THE DRESS illustrated on the preceding page is

adapted for a dinner, carriage, or opera toilet, or any occasion where full dress is not required. It is of pearl-colored taffeta. The corsage is half high, closely fitting, and with round waist. The skirts are double and very full; the upper one made tunic-fashion; the under one, deep behind, is rather short in front, so as to display the slippers. The ornaments consist of a plaiting à la vieille of the same material as the dress, bordering the neck, sleeves, and the edges of the upper skirt, and bretelles, formed in the same manner. This trimming is made of graduated width. The sleeves are full and long, falling below the tips of the fingers, and are cut to a point, which is finished by tassels. The shoulders are ornamented in the same way at the point of the openings, on the outside of the sleeves, which are divided through their entire length. The sides of the opening are connected by crossings of ribbon to match, which form lozenges on the under-sleeves; passementerie buttons are placed on the crossings. The under-sleeves are of muslin, very full, with narrow insertions, running lengthwise.

The Boy's COSTUME consists of a black velvet jacket, cut with rounded corners, and confined only at the neck. The sleeves, rather short, and full below, are trimmed with fancy buttons; the cuffs being of plaided velvet, with a waved edge. The skirt is of plaid, with a deep border of black velvet; gaiters, and plaided stockings. A salmon-colored sash, with long ends, passes over the shoulder. The collar is turned over a cord and tassels. The sleeves are puffed, with English cuffs turned over. The pantaloons are of Nansook. The cap has a white plume.

The GIRL'S DRESS is of blue-bird-egg-colored merino, with a V-shaped plastron. It is trimmed with silk passementerie fancy buttons and a "Tom Thumb" fringe. The skirt has a border of silk to match, with pipings of the same, arranged as shown in the illustration. The sleeves are short, and frilled.

DRESS CAP.-A triangular piece of black velvet, bordered with a cherry and black satin ribbon, in blocks, with a deep frill of black lace thrown over it in front. A loose twist of cherry and black ribbon is placed on the crown, circular shaped, ending in a tie with long floats.

HOME CAP.-Of blonde and crape. The front of crape, gathered; narrow blonde edging; Marie Stuart point, formed by a plaiting à la vieille. A crape bow is placed on the crown, with long strings edged with lace.

Gray silks, so much hitherto in vogue, are giving way to those which are plaided, or checked, in bright colors-apropos of which, we should mention a very unique sortie de bal. It is of white merino, circular, with two plaided scarfs, tied in a bold bow at the back; thus forming a hood, which is faced with white silk. The unequal lengths of the scarf droop down the back, ending in rich fringe. In front they fall at each side of the neck; and if the garment is closed, may have a bow or a cord loop over a button to match.

We have seen a very pretty collar for gaslight, made of an open net-work of white bugles, with the centre of each mesh occupied by a large white bead, and fringed with bugles.

NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE.

NO. CIV. JANUARY, 1859.-VOL. XVIII.

Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1858, by Iarper and Brothers, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of New York.

VOL. XVIII.-No. 104.-K

their distance rendered them almost inaccessible to the class of emigrants who usually settle our new domains, as well as inconvenient to the proper administration of law and government. Still, urged on by that pioneering spirit which seems inherent in the blood of the American, and invited by the prolific soil and genial climate of these distant possessions, and a prospect of a new and enlarged field for commercial pursuits, large numbers of our people migrated thither around Cape Horn. Congress, however,

Every body ought to know what the Panama Railroad is, and where it is-for every body reads the papers. Every body may have had either a neighbor or a friend, and perhaps dozens of them, who have traveled over that road. Perhaps the reader has been over it himself. He may know that, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, three bold merchants of the city of New York, after obtaining a contract from the Government of New Granada, memorialized Congress on the subject, and obtained a charter for the protec-in 1848, in order to render these countries more tion and prosecution of the work, and that in accessible, authorized contracts to be entered seven years afterward the road was completed. into for the establishment of two mail lines of But every body does not know the stupendous steamships, the one from New York and New and almost desperate character of that under- Orleans to Chagres, and the other, to connect taking, the means by which it was accomplish- with this by the Isthmus of Panama, from Paed, the perils and privations encountered, the nama to California and Oregon. The inducelabors undergone, the skill, energy, and cour-ments to invest in these projects were not sufage displayed by the pioneers and builders of ficient to attract the favorable attention of capthe Panama Railroad. italists, and the contracts were taken by parties without means, who offered them for sale, and for a long time without success.

