ENGINEEEING KEPOETS. 
35 
of Almagro. Leaving the mountain on the left, the line would 
deflect considerably to the east, so as to avoid the more elevated 
grounds which bound the river bottoms on the west. 
Of the feasibility of the route from Mina-titlan to a point con- 
siderably south of Mt. Encantada, within a reasonable cost, 
there can be no doubt ; but a road terminating at any point on 
the Brazo Mistan is impracticable, without involving a large 
outlay and the risk of damage from the effects of high water. 
In fact, there are but three or four points on the Brazo Mistan 
which are above overflow, and these only small isolated knolls ; 
while nearly all the country west, to within two or three miles 
of the Hacienda of Almagro, thence to Mt. Encantada, and 
for some distance farther south, is subject to periodic inun- 
dation, the depth of the flowage being often ten or twelve feet. 
The best route for the road, supposing its terminus to be at 
Mina-titlan, would evidently coincide nearly with a line limiting 
the overflow, where the course is sufficiently direct. 
On the route above described, there will be no difficulty in 
obtaining a good alignment, with easy grades, for the entire 
distance. The maximum grade would not probably exceed 15 
or 20 feet per mile. From Mina-titlan to a point near Cosulia- 
caque, the surface of the country is extremely favorable for the 
construction of the road, as also from near Tesistepec to Mt. 
Encantada. Between Cosuliacaque and the last-named village 
the ground is more uneven, but in no case will very heavy work 
be encountered in the construction of the road. There will be 
but little rock excavation on this portion of the route, and that 
mostly in a coarse, friable sandstone, that can be easily worked. 
The soil for the entire distance is either clay, sand, or gravel, 
furnishing a solid substratum on which to build. 
The streams crossing the line of road are all small ; between 
Mina-titlan and Tesistepec, the line proposed intersects them 
very near their source ; and more to the south, the near vicin- 
ity of the San Juan River on the west accounts for the small 
amount of drainage passing the line. 
As the configuration of the Gulf coast would seem to indicate 
that a good harbor might be formed at La Barrilla ; and as, by 
making this point (instead of Mina-titlan) the terminus, the 
