Hello everyone, I have finished indexing the names for a new database for the Madeira Mamore Expedition of 1878 which involved constructing a railroad in Brazil by US engineers, contractors and laborers. The names are mostly PA, NJ, NY, DE, MD, WV, KY and OH. My project started as a search for person named Philip BOWERS in my family tree who I finally found in one of the newspaper articles and my project since expanded into something much more. Since I had collected so much information I thought it might be a good time to share it with other researchers. The project consists of two web pages: 1) a source or reference page (bibliography) with links to where the names were found, and 2) the database of names to which it is linked You can access both at the web site below: http://web.rtmc.net/~bobmoyer/1878/sources.htm I you have a missing person from this time period you need to check the database, especially if they were from PA, NJ, NY, DE or MD. The names in the list are not currently found by searching the Internet or Rootsweb. Rootsweb support said the names will all eventually become indexed - indexing runs in two month cycles. Short Synopsis: The Disastrous American Expedition of 1878 that included the contractors P. & T. Collins (Col. George Earl Church) and the laborers who went to Brazil to build a railroad was also called the "The Railroad of Death" and a "railroad from no-place to no-where". It was estimated that a worker died for every sleeper that was laid in the jungle and the loss of workers was on a scale that rivaled the Panama Canal project. The purpose of this project is to create a database of names by transcribing newspaper accounts, books and other sources about the expedition. Careful attention has been given to separate these names from the later Farquar/Jekyll expedition of 1907-1912. Thousands of men from many countries lost their lives in both expeditions. I've read that many men kept diaries while working in Brazil and I have a few in my sources but I'm sure there are others. If you have anything to add I would welcome your contribution. Happy Hunting - please let me know if you find anything helpful. Sincerely, Bob Moyer Instructor, Ed2go - Genealogy Basics Researching the Pennsylvania names of Moyer, Rempp, Klug, Mattern, Magargal and BOWERS, the name that originally started this project.