The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1879-05-29
THE ISTHMUS CANAL.


the work. There are seven different
routes under consideration by the con-
gress. For manv years some feasible
plan by which the tedious and dangerous
voyage around Cape Horn may be avoid
ed, and the shortening OF the time in
transit has been widely canvassed, and
the necessity for uniting tie Gulf of
Mexico and the Pacific ocean is so uni
versally conceded that synopsis of these
routes will be interesting.
The first route is known as the Atrato.
Napipi, and was surveyed by American
officers in 1871 and 1875. 1t commences
at the Gulf of Urba, ascends the Atrato
River, crosses to the Napipi, and then
descends through the Dagnado to point
on the Pacific known as Chiri- -Chiri.
The objections urged to this route are
the number of locks, twenty two, the
tunnel six kilometers in length (three and
quarter miles,, and the inadequate
depth of water at the Pacific terminus.
The estimated cost is $99, 100000, and
time for completion nine years. The
second route starts from the same point
as the Atrato Napipi and terminates in
the Gulf Of San Migugl 1t is much
shorter than the first route and does not
necessitate tunnel. Its objection is the
difficulty that arises from two different
systems of water supply. It's cost is es-
timated at $3.50. 900, 600; time for COM
pletioD, twelve years. The third route
follows the first two very closely. 1t
starts at Acanti and ends in the Gulf of
San Miguel, with total length of only
seventy eight and one-eighth miles, but
it involves q tunnel ten and fve-eighths
miles in length. It's estimated cost is
S120, 900, 600; time for completion, twelve
years. The second and third are known
as the Central Darien routes. The fourth
the Darien route, crosses the Isthmus of
Darien, commencing at the Bay Of San
Blasr and tlnneling under the mountain
range, terminates in the Gulf Of Panama
The actual length Of this canal is only
twenty-six and one-fourth miles, but ten
miles comprise IN immense tunnel under
the mountains, capable of accommodating
the largest vessels. The routes five and
six are substantially the same, both leaY-
ing Navy Bay and terminating in the
Gulf of Panama, crossing the two depart
ments of Colon and Panama in the State
Of Panama. The only difference between
them is slight DETECTION Oh the Paciflc
side which adds mile to the length of
one of them. They follow the line of
the Panama railway company, which
would have to be paid heavy indemni-
ty, as its franchise secures to it the mon
opoly of transportation across that part
of the isthmus. The fifth route viii in.
volve a canal forty-tive miles in length
and twenty-five locks. The cost is esti-
mated at 500, $1,000, and the time for
completion six years. The sixth will be
fve-eighths of mile longer, and in
cludes tunnel three and three fourths
miles long. The cost and time of CON-
pletion are about the same as those of the
fifth.
The project which would seem to be
meeting with special favor, is the seventh
route, advocated by Rear Admiral Am
men and engineer Menocal, of the Unit
ed States navy. The New York Herald
gives an elaborate account OF the pro-
ceedings, and from these the foregoing is
condensed, our figures being given III
miles, corresponding nearly to the
French kilometer measure, as given by
our contemporary. The seventh route
is reported as follows:
SIT trayerses Nicaragua and Costa
Rica, in Central America, leaving the
Atlantic at Greytown and ascending the
river San Juan In the Lake of Nicaragua
and thence dropping by series of locks
and the Rio Grande river into the Pacific
at Brito. The total distance to be trav-
ersed is 292 miles, of which 195 will have
to be canal. 1t contemplates excava-
ton to the extent of 100000 cubic
metres and filling to the amount of s.
OO0,O ,OO0 cubic metres. In all twenty-one
locks will have to be used. The advan-
tages are that the land follows the water
level of the canal. Against this is to be
set the entire absence of posts, and
worst of all, the instability Of politics of
the country traversed. This project has
been examined by nearly every exploring
party since 1851. It's cost is estimated
at Sl05, 600, 600 and believed to be the
work of ten years.
The magnitude of the undertaking, the
time it has been talked Of as feasible
nearly 200 years-the great sums of
money spent in surveys, the numerous
conventions held of late years to forward
the project, and the vast sum of money
that must be spent for its completion;
this with its incalculable benefit TO com
merce, and the civilized world makes it
to be hoped that an agreement will be
reached at this international congress.
If completed it viii constitute the grand
est feat of engineering skill ever attempt
ed. Nevertheless before the project is
matured, the engineering skill and scien-
tific acumen congregated at Paris, will
undoubtedly fully weigh the probable
future value of railway transit, in con-
nection with the capacity of the caual, in
their several relations as carriers of pro-
duce.
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