TPTE PANAMA liOllTP: FOR A SHIP CANAL.« 



I)V William II. Ritrr. 



The Panama route as a lino of transit across tho Isthmus was estab- 

 lished, as near as can ])e determined, between 1517 and 1520. The 

 first settlement, at the site of the town of old Panama. (3 or 7 miles 

 easterly of the present city of that name, \yhs begun in August, 1517. 

 This was the Pacific end of the line. The Atlantic end was finally 

 established in 1519 at Nombre de Dios, the more (>asterly port of Acla, 

 where Balboa wnis tried and executed, having tirst been s(d(>cted, but 

 subsequently rejected. 



The old town of Panama was made a city by royal decree fi'om the 

 throne of Spain in S(^])tcmb(M', 15i!l. At the sam(^ time it was given a 



f^Cha^s RI 

 PROFILE OF PANAMA ROUTE 



SCALE OF MILES 



=^'n3^ l w.-io 



AMA ROUTE ■ p^"B , Jir ' 



L I Jl M 



Profile of Panama route. 



coat of arms, and spcM-ial privileg(>s were conf(n'red ui)oii it. The 

 course of travel then established ran })y a road, well known at the 

 present time, through a small place called Cruces on the river Chagres, 

 about 17 miles distant fnmi Panama. It must have been an excellent 

 road for those daN^s. liridges were even laid across streams, and the 

 surface was paved, although probably rather crudely. According- to 

 some accounts it was only wide enough for use by beasts of bnixlen, 

 l>ut some have stated that it was wide enough to enable two carts to 

 pass each other. 



The harljor of the Atlantic terminus at Nombre de Dios did not 

 prove entirely satisfactory, and Porto Bello, westerly of th(> former 



"Reprinted, by permission, fiDin "AncitMit and ^lodcrn iMi^inccrin^ and The 

 Isthmian Canal," by William II. I'>nrr, i)r(>fc.'^s()r of civil cniJiincerin^ in C'olnmbia 

 University, New York. Pul)li.<hcd ))y .lolui Wiley i*c Sons, New York, H)0:>. Copy- 

 right, 1903, bv AVilliam 11. P.nrr. 



537 