Men were at last found bold enough to ven

Colonel Totten was one of the pioneers of that work. From its inception to its completion upon him rested the responsibility of its location and construction. He shared the dan-ture upon the enterprise. Mr. William H. Asgers and the sufferings of the builders, and led pinwall secured the line on the Pacific side, and in the labor and the toil. During the voyage George Law that on the Atlantic. In the Atjust alluded to I had an opportunity of con- lantic contract there was comparatively little versing freely with him upon the subject of this risk, and a promise of almost immediate remuroad. I listened with deep interest to its his- neration, as it connected with the cities of Satory from the early times to its glorious and vannah and New Orleans, and terminated at successful present. From that and subsequent the portals of the Pacific Ocean. But the Paconversations with him and with Mr. Center-cific contract was looked upon by the generality who had been engaged upon the work for sev- of business men as a certain sequestration of a eral years, first as Vice-President, and more re-large amount of property for an indefinite time, cently as Superintendent-and from documents, with a faint prospect of profit; and the wonder letters, books, and sketches, to which I had ac- seemed to be that so sound a man as Mr. Ascess through their united kindness, I am en- pinwall should have engaged in it. But it soon abled to impart the results in the form of a brief became evident that he expected no great profit history, which, before traveling over the road from the steamship line, per se; but that, with with the reader, I shall take the liberty of lay- those enlarged and far-reaching views for which ing before him. he is so justly noted, this line was only a part The project of a great interoceanic commu- of the great plan which he had conceived, the nication across the Isthmus of Panama had been remainder being embraced in the bold design agitated for centuries, the whole commercial of a railroad across the Isthmus of Panama. world was alive to its importance, and coveted And at this time he, with Mr. Henry Chauncey its advantages. New Granada, unable herself and Mr. John L. Stephens, entered into a conto attempt so great a work, had freely offered tract with the Government of New Granada for the privilege of so doing to any nation rich and the construction of that work. Mr. Chauncey, brave enough to undertake it, well knowing the like Mr. Aspinwall, was a large-minded and benefits which must accrue to her own citizens public-spirited capitalist, whose integrity and thereby. England had looked toward the pro- straight-forwardness were undoubted. Mr. Steject with longing eyes, but quailed before the phens possessed an experience in the country magnitude of the labor. France did more, sur-through which the road was to pass, and a veyed and entered into a contract to establish knowledge of its geography and its inhabitit; but too many millions were found neces-ants, gained by practical study and observation. sary for its completion, and it was lost by de- These three gentlemen were associated togethfault.

er for the prosecution of this great enterprise, Events at last occurred which turned the at- and shortly after, Mr. Stephens, accompanied tention of the American people to this transit, by Mr. J. L. Baldwin, a skillful and experienced viz., the settlement of the northwestern bound-engineer, made an exploration of the route, and ary, by which we came into possession of Oregon, and the war with Mexico, which added California to our possessions. But while the accession of these territories was of the highest importance to us in a national point of view,

decided upon its entire feasibility, dissipating the fears entertained by many that no line could be established without such heavy grades as would interfere materially with the paying character of the undertaking, by the discovery

(which were to be the termini of the road), were | reeking with malaria, and abounding with al

to be free ports; and the privilege was granted of establishing such tolls as the Company might think proper. The contract was to continue in force for forty-nine years, subject to the right of New Granada to take possession of the road at the expiration of twenty years after its completion, on payment of five millions of dollars; at the expiration of thirty years, on payment of four millions; and at the expiration of forty years, on payment of two millions. Three per cent. was to be paid to the New Granadian Government upon all dividends declared. The entire work was to be completed within eight years, and a sum of one hundred and twenty thousand dollars was to be deposited at its commencement, as security for the fulfillment of the contract, but to be refunded, with interest, on the completion of the road within the given time.

