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AFTER THE OPERA, GO TO THE

Cantina “La Opera”

THEATRE SQUARE, NO. 19 CENTRAL AVENUE, NEAR NEW NATIONAL THEATRE.

STYLISH PLACE IN A STYLISH LOCATION. One of the Neatest. Coolest and most Attractive Refreshment Places in All Panama. First-Class Wines, Liquors and Sodas Dispensed. Light Lunches Served. Light and Fresh Pastry Made by an Experienced Baker Always on Hand.

A Cordial Invitation is Given the Public To Visit Us.

his great satisfaction at the apparent practicability of the great undertaking, and more than once became enthusiastic in speaking of the prospect. "There are," he said, "only two great difficulties to be overcome, the Chagres River, and the deep cutting at the summit. The first can be surmounted by turning the headwaters of the river into another channel, and the second will disappear before the wells which will be sunk and charged with explosives of sufficient force to remove vast quantities at each discharge. The existence of the railroad will greatly facilitate the work on the canal, and unless closer examination, for

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which the present visit has been made, should prove favorable, a result that is in nowise anticipated, there is no doubt but the work will be begun in earnest and without material delay."

The utmost good order was maintained, and the most profound respect was shown to M. de Lesseps by all classes, while the enthusiasm knew no bounds. The flags of all nations were displayed, with the notable exception of that of the United States, and the reception may be said to have been a decided success.

On the 31st., at 11 a. m., the party left Colon for Panama. The train was met at Barbacoas bridge by the President of the State, and the party was safely transferred to another train by which it arrived in this city at 5:30 p. m. A fine lunch was provided on the train, with wines, which gave entire satisfaction.

In Panama considerable preparation had been made to do fitting honor to the great impressario. At the station an open tent was placed in which the representative of the State, Mr. Manuel J. Diez, accompanied by Lieut.Col. Montufar, Gen. Gonzalez, the secretaries of the Government, and other prominent military and civil officials extended him a hearty greeting in the name of the sovcreign State of Panama. The party was conveyed in carriages to the Grand Hotel, the battalions of the 3d. and 11th Colombian Guard forming a guard of honor the entire distance. The houses in the Calle Real (the former name of Central Avenue), and other leading streets were profusely decorated with flags in which the French and Colombian colors predominated.

Flag staffs had been erected at convenient intervals along the line displaying the flags of the two Republics. Each staff bore a shield with the name of one or the other of the promoters and engineers of the different explorations and projects for the canalization of the Isthmus. They were of every country and every walk of life; the bold discoverer, the hardy buccaneer, naval officers of various nations, and civil engineers following the peaceful routine of ordinary duty. There were the names of Balboa,-1513; Dampier-1549; Patterson-1698; Donozo-1761, Ariza-1783; M. Wagner, date not shown; Lloyd-1829; N. Garella and Courtines-1843; Totten-1849; Trautwine and Hughes-1853; Harrison-1867; Lull and Selfridge-1870; and the WyseReclus-Sosa-Verbrugghe-Bixio-Lacharme-Musso and Brooks expeditions of 1877-8. These names were principally displayed in the Plaza, a notable group to whom the world is largely indebted. Among the several arches was one at Plaza Santa Ana reading "Colombia salutes Ferdinand de Lesseps," and on one other, "Panama congratulates her illustrious guest, Ferdinand de Lesseps." A banquet terminated the day's doings, which passed off pleasantly.

Among the De Lesseps party was his wife and three of is children. "M. De Lesseps is now 77 years of age", says

a current newspaper article and his second wife was but 21 when he married her. They have seven children. The Madame is of creole origin, her beauty being the type of that class, enhanced by a pair of magnificent black eyes. Her form is the admiration of the dressmakers of the French capital, and a tight-fitting dress sets off her figure to perfection. There is a great tenderness on the part of the distinguished engineer toward his little ones. They are permitted to do pretty much as they choose either in the saloon, or out of it. It was this sort of paternal manhood that prompted De Lesseps to escort the Empress Eugenie and her ill-fated son from the mob that threatened the Tuileries close on to twenty years ago."

Others in the Count's party were Lieut. Wyse, J. Dirke, Engineer-in-Chief of the canals of Holland, M. Boutan, mining engineer of France, M. Dautaz and M. Albert, engineers of Holland waterworks and canals, Messrs. Verbrugghe, Couvreux, Blanchet and Fontan, civil engineers, and Messrs. Bionne, C. Wiener, Gallay and Dauprat, secretaries.

The Canal Inaugurated.

M. De Lesseps has kept his promise, and the 1st of January, 1880 has witnessed the formal inauguration of the work of completing and perfecting the surveys for the Panama Canal, says the Star & Herald in its issue of January 3, 1880. The exhaustive documents furnished to the Paris Congress were amply sufficient to prove the superiority of the Panama route over all others.

On the 1st inst., a large party of ladies and gentlemen went on the steamer "Taboguilla" to the mouth of the Rio Grande about three miles west of Panama. Here it was intended to land and witness the turning of the first sod, a task which was assigned to Miss. Fernanda de Lesseps, which was to mark the beginning of the work that was to end in the union of the in the union of the Atlantic and the

[graphic]

Bird's eye view of Culebra~Panama.

Isthmian American & P.R.R. News Agency & Advertising Bureau. A Bienkowski

Pacific Oceans. On account of the lateness of the hour at which the steamer left the wharf, it was impossible to carry out the program in its entirety without delaying the return to the city. With the entrance of the "Taboguilla" into the mouth of the river (the first occasion in which a steamer had ever been seen in that place), it was considered as a beginning of the surveys (mark the failure at the start), and the remainder of the program proceeded with.

was then

An address was made by M. de Lesseps in which he announced the fulfillment of his promise to begin practical work on the great canal enterprise on January 1, 1880. He further remarked that his labors had now begun under the authority of the United States of Colombia, with the benediction of Monseignor, the Bishop of Panama, and with the assistance of the members of the Technical Commission charged with the definite studies for the Universal Interoceanic Maritime Canal.

He expressed his entire confidence in the enterprise and its success, to which, he said, he consecrated the closing years of his life, and had no hesitation in counting upon the assistance of the financial world for means to open another highway to the commerce of the world. His Grace, the Bishop then formally bestowed his benediction upon the enterprise, and the blessings of the Universal Church upon the labors of science for the benefit of commerce. Other addresses were delivered after which the steamer proceeded to the islands and then returned to the wharf, landing its distinguished passengers who were unanimous in their delight over the trip.

Grand Banquet to De Lesseps.

The public demonstrations in honor of De Lesseps arrival came to a close on Sunday, January 4, 1880 with an elaborate banquet tendered him by Dr. Antonio Ferro, the representative of the Colombian Government.

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