ENGINEERING REPORTS. 
69 
from Rancho Amate to Paso de la Puerta, the other from Suchil 
parallel to the Jaltepec. 
With regard to the construction of a carriage-road over this 
portion, extending from the Jaltepec to the plains of Xochapia, 
Mr. Avery, from whose report I have extracted at length, says : 
u A good carriage-road may be constructed from the Jaltepec 
River to the plains of Xochiapa, at a small expense, and at no 
point very distant from the line of snrvey. In bnilding a car- 
riage-road, most of the difficulties encountered in the construc- 
tion of a railroad are obviated, as, not being so much limited 
in the matter of grades and curvature, advantage may be taken 
of the peculiar formation of the country, which is remarkably 
well adapted to the construction of good roads in certain direc- 
tions. For a great portion of the distance above referred to, the 
road can traverse the summits of elevated ridges or natural turn- 
pikes, having a perfect drainage, and forming a hard gravelly 
road-bed. 
Supposing the carriage-road to terminate on the Jaltepec 
River, the route thence to the plains of Xochiapa presents the 
following characteristics. From the Jaltepec to the Rancho 
Amate, a distance of four and a half miles, the ground is but 
slightly undulating, and the soil a gravelly clay. The proposed 
route crosses the Amate Creek twice, and also two or three 
smaller streams in this distance. The cost of bridging these will 
be light, as there is abundance of heavy timber on the ground, 
For a short distance back from the Jaltepec it may be neces- 
sary to throw up a light embankment, to insure the road being 
above overflow. 
From the Rancho Amate to within one-half mile of the Ju- 
muapa (a distance of ten and a half miles) the road will traverse 
the summit of an elevated ridge, avoiding the necessity of cross- 
ing any streams. For the first four miles of this distance, the road 
will be somewhat hilly, and will involve considerable expense 
in its construction; but for the balance of the way, nature 
seems to have shaped the ground expressly for a road ; it is even 
now passable for carriages, and but little labor is required to 
put it in excellent condition. 
The Tortugas Creek and Jumuapa River would require bridg- 
