Friends of Patrimonio Panama:

Today we observe the anniversary No. 158 of the Slice of Watermelon Incident, which took place back when we still were Colombians, on the 15 th of April, 1856.

With the advent of the first trans-isthmus railroad (which was also the first railway that connected the Atlantic coast of America to the Pacific Ocean), under the influence of the California Gold Rush, the terminal cities of the route (Panamá and Aspinwall, now known as Colón City), were flooded with travelers crossing the Isthmus, most of them going to California. The railroad affected the income of former bongueros (that had been transporting travelers down the path of Cruces, across land and river), as well as the importing of products affected local artisans. Many of them had to diversify their work, such as did José Manuel Luna, first silversmith and then fruit seller (McGuinness 2004: 150).

Panama City, still intact and with its walled pit, as you can see on the map in Figure No.2, was full of themselves (with major social divisions between light and dark complexions) and foreign.

McGuinness tells us,

“When the railway was opened in 1855, he had largely destroyed the old system of transport through Panama by boat, mule and Chargers. By reducing the time travelers remained in Panama from days to hours, Railroad dealt a serious blow to other sectors of the Panamanian economy that provided service for passengers. This was also the result of coordinating the arrival and departure of steamers from both sides of the Isthmus, which further reduced travel delays in Panama. By mid-decade 1850, Atlantic village of Chagres was largely replaced as a port of call for ocean liners for the new port of Colón, Known in America as Aspinwall. Columbus Aspinwall built by fue, and largely owned by, the Panama Railroad Company and its partners in the shipping industry. However, on the Pacific side of the Isthmus, one steamer called Taboga competed fiercely with the few remaining rowers in the Bay of Panama. In Panama City, the negative effects of this revolution in transport economics Panama felt more severely in El Arrabal. Panamanians and travelers alike to El Arrabal identified as an urban area dominated by blacks and people of color. In addition to the carriers and vogues, the population of El Arrabal also included an artisan elite, albañiles y plateros, inter alia, well as laundresses, owners of stores selling liquor and other refreshments and common workers or laborers who had done the hard work of railway construction” (McGuinness 2003: 71- 74).

Also, the Federal State of Panama, Justo Arosemena's work, was in full effect from 1855. In Arrabal, with the acquired right to vote, mestizos were gaining importance in the political arena, under the Liberal banner. The intramural elite identified with the Conservative Party (McGuinness 2003: 76). Slavery was abolished in New Granada (today, Colombia) in 1852 (McGuinness 2004: 144).

But, What what happened? José Manuel Luna I mentioned a moment ago. The 15 th of April, 1856, Parita this native man and silversmith by profession, was selling fruit in the resort of La Cienega; economic situation as we have seen, It was hard. An American traveler identified as Jack Oliver took a slice of watermelon cushy positions of pariteño, the bit and threw down, refusing to pagarla (clear whether anyone was bad). Moon confronted, insults crossed; Moon pulled a knife and Oliver pulled his gun. A Peruvian who was passing in a fit of America allied solidarity with the Panamanian, and the brawl escalated the style of the newspaper El Siglo into a public brawl: namely, robin. People came running from Arrabal Santa Ana Flight of church bells, and… Good. There were no injuries, some dead, and losses in property vandalized and fires. The three authors consulted for this entry PatrimonioPanamá.com agree that Brawl, beyond being motivated by the abuse of the U.S. and that it was the real slice of watermelon, served as a catalyst for an explosion of resentment of an economic, political and social.

I've left reading material in References below, so they can read more. The consequences of the incident reached international proportions. Following Incident, first U.S. troops landed on the Isthmus of Panama in September of that year (Araúz 1999: 321). New Granada (because we were Colombians) ended up paying a hefty idemnización the U.S.. A la tajadita, not paid anyone.

Where did this happen? Believe it or not, went up to the Seafood Market, in Panama City. I learned Incident Site by further research on other issues. Since apparently, specialists only know the environment, I brought them two maps so they know where the Incident occurred Watermelon chop.

Figure No.1 Panama City, Calidonia. Location shown in Figure No.2

Figure No.1 shows the area covered by the map below in Figure No.2. The A does not mark the site of the incident, but Square 5 May, to locate in the area. Figure No.1 is the year 2004 and is an image from Google Earth. Figure No.2 corresponds to a map of the area indicated by the red box… but 1857.

Figure No.2 in Panama City 1857, e hitos urbanos.

The plane I show in Figure No.2 corresponds to Panama City, drawn by Thomas Harrison 1857; rests in its original Library of the Panama Canal Authority “Roberto F. Chiari” (de facto, is framed in a corridor). There may consult, if desired.

The Incident occurred Watermelon chop in the area marked with yellow, where the arrow points “Railway Station”. The coast has changed over the fillings Javillo The early twentieth century, with the construction of the Avenida Balboa, and coastal successive tapes. I marked in red the most popular sites; namely, recognizable by the Panamanian today. Note that the actual building of the Old Train Station (Formerly the Anthropological Museum Reina Torres de Arauz) in the Plaza 5 May not existed. That building was built between 1912 and 1913. Thus, was in the La Cienega station in the area marked yellow, where he began public brawl. I hope you enjoy the map of Panama 1857, locating landmarks and how was the area in the nineteenth century. The original map is not scratched at all, through the Panama Canal Authority (ACP).

Regards,

Katti Osorio Ugarte

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REFERENCES

Araúz, Celestino and Patricia Pizzurno Gelós 1999. Relations between Panama and the United States (History Channel Interoceánico from the sixteenth century to 1903) Flight. 1, Nationality Library Collection, Panama Canal Authority, 315 – 329 pp. Internet. Available in, http://bdigital.binal.ac.pa/bdp/descarga.php?f=tomos/XXXII/Tomo_XXXII.pdf, accessed 15 th of April, 2014. National Library of Panama Ernesto J. Castillero.

McGuinness, Aims 2003. Defending the Isthmus – struggles against the filibusters in Panama City in 1856. In, Mesoamerica Vol.24 No.45. Internet. Available in, http://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=2403176, accessed 15 th of April, 2014. 66 – 84 pp.

McGuinness, Aims 2004. Those days of California, The Panama Railroad and the transformation of the transit area during the Gold Rush. In, General History of Panama Vol.2, The Nineteenth Century, Cap. VIII. Edited by Alfredo Castillero Calvo, National Centennial Committee, Panamá. 141 – 159 pp.