The New York herald., 1879-08-30
An Engineer of the Old Transit Gem
pany IndOrses the Route.
WHAT NATURE HAS DONE FOR IT
Manageable Rock and an Album
dant Supply of Water.

HERALD reporter last evening at his residence, No.
sAttorney street. He is about sixty years of age
and has been in active maritime life from boyhood
He went to Central America In 1851 in the employ
ment of Commodore Vanderbilt who was then run
ming trans-continental route across Central
America. from Greytown. the Gulf side. to San
Juan de Ia Sud. tho Pacific. Not With
standing . severe attack of rheumatism.
which partially disables him at present
the captain is ready. ut moments notice.
to return to the scenes Of his fifteen years
activity. where he made himself acquainted with
everything worth knowing connected with Nicara-
qua. Captain Place chief engineer of fNcaraguan
transit under Commodore Vanderbilt. and for years
the steamers Lake Nicaragua were run according
to his directions. Concerning tho celebrated hl
clustering raid Of Walker Captain Place said yester.
day. Il was there. and he has quite fund OF anec-
dotes about the reckless flibusters.
Now. Captain" said the reporter. "I want to
know something about what you consider tho
easiest and most practicable way by water from the
Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific"
..Au right. just follow me. You see, by the old
line used to take passengers. sometimes thou
sand at time from the regular lines at Greytown.
Now, mark our course We left Greytown in q stern
wheel steamboat something like what you may see
ut Pittsburg, only smaller. and after twenty. five
miles journey reached the main river. the San
an otfshoot OF fine river. This branch OF the San
Juan shoal, but Is entirely free from rocks.
After We reached the main river we were Obliged to
work against the current to san. Carlos Island
THE CHANNEL OF THE SAN JUAN.
"What YVES the nature of the channel in the river
for this distanceY
well, must confess it was generally very shoal
and full of auicksand. After we left San Carlos
Island we went up the river to the Rapids of Ma
chuca. 1t was little over two miles. Strange to
saw in this stage OF the journey there was no cur
reached the foot of the Machuca Rapids We found
rocks or powders in the stream all the way up to
Castillo Rapids, twelve miles further on.
'Then from the Gulf to Machuca Rapids. sixty.
two miles you encountered nothing but sandbars
as possible obstacles to navi igationY
Nothing else; and they can easily be surmounted
by canal company. AS for the rocks speak Of.
they can either be removed powders lying at the
bottom of the river or the rocky bed being OF the
softest description OF stone an be- easily drilled out.
mny ars II can be- ali removed to any aspsh
required at small expense. On the way TO Castillo
we struck the Monkey Rapids. and found deep water
in many places. From Castillo to the Toro. or Bull
Rapids the distance is about twelve miles. At Cas-
tilio, ut the time speak of. the passengers were
transferred with their baggage to large boat still
= stern wheeler which, however. did not draw
sixteen inches Of water This boat took them to the
Toro Rapids where the lake steamer met tho party.
The lake steamer went up the Juan River 70 San
Carlos where the eastern side Of the great lake was
reached :. 4
"How was the navigation from san Carlos 10 the
.splendid. Nothing could be better for canal.
rest is ali deep water. From the point where the
san Juan River joins the lake to Virgin Bay. on the
seed at Srsn By and
land the Bay Of san Juan de La Sud on the Psciao
coast"
"How far was the distance by landY'
''Ony ten miles. There were no mountains 70
cross, but only gentle declivity."
Now, Captain. what is your opinion OF an inter.
oceanic ship canal by the Nicaragua routeY'
"why. there is no doubt Of its success. But it
would be probably better to start from tho mouth OK
the N, ain than Greytown.t
what do you mean by the month OF the main
rivery' az
.Well you see that tho San Juan runs into the
Gulf at different point from Greytown. 1t is called
the Colorado at its mouth from some old Indian
settlements which arc probably there still"
THE ROUTE PRACTICABLE.
Suppose q company was to start from the mouth
OF the san Juan for the purpose OF building canal
what. in your opinion, would be their chances Of
successr
cess. 1t is the only practicable and the cheapest
route for a ship canal. You see at the mouth OF
the river there Is no trouble for vessel to get IN
To be sure there is bar of sand outside. not
wider than width of this room. but inside OF IL
there is water enough to float all the navies of the
world. An ordinary breakwate would render tho
entrance to the San Juan River accessible even to
the Great Eastern herself. Once in the river you
may encounter snags. but they are easily removed:
Wny. INV dear sir Captain Eads has accomplished
more real work at the Southwest Pass ut the mouth
the Mississippi than will ever be required from
the bay and river OF San Juan up to the Greytown
tributary"
..what is the average strength OF the current in
"As far as can recollect about two miles and Q
half an hour. Yet with our stern wheeler we have
sometimes run over eleven miles al hour right
against the stream.
pany should select this route can they depend upon
a constant supply Of watery"
..Ccrtainiy. The feeders of the San Juan and tho
lake are innumerabe. cannot recall how many
tributaries the river has. but they are very numer.
Gus. Among them l may mention the Seripique.
which comes from Costa Rica. and has its source in
the mountains. l have known the wator to rise ten
f.et .furi n 10 he
Bull Rapids the River Salvo rushes into the San
Juan with tremendous force, why. the ,s san % Juan
incxhaustible. as they all come from the noun
tains.'
"How about the lakc?'
..Oh 1t IL constantly supplied water. and canal
company need fear exhausting IL. will never for
get one excursion took up tho River Frio. which
falls into the lake, and which has ITS source 100
miles distant in the mountains party OF us went
up the Cold River long distance: but the indians
say, confidently. that all the mountain streams from
u vast distance run into this lake. Why, there is
smaller lake. about ten miles long on the banks OF
which Monagua, the capital OF Nicaragua is stu-
ated which cmpties its waters into Lake Nicaragua
by the river Tipipati. Curious old river this Tp-
patti is Quaint old fashioned Spanish bridges trav
erse It; and ut times. especially during the night
the water rises in 1t to the height of twenty reet
NICARAGUA.
"What Is the appearance of Lake Nicaragua
Very beautiful. Mountains surround it on all
sides. Its shores are heavily tmbered In the CEN
tire rise up two islands. Ofhatapi and Madiera. to
the height Of 1000 feet They have been long ago
settled by the lndans ana nave churches NiiiiaBes
and schools in abundance. Plenty Of wood can DO
found around the lakc-madrona, mahogany, rose
wood and cedar. with lighter varieties. Then tho
cost for labor is very trfng. and canal company
can nd good pilots and faithful laborers among tho
Indians was the first to introduce Inuian hremen
In the lake steamers, and thoy were eminenly satis-
factory"
"How much do You calculate the distance 70 be BY
the route you have described from Greytown 70 the
Pacifc?
II should say about 100 miles. There Is no OBJ
stacle worth speaking OF on the route. especially
Fro he 90 Of
canal company"
'How do you get over the ten miles of land on tho
Pacific sidcr'
EASILY. You see. about three miles above Virgin
Bay tho west side of the lake. you strike the River
Limon, which runs westward about Ave miles, leAv-
ing only Ave miles of land between the river and
thn nconn This five mIles La cnt no by rayinas In