Identifier: panamapersonalre00robi_0 (find matches)
Title: Panama; a personal record of forty-six years, 1861-1907
Year: 1907 (1900s)
Authors: Robinson, Tracy, 1833-1915
Subjects: Panama railroad. (from old catalog)
Publisher: New York and Panama, The Star and herald company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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tropical nature that was to end intriumph five weary years later. 11 (Panama CHAPTER II PRELIMINARY surveys had been made,and a summit level determined. But lineshad to be run, and the entire track located. Thisarduous duty was assigned to Mr. Baldwin, theyoungest of the staff. He organized a smallparty, and made the bold plunge. For a longdistance they were obliged to wade in waterwaist deep, and to hew their way through thedense jungle. After the first two miles the low hills werereached where the cemeteries are now situated.This was the first foothold on solid ground; butjust beyond, another swamp was encountered,across which Baldwin led his men, waist deep,as before. It is said that this intrepid man carried hisnoonday luncheon in his hat, during the prog-ress of that part of the survey, and ate itstanding, amid the envious alligators and watersnakes. Be that as it may, it is doubtful if amore daring feat of engineering has been per-formed. Think of it! day after scorching day, 12
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Chapter II) shut in by impenetrable growth of jungle, eachweary foot of which must be cut down before anyadvance could be made, breathing air laden withpoison, and tormented by millions of insects!The wonder is that any man could have hadsuch courage and endurance. But this was, assometimes happens, the man for the occasion.On a later page an estimate of him will be at-tempted, when his sad end will be told. The work was carried on with the utmost zeal,until the whole line had been located, and thegrading for the track begun. As early as 1849 crowds of gold seekers,bound for California, had begun to cross the Isth-mus, by the Chagres as far as either Gorgona orCruces, and thence by mule road to Panama.The need of the railroad became each day morepressing, and the company made every effort topush the work to completion. Contracts weremade, embracing the whole line, and high hopeswere entertained that in twTo years at most, fromMay, 1850, trains would be running from seato sea. Two year

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