Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-23
UNITING OCEANS.
Renewed Activity at the Isthmus of
Panama.

Renewed Activity at the Isthmus of
Panama.
Divers opinions nave been published
lately regarding the Panama canal-its
present state, the prospect of its future
completion and its efficiency when fin
ished, and to get some information from
a strictly practical source a New York
TeIeqrda reporter visited Mr.. Nathaniel
Mckay Monday morning. This gentle
man has been visiting the Isthmus of
Panama on business connected with his
professionalism of a contractOr-is well
known as a practical man in all that the
term implies. and to the question OF the
representative of the Telegram, what is
your opinion of the Panama canal as it
appeared to you; is its completion posi-
BILE; is the scheme a huge chimera, as has
been stated, ETC.. ~ he replied:
Il returned from Aspinwall last Fri
day. where l had been for some time on a
tour of inspection relative to the present
and future progress Of the canal, which
the French have been at work upon for
three years past. 1t is, indeed, a vast un-
dertaking.
A sTUPENDOUS WORE
According to the survey made in 1880
there must be removed in the cutting of the
canal some 20, ZOO, 000cUbic metres Ofearth,
rock, ETC., or about 100000 cubic
yards. One-third of this amount is hard
rock and another third is earth above
water Then there are dams, locks and
break-waters to be built and tributary
channels to be cut to divert the Chagres
river, besides other contingent expenses,
all OF which has been estimated to cost
A. T--ao -rr,, ag 90 900 900 funr.nn uhn
cost to remove the various kinds of ma
terial ranged in the estimate made from
! 80 cents to 81 per cubic metre, and as far
as the work has progressed tals cost, in
either its abstract or detail, has not been
exceeded. but. as the accounts OF the
company show, the work has been exc
cuted at a cost much below this estimate,
in some cases as far as 90 per cent. The
work has all been done by contract, but
the Canal Company finds all the plant, or
tools. for the contractors, ~eXacting a bond
from them that the machinery shall be
kept in good order and returned in as good
condition as when received by them, eX-
cepting. of course, a reasonable wear and
tear The interest on the cost of the
tools, computed for the time that each
contractor has them, is paid to the COM
pany by HIM. The plant is simply i'm
mense. some of it having been used in the
SueZ canal. 1t is strewed along the line
of the canal and the Panama Railroad for
over 40 miles, and in my several Journeys
across the IsthmusI saw it all and think
some Of it is worthless.
AN IMMENSE PLANT.
ssThe company his now in active opera
ton
I6 steam dredging machines,
81 steam and plain screws,
3 portable steam holsters,
81 lighters to tend on ships,
81 steam towbOats,
j sailing ship,
20 boats of various sizes,
l floating derrick,
dirt,
II steam exeavators,
los locomotives (OU American, remainder
built in BelgiumA
$50 ballast wagons running on tracks.
1851 Duamell wagons, running on tracks,
steam drilling machines,
and large quantities of other material
steel rails, spikes, fish plates, etc.-be-
sides lumber beyond all conception for the
erection of buildings for the use Of the
wOrkmen. There are row at work on this
canal 20. 900 men leveling, eX|caYating, etc.
The WOrkmen are chiefly natives, but
many come from the islands in the Ca
ribbean Sea. Their wages vary from 81 so
to 81 per day, and every Il of them IS in
possession OF more money than he ever
dreamed OF having before. When they
are taken sick the company takes all
charge Of them, providing doctors, nurses,
medicine, etc., free of charge, ana the
hospital service is the best l ever saw
The hospital buildings erected at ASpin-
wall and Panama and scattered, also,
along the line of the canal, are pictures
Of neatness, being constructed on the hill
sides of the highest elevation so as to af-
ford the mos! airtQ the side; and all walks
Ia and about them are m~acauamizeG anu
the drainage is perfect. In numbers they
are countless.
PRESENT PROGRESS.
"The canal proper has been dredged to
the extent of ~ miles from Aspinwall,
120 feet wide and Il feet deep and In the
direction of Gatun. This work has been
executed by the American Dredging Com
pany-Slavens Brothers, of this city. They
have three Of their large ~eXcavating ma
chimes now at work, which dig about 5000
cubic metres per day. This firm is now
building some ten or twelve new ma
chimes, I am informed, for this special
source, all of which will be at work With
in ten months from the present time.
Other machines that are engaged in eXca-
waiting there make very little progress
compared with the American machines.
The majority of the contractors with their
men a e now leVeling off the high hills,
terracing, ETC., down to the water level,
and cutting tunnels to divert the Chagres
river. When this (the hardest part is
done, the machines can get to work and
the cutting of the canal will then soon be
accomplished. 1t is something of a
problem as yet what shall be done with
the material that is e~XcaVated. / fancy
that it will all have to be carried out to
sea. The dredging has been in progress
only a year, the remainder of the time
since 1890 having been consumed in the
preparations to begin this stupendous
work.. A vast amount Of labor has been
performed up to the present time, L the
canal is progressing now as fast as posi-
bic. for the mechanical of the
entire world are being utilized by these
French engineers, whose conception OF
this undertaking, as evInced in the prepa-
tions made by them, in my opinion, is half
equalt to its successful completion. l a
give no opinion as to when this canal
may be finished. If L should 1T would
only be a guess. When, however, the ma
chimes that have been ordered get at work
some notion of the time it will take may be
formed. l consider Mr.. Dengler, the chief
director of the works, a man of great
ability and the right mar in the right
place. The Office at Panama reminds me
of the War Office at Washington during
the war-all activity. Mr.. Dingler
supervises everything and signs all let
tiers. How he stands it heaven knows"
WHISTLED AWAY DEAFNESS.
The Marvellous Powers of a Re-
stores His Young Brides Hearing.
Last Sunday in this city, says a Chicago
special of Nov. IL, a quiet but peculiar