The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1875-06-23
The DarIen Canal.

| A letter to the New York Tribune
gives the following account of the
proposed canal across tho isthmus of
Darien
The proposed trato.Napipi line
has for its harbor upon the Atlantic
side the Gulf of Darieu, which has
ample room for tho anchorage of q
thousand ships, and is sheltered from
overy gale. From this, as an initial
point, 1t is proposed to ascend the
Atrato (tho moan breadth of which
for over l5o miles is 1900 feet,
while the minimum depth is six
fathons), distance of l4O miles.
Here the excavation begins. This
portion of tho canal runs through low
ground, and for nearly IL miles no
hills arc encountered. For tho next
miles hills are mot with occasional,
~, but the cutting is much reduced
by curved with largo radii skirting
the higher points. No loss radius
than $500 feet has been used in tho
projection of curves, and this only
In few cases. At this point, 81
miles from tho Atrato, the canal
crosses tho Napipi river by means of
basin formed by retaining dam 80
feet in height. An excellent place
TOR such dam has boon found, with
bed rock for foundation and bluffs
for abutments. Hero is the summit
level of the canal, at hoight of l4l.2
feet above the mean tide. TO asoend
to this, l2 locks will have to be intro.
duced upon the Atlantic slope of an
average lift of about ten feet. Hcro
also the canal draws it's water supply
from the river itself, and if noodful
the whole volume Of tho Uuia River,
only five miles distant, eau easily be
brought hither by means of feeder.
AS to water there is no question, as
the two rivors can furnish any uuan.
tity desired.
Leaving this basin tho canal line
enters at once into tho mountainous
region. The distance from tho CROSS
ing TO the Paoiio is only 8 miles,
aud of this s are by tunnel. In os-
timating where the tunnel should
begin, Il cutting of 200 feet in dopth
has been fixed as the extreme of opcn
cuts. The western portal Of tho
tunnel is situated within n milo Of
the Pacific, and at this point Is locks
i'll succession will be required to
reach the levol Of tho Pacific. The
previous estimates for the line, in
cludipg the cleaning of the bar of
tho Atrato, hospital arrangements,
etc., wero $56,O00,O00. The incroas-
ed length Of the tunnel and tho great
er length of tho limo will add to these
estimates. The total length of the
line is 20 miles: The surveys this
year have not developed as favorable
country as was hoped for, but its
shortuess still renders it formidable
rival to tho other routos. v ere it
not for the great length of tunnel
tho limo would bo without question
tho most favorable yot found, and
even with this drawback it would be
premature to pronounce against it.
The work this year has been done
with the smallest Iorce yot put upon
such difficult task, and it has only
been by the oonAtant labor OF tho few
| officers engaged that tho work has
been completed. Great praise is duo
to Lieut.. Collins, under whose COM
mand the expedition was placed, for
the manner in which evory detail of
tho expedition has boen carried out,
and it may bv said without projudioo
to others that no similar expedition
has moro thoroughly fulfilled tho
purpose for which it was organized
than the Darien Expedition of 1875.