The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-05-28
BY TELEGRAPH.
WASHINGTON NOTES.

WASHINGTON, May 2z-The Papal ENJOYS
who brought the beretta to Cardinal McClos-
key, visited the President and Secretaries to-
day.
The President orders the Departments to
be closed Saturday for the decoration of Ar
lington Federal graves.
Gen. Meigs has been detailed for special
duty to report upon the organization Of for
eign armies, especially regarding the quarter
masters department. Meigs will be absent q
year.
Gen. Ingalls, has been assigned as Quarter
master General in the meantime.
The President with his family goes to Long
Branch Tuesday.
Secretary Delano had q general talk with
the Black Hill Indians who showed little
disposition to move into the Indian Territory.
Spotted Tail wanted to know why, if that
Territory was so beautiful, the white men did
not go there instead Of coming to the Black
Hills.
| WASHINGTON, May 27.-Lieutenants FEEDER
lex Collins. JAS G. Eaton, j. T. Sullivan. s.
G. Paine, Ensign H. III. Barroll and Assistant
Surgeon Finest Norfeet, U. s. N. who were
sent to the Isthmus of Panama for the pur-
pose of locating the line of the proposed ship
canal, connecting the A lantic and Pacific
oceans by the Napipi route, the preliminary
survey of which was made some time ago by
Capt Selfridge. having completed their work
have returned to the United States. Lieut..
Collins was at the Navy Department this
morning.
These officers commenced the work of loca-
ting the line Of the canal in the Napipi and
Daguado valleys on the 5th Of February, and
were in the field just one hundred days. They
were furnished with the necessary boats and
men by the United States steamer Canandai-
qua at Aspinwall. Theseason on the Isthmus
was dryer than was known for many years.
which was q circumstance in favor of the
work. as it could not have been completed by
this time had the usual wet season prevailed.
As it was, the men suffered greatly while
!. working through the swamps, and were
broken down considerably with fever; but in
tNapipi route, the Atrato River on the Atlantic
side could be used for q distance of one hun
; dred and sixty miles, being free from obstruc-
lions, except - bar at its mouth having q
depth of thirty fset the entire distance. The
officers ran line of levees from the Atrato to
Chirichiri Bay on the Pacific side, and
marked ont the actual line Of the proposed
, canal, including curves, looks, etc.
The distance from the Atrata to Chirichiri
j.. Bay by the proposed route of the canal is
twenty mine and eight tenths miles, but from
{ the beginning to where the canal crosses the
, Napipi river, o distance of twenty-one miles,
. the cutting would be comparatively light,
, though, Of course. q number of locks would
have to be constructed, the summit level
. being one hundred and forty-one feet above
mean tide.
crossing, distance of about nine and eight
, tenths miles, the cutting would be heavy and
| two tunnels would be required, the length of
, each to be determined by the depth to which
the open cut would be carried. If this open
, cut should be limited to depth of two hum
8 bred feet, the whole distance to be tunneled
. would not exceed five or five and . hall
miles
The officers also made an extensive recon-
J. noissance of the country on either side of the
i proposed route, for the purpose of opening
d up the topography of it as far as possible.
! The Napipi route is the only one south Of
n Panama, all the other surveys being north Of
IS that place.
) The extraordinary dry season gave the Off.
) GERS an opportunity to determine the mini
: mum water supply for the canal, and it was
r found the Napipi and other smaller rivers
e would not afford q sufficient supply.
i feeder line was therefore run to the Cuia
>. River, the next one south of the Napipi. dis
a lance of six miles, and it is believed THESE
IS two rivers combined would give an ample
n supply Of water:
" mer will be employed in preparing their 70
is port to be submitted to the Secretary of tn
e. Navy. It will be accompanied by maps show
ing in detail the work done by them.
ia At his own request, Assistant Commissary
W General Beckwith has been relieved frou
70 duty in Washington and order ed to st. Louis
At for which place he leaves on Saturday.