The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-08-07
Its Great Importance to the Mis-
sissippi Valley.
1.-THE Short Road to the Trade of China,
Japan, the Pacific Islands, Etc.
An Enterprise Which Should Be Cham
pioned by Every Western Con-
gresham and Senator.
Cincinnati Commercially


not to do.
Just 30 with Mons. Lesseps and his con-
grees Of so-called scientists, who would spend
$15O,Oo0,0O0 on the Darien canal while anoth-
er says by another process ships can be lifted
over this isthmus for $5o,ooOOOO.
After reading the criticism Of that great
architect and engineer, John Roy, of New Or
leans, on this proposition, and knowing that
the author spent over S11 900, 900 on work
that he said could be done for S3,O0o,000 bis
statements should be received with great eau
hon, to say the least.
But the point shall make is this, the peo-
pie of the Mississippi and Ohio valleys have
no use for any work that may be made on the
Darien projects.
These may, and doubtless will, subserve the
purpose of New York and Europe, but not
Monumental necessities Of the Mississippi
galley.
1t is too far off and too unhealthy, espe-
G.ially as we have q safer, cheaper and more
yealthfui route nearer home. / mean the
-ehuantepec. We want O clean-cut ship canal
across the isthmus. through which vessels
may pass from New Orleans to the Pacific
without any detention in going less than
1000 miles, when from and to the same ports,
via the Darlen route, the distance will be
fully 1000 miles further.
This route was carefully surveyed In 1852
by Col ]. IL. Williams, one OF the most COM
petent engineers in the world, who says for
an overland canal the cost would not exceed
81, 000, 000 estimating as he did on the then
cumbrous and expensive locks OF that day;
whereas now, by the use OF locks on the
Parsons plan, the same results would be at
tanned for Less than half the amount OF his
estimates
Neither would clear-cut canal now cost
more than $31, 100000; for which the improved
machinery for dredging. blasting and lifting,
work can now PC done tur less than half what
1t would cost at that day.
He says the entire length, by following the
Coatzacoalcos river, will be 173 miles, while
There ts but fifty miles OF actual canal to make
and only thirty-five miles OF this difficult
The 1913 miles Of river could be made slack
water at q small expense. This would, for
c!ear-cut canal, reduce the greatest cut OF
eight miles to Az feet, q cut Of three miles to
BIT feet cut OF eight miles to 277 feet, and |
cut OF sixteen miles to 1T feet.
He says this will be through a soft rock, |
about az hard TO work as commOn clay. 1t |
only hardens after being exposed to heat.
OF the CoatzacOalcoS river and harbOr he |
says: AT It's mouth 1t Is 1900 feet wide, and |
that Its fine harbor attracted the attention OF /
the Spanish conquerors; that Cortez In 1920
dispatched the Emperor Charles the Fifth. !
that he found two and one-haif fathoms on Oh
the bar at Its mouth and ascending twelve
leagues TOR thirty.six miles) the least depth
was from live to six fathOmS.
COl. Williams says the soundings he made
were about the same which develops the
Tact that the material OF which this bar is
Horned docs not change Its position, and
proves that any work Of deepening to any
desired depth will be permanent"
or this harbor Col. Williams further says:
~ IS fifty miles In extent and sufficient to
accommodate the commercial navies Of the
world"
OF the harbor on the Pacific side he says:
1.-THE lagoons can be made one Of the finest
harbors in the world, and that through
'Boed Barra, the outlet to the ocean. there Is
p current Of clear ocean water Of seven miles
to the hour made by the tide, which, when
confined between guard walls, will give a
permanent channel of any desired depth.''
He says ''that few of the large steam
canal, would easily do all the work In
other words, II Mons. Lesseps can excavateI
and dredge his canal 100 miles long through
the drifting sands and lagoons OF Arabia, we
ought to find no difficulty in deepening the
lagoons Of the Tehuantepec."
Col. Williams says: I'm the construction Of
q great work like this the health OF the eli
mate is Of the greatest Importance, that the
Aaone extends mostly through range of piny
woods, everywhere noted to be healthy. In
TACT, history for 300 years has demonstrated
That Tehuantepec is the only healthy Of all
In the face OF all these facts we are told that
smother route fully 5000 miles further from
rs, and at place noted to be the most un-
healthy in the world, St Helena not except
ed, and to cost S150,00O,000 Is what we must
have.
That at this so-called congress the great
objection urged against the Tehuantepec
canal was that 1t would fill up from the terri
BILE rains that fall on that isthmus. {
For political reasons the enemies Of the s
Suez canal said it would till up by the sands
blown from the desert, did all they could to
prevent Its construction, but now own it,
|
been told that grain could not be exported
from New Orleans; that there the heat was s
so great it would be damaged. But at the s
same time the same parties never annra ,
hended any danger OF loading a vessel at New l
York with grain and sending her across the {
equator half dozen times if necessary. {
May ask will the time ever come when the I
people Of the Mississippi Valley will wake up {
and take care of their own interests? |
But we will not stop here with authorities. i
showing the advantage of the Tehuantepec .
over others for a ship canal.
Will now quote Gen. Barnard of the L
United State army, who should be good al- a
other jobs. 'ito'o 's4o d
u In his report, made in 1852, pages 1s2 and !
173, he said: THE Tehuanteppc shin canal L
ABOVE all others is the one i'll which the IInited v
nIa.es IS mostly Interested. 1t debouches into
Ine G !. q Mexico, our own Mediterranean,
and 1t may almost be said is right at nnrr
very doors 1t Is alleged by reliable statisti
Clans that the United States alone loses s35-
IVY sg GOO every year by not having this canal
linus ~ giving principal Of nearly 5000, ooo. =
Uuo one-naif o. which, at least, our govern =
ment could afford to spend in its constrnc- a
ton. WASH uc- I;
1t is only necessary to look at the man Of q
the world TO be convinced OF the immense !
relative advantages in position alone ahn.a Q
all others which q ship canal across the Isth. J
mus OF Iehauntepec would offer to the com
merce OF the world, and more especially 10
products of the valley of the Mississipn nav i
be shipped from the gulf ports direct to chi s
na, Japan and the west coast of North and A
South America and the islands Of the Pacific a
and the Imports from these countries nav r. b
brought home to the ports of Texas. New b
Orleans. Mobile, Pensacola, and from thence b
TO Memphis, Cairo, st. Louis, Louisville and S
Xts..al