from Aspinwall to Gatun,, seven and a half miles. From Gatun vre proceeded along the line in | cars to Lion Hill. The road here, with the ! exception of a short distance, is laid upon sleej pets without piles — the earth being firm and ! compact, and the slight excavations or embankments making a road as solid and beautiful as can be found in any portion of the United States. Distance from Gatun to Lion Hill five and a half miles. From Lion Hill to Miller's Station, the road ;is of a very superior character, the work strong and well done, and with no embankments or excavations of importance. Distance from Lion Hill to Miller's Station, one and a half mile. This side of Miller's station the road is completed, and in running condition, up to a point between Buio Soldado and Aqua Salud, or King* Station, One of the best specimens of work whfcb we examined on the whole route, is the construction of a culvert of a very hard granite rock, hewn out of the side of the adjoining mountain, and handsomely cut, dressed, and formed into a culvert at Miller's Station. The work is on Miller's Kne, which together with the very superior work along the whole of this line reflects great credit upon Mr. Miller as a civilengineer and- faithful workman. From Miller*s Station to Buio Soldado is three aud a ' half miles. At Buio Soldado the work is rapidly progressing, and will soon be completed to Aqua Salud. From thence •it will be rapidly carried to the crossing at San Pablo, where arrangements are already completed, for the construction of a bridge 175 feet fong, with abutments of stones and piles, or piers of truss work of the strongest character. The total number of workmen engaged on the road is twelve hundred ! A road is to be cleared immediately from San Pablo to Gorgona, distance five miles and a half — so that by the time the railroad reaches San \ Pablo, on the opposite side of the river, mules , will be ready on this side to receive passengers, baggage and freight, for conveyance to Gorgona* and thence to this city. Passengers, therefore, landing at Aspinwall early in the morning, can easily reach this city, making the ordinary transit, with all necessary stoppages, in one day and a-half. It is contemplated, and we have every reasonable assurance to that effect, that the road will Le thus opened by the latter part of May, or Ist of June, ensuing. In regard to the railroad between this city and Gorgona, we have the pleasure to State that the whole work is to be put under contract, in one body, immediately. To that effect the' contracting parties, Messrs. Schuyler, of New York, sent out an examining party, consisting of Messrs. Cross, Wesson, and others, and who, accompanied by Mr. Senter, the Vice-President of the railroad, have already examined the line, and have returned for the purpose of making their report, and the estimates. They arrived in this city on Friday week last, and left the latter part of last week.. Immediately on making their report, men will be dispatched with tools and machinery necessary for all purposes, and- some, considerable portion of the work, we have good reason to believe, will be completed, and other parts in progress, before a check is given to the opecaiions by the rainy season. Meantime, extensive repairs, and improvements are to be made byjthe Company itself, ou the Gorgona road ; bridges aw to be thrown acrosi' the streams, the sloughs are to be well filled, and the worst ascents and descents along the sides of the mountains are to be changed and repaired, so, that it is supposed that all future travel and transportation will be by this route, and that there will be no occasion at all hereafter to use the Cruces road for those purposes. We may add, in conclusion, that one of the> chief objects of the visit to this city of George Law, Esqjr., was to examine the Gorgona route, with the view to ascertain the feasibility of so far improving the road temporarily, as to effect the above desirable object, and that having made a careful examination of it he rttorni' home, with the intention of recommending tht r adoption of such a course, at once, which, in til probability, will be fully and immediately, carried, out.