528 APPENDIX. 
which time the road was actually completed as far as Barro de 
Pirahy, the company being unable to raise funds for the contin- 
uation of the work, it was assumed by the government, as a na- 
tional undertaking, and Major Ellison, resigning his position, was 
succeeded by Mr. "Wm. S. Ellison as chief engineer. 
The difficulties of construction throughout the second section 
were immense ; indeed, there was an almost universal distrust of 
the practicability of the work. Even after it was considerably 
advanced, it would probably have been abandoned but for the en- 
ergy of the President, who shared the confidence of the engineers, 
and pushed forward the enterprise almost single-handed, in spite of 
the incredulity of its friends and the objections of its opponents. 
The sharpness of the mountain spurs rendering it impossible in 
many cases to pass around them, tunnels became necessary, and 
fifteen were actually made, varying from 300 to more than 7,300 feet 
in length, forming, in the aggregate, three miles of subterraneous 
line. Of those tunnels, three pass through rock decomposed to such 
a degree that lining throughout was necessary, while the rest are 
pierced, for the greater part, through solid rock, though requiring 
the same precaution occasionally. The total length of lining with 
masonry is 5,700 feet. In the course of this operation constant 
danger and difficulty arose from the breaking in of the rock, and 
in one instance the whole mountain spur through which the tun- 
nel had been driven parted from the main mass and, sliding down, 
obliterated the work, so that it was necessary to begin the per- 
foration again, contending continually against the enormous press- 
ure of the loose superincumbent debris. Were this the fitting 
place, it would be interesting to give the history of this enterprise 
more in detail ; especially that of the work connected with building 
the great tunnel and the temporary track which was in use when 
I first passed over the road. Suffice it to say, that all that portion 
of the road which is included within the second section is a triumph 
of engineering, which excites the admiration of the most compe- 
tent judges, and is in the highest degree creditable to those under 
whose direction it has been accomplished. 
