76 
ENGINEERING REPORTS. 
toad would contribute yearly a large sum towards the construc- 
tion of the railroad. 
We give the above result, based upon prices actually below 
what have been charged upon the Panama route, to enable 
persons to form their own ideas of what may be the probable 
business upon this road. 
The opening of the Panama road may reduce the fare across 
that Isthmus to $15 or $10; but considering the time which 
will probably elapse before the completion of that road, the 
saving of sea distance by Tehuantepec, and the consequent 
reduction of the price of the whole passage to California, we 
can safely assume the price by the latter route, or until the open- 
ing of the Panama Railroad, at $25 each, and for freight at $5 
per 100 lbs., or $100 per ton. 
The time by light-draught steamers from Mina-titlan to Suchil, 
as may be seen on reference to the tables, page 72, is 12 hours 
(8 miles per hour), and from Suchil to Yentosa is 30 hours (at 4 
miles per hour) ; making 42 hours, travelling time, from Mina- 
titlan to Yentosa. 
Summary of Cost of the Railroad from Jaltepec River to Ventosa. 
Opening auxiliary road necessary for the operations of 
building the Railroad, $131,000-00 
Clearing, grubbing, graduation, masonry and bridging, 
from Rio Jaltepec to base of mountains, 3,766,838*39 
Do. do. from base of mountains to Ventosa, 345,819*60 
Superstructure — Jaltepec to Ventosa, including six 
miles for stations and side-tracks, : 785,882*79 
$5,029,540.78 
The above shows the total cost of the road, with superstruc- 
ture and every thing complete, and ready for the engines and 
cars. 
In accordance with the assumption that at least one hundred 
thousand passengers, and one hundred thousand tons, of freight, 
would cross the Isthmus yearly after the road is opened, an 
equipment capable of doing that amount of business has con- 
sequently been calculated for. 
To this estimate must also be added the cost of light- 