Up to this period calculations for the ultimate success of the undertaking were based upon the advantages it would afford in shortening, by many thousand miles, not only the route to California and Oregon, but to China, Australia, and the East Indies, and in the development of the rich, but then almost inaccessible, countries bordering the whole Pacific coast. At this time, however (the latter part of 1848), the discovery of gold in California, with its accompanying tide of emigration across the Isthmus of Panama, changed the prospects of this projected road; and, from an enterprise which looked far into the future for its rewards, it became one promising immediate returns from the capital and labor invested, and in which the people, as well as the Government of the United States, must be immediately and deeply interested.

most every species of wild beasts, noxious reptiles, and venomous insects, known in the tropics. Further on, though some of the land was so fair and beautiful that the natives called it Paraiso, the greater part of the line was through a rugged country, along steep hill-sides, over wild chasms, spanning turbulent rivers and furious mountain torrents, until the summit ridge was surmounted, when it descended abruptly to the shores of the Pacific Ocean.

Situated between the parallels of 8° and 9° north of the equator, a sultry tropical heat prevailed throughout the year; nearly half of which time the country was deluged with rains that, if they would not seriously damage the works, were certain to impede their progress, and add greatly to the arduous character of the undertaking. The whole Isthmus, though covered with the most luxuriant vegetative growth, possessed little or no timber sufficiently durable to be of use in the construction of a permanent work. The native population, composed of a mongrel race of Spaniards, Indians, and Negroes, were too indolent and unaccustomed to labor to be depended on to any great extent. The resources of the country were entirely inadequate for the support of laborers. Men, materials, and provisions were to be transported thousands of miles. And yet, despite all these obstacles, the dim glimpses of which had, at a previous time, caused European capitalists to shrink back with fear, our bold operators at once, and earnestly, pushed forward this stupendous enterprise.

In the early part of 1849 a contract was entered into with Messrs. George M. Totten and John C. Trautwine for the construction of the road. The services of these gentlemen had been solicited by the Company, not only on account of their previously established reputation as skillful and successful engineers, but from having only a short time before been engaged upon a work of considerable magnitude in a neighboring province-the "Canal del Dique," connecting the Magdalena River with the Caribbean Sea at Carthagena-they had, consequently, a large experience in the character and resources of the country, and the conditions necessary to the success of such a project. The contractors at once proceeded to the Isthmus with a large force, and commenced the final location of the road.

A charter was now granted by the Legislature of the State of New York for the formation of a stock company, under which one million dollars of stock was taken-the original grantees having previously transferred their contract into the hands of this Company. A large and experienced party of engineers, under the command of Colonel G. W. Hughes, of the United States Topographical Corps, were sent down, in the early part of 1849, to survey and locate the line of the road. The result of their work not only confirmed the previous reconnoissance in regard to the entire practicability of the railroad, but another summit gap was discovered by Mr. J. L. Baldwin, thirty-seven feet lower than that previously established by him, and a line was run from ocean to ocean not exceed-sance of Colonel Hughes and party, a native ing fifty miles in length. The Pacific terminus of the road was located at the city of Panama, on Panama Bay, and the Atlantic terminus at Navy Bay, on the Atlantic shore.

The character and geographical position of the country through which the line of the road had been carried was such as might well have made the hardiest projectors shrink from attempting its construction. The first thirteen miles, beginning at Navy Bay, was through a deep morass, covered with the densest jungle,

Basing their operations upon the reconnois

town called Gorgona, on the Chagres River, about thirty miles from the Atlantic, was selected as a point for the commencement of the work. This place was chosen on account of the facilities it afforded for communication with the Atlantic by the River Chagres, which was supposed to be navigable to this point for vessels of light draught, by which men, materials, and stores could be transported to a central point on the proposed road; and, on the completion of the Pacific section, traffic between