The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-01-08
The Panama Ship Ra lroad Scheme
Described NY tt Protector.
Rspidity and Cheapuess of Construc-
tion Improvement In the Dan
ubss Bed Compared with
Those on the MissiH-
sippi River.


on the steamship tefhlaH1c, hnH reporter
Of tho Herald found him at The Albemarle Ho-
tel lii the afternoon, partaking Of q rather late
lunch, and also busy with preparations for
continuing his Journey 10 ut. Louis In the
evening. He said
zone OF my principal objects was TO vlsit
the bua5 canal, and Il great and important
work IL iaf / was furnished every facility by
the authorities. and everything was done for
me that could be done tv enable me W make
my inspection complete. No one can see this
great work Without having most unulali-
He'd admiration tor the genius VI W. ~ Lea-
seps. 1t Ia. rs everybody knows, q canal dug
through a sandy desert eueonnbsrinH very
little rock, and the engineering difficulties
must have been very great, ! AN glad 10 cay
that II y suceess: Inc tiaiiie this year has
NOT been larger titan that vi tho previous
year, but 1t II still gaining. greatly Ia favor
with the maritime public
III understand YOU paid visit 70 hungary,
Captain, had that anything tu do with your
official connection with the improvements OF
the Mississippi rivelw
s.None whatever Az far ma my expenses we're
concerned j paid all the expenses myself.
MY object was W obtain Information there
that might be applicants u the MiRsissppi
river scheme, The Minister Of Public Works
of Hungary gave nis every iHellity for the
examination vi the Danube and the Thesis
rivers. He afforded me IN opportunity for the
examination of the plans adopted ~ that
government for the Improvement of those
rivers, and found that In all Important par
ticulars the plans wa have adopted at the
mouth of the mississippi were tho same o.
thuee Of the Hungarian engineers. ek,
RInlned 100 miles uf the River Danube aud
the district IL drains. Tho Danube bears
some analogy tu the Mississippi, but the
Thesis not quite go much. Our plan at the
mouth III the Mississippi Waa W concentrate
thastlpw uf water where 1T spreads, from a
wide surface into narrower space, thereby
increasing Ito depth. That has bean pretts
nearly completed and IL very successful. Tue
Danube has been deepened substantially In
the same way, aud the work there is also q
success. The Rhine III some parts has had q
similar treatment, With equally satisfactory
results. The same may be said OF the River
Iaronne, In France. With all that | have
seen IN Europe ] have returuei more and
mere Satisfied Of the proprlety Of our plans
and W tho advaabilty Ut continuing them
along the Mississippi river"
THE IHrHMrH SCHEME.
'.Mey | ask, Captain. whether you are
equally sanguine as to your railroad soheme
across THE lsthmus uf Panama."
"Yps, 1 aul. La Europe have received
every encouragement, aud encouragement Of
substantial character, quite enough ~ jua.
tify me IA commencing the und rtaklns.
Very shortly after my arrival In Europe
found letter In the London Times from Mr..
n. J. Reid, strongly .ndnrsiug my railroad
scheme. Mr.. Reiu Il n very high authority.
He liz member Of Parliament, aud he 10 chief
constructor Oh tho British navy"
ssAa tu the canal schemes, have you any
preference for one over the other p
III would not like TO commit myself M 30
that do not think the canal lie the best SO
sas, Il. ~ IN, sr tn, ssh.,,a !" Mar oar, h
sa,n,,a .,,,,s, ,vh.sh.r |, i, r,iIsaaa ~ na,aI
~, I,,e,n,,sa.', h.,s - thah sh.r,. ,vili ~
-, a "a ~, ~ shis ,a,r,,, 'I' fJ a,sti Lat
that II will take from fifteen ID twenty live
se"ae 'ao''l she s'a'e ~ 10 'ou'iii''e"'
THE RAILROAD SCHEME.
"YOu think the railroad would BIO con-
gtreptad more quickly Y"
Fl am sure it wouid. AMI Il would also be
cheaper. have no hesitation Iii aaying that
for o sum not exceeding one-third OF the eati-
mated cost of the eanal-abDut $50. 900, 600
the largest ships which emit, tine port VI New
York can bs transferred when fully loaded,
with absolute safety across the Isthmus on a
railway constructed for the purpose within
twenty.four hours FROM the moment they are
taken In charge In one sea until they are de-
livered into the other, ready tp depart on their
journey. II would not be- necessary to have
any sleeper grades than those on our chief
lines OF railroads. The road bed need not be
over forty feet wide nor have more than eight
or ten rails laid upon II 81 sustain the car or
vaaaaI valid Will " ~ gtsd f' p In AN Il the
laval ~ sha r,ad he q in,s ,,r ,har n vdr.uiio
a sa - ny ma an ~ ,1s ~ p., y,,',, ~
fha ahin and nnIv nna.half ~ IN langth
,.nnid ha aaan ann,,gh =, rac.i va tho AM fr,m
ira aea The hoft,,m nf ina nther haif ~ tina
inak yvnald he M ths aea laval ma III thia tha
railwav wonld enm man,e Into tho ,,nner nm RI
If fba ina, tha oratlss IA "a rrv Ina ahin venid
ha rnn nnd I'M uat.s III M. land MD would
Than he closed Tina shtn woiid than he
nnatpd intn the deen am, ~ the i"c,. and the
sssa syat,sa nl,,aad Affair whtnh watsr vauid IA
sdmittad III NH tha lnnk IL i hairht ffiaient
ID fioat ths amin an ina oar to th. unnnr lift |
aftpr which thp yyatpr wnuld Ia drawn off |
and tho yates ri the land eni opaned. and tns |
Gar and ia burden wnuid he than stari,,d ON |
i'm ipnrnev hv rail Al tha other and ~ tina
mai Ana car would hs rim intn i simIIar lock |
Ara .,afaa nlnasd ovar Mn. tracI, and thoaa nj |
Ana s.sn ANA IN tina lash .i,,Sat aIaa This
hainr dome fhe iock wnnld M randi for Mil |
~. after which the sh,p could be ii ,atsd off |
tina car and moved 10 the deem end OF the |
lnnk ~rha watAr wouId than iii alInwed IN |
esoane frnm the lock the shin lawered Ia the |
OCEAN Laval tha s,,a uat,,s nnanad and the vaa |
Mi wnuld M th.n rsaav IN rasnma har |
ynvake in tho other SEA-, that IA INV nlan. IA
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