Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-06-12
THE PANAMA CANAL.

THREE E-FoURTHs or ITS ESTIMATED COST Az
READY EXPENDED, AND NOTHING BUT VAST
AMOUNT OF PREPARATORY WORK AND A
soRAToH IN THE GROUND TO SHOW ron IT.
tAspinwa despatch to the New York Tribune.l
The Panama canal il in such state that
its ultimate completion is beyond question
but il appears equally certain that the pres
ent company can never complete IT, Three
fourths Of the estimated cost Of the canal has
already been spent, and the result is q mere
scratch across the isthmus. But the prepa-
rations for the actual work OF digging the
canal-the clearings, borings, soundings, sur.
veya houses, barracks, hospitals, dredges,
exoavatora etc. Are complete. The build
ing Of the Suez canal WAS ohild's play com.
pared to the building OF this one. There ma.
ture seemed TO have intended that the waters
Of the Mediterranean and the Red Sea should
mingle here she has opposed every possible
obstacle to the marriage of the Atlantic and
Pacific. The conhguration and geological
structure Of the country, the deadly climate,
the intense heat, the difference in tides, the
Chagres, alternately a brook and a devastat-
ing torrent tho thickly- matted Jungle, all CON
spire TO render the digging OF canal across
this islhmus one of the most difficult pieces
Of engineering work ever attempted by man,
il not absolutely the most difficult. II is a
common saying that every tie of the Panama
foot OF the Panama canal will represent not
only life, hut fortune az we'll.
The work OF preparation for the actual dig.
Ring Of the canal has met with great obsta.
cles. The soundings In the section between
Pedro MoGll and Gorgona l believe never
would have been made but for the iudomita-
BILE energy OF Mr.. Burt, now general superin-
tendent OF the Panama railroad, who trans
ported on mems backs, through before i'm
passAble jungle, the machinery necessary for
the work. In going along the line of the
canal one sees TO day the perfect state Of prep
aration and the utter absence of anything like
n canal at a glance. In those pretty villas on
the hillsides live the chiefs OF sections. Lean
ing on their spades or lettering beside the
huge eXcavatOrs are few scattered men. Ev-
erywhere are idle eXcavators or empty cars
bearing evidences of long disuse. The song.
less birds browse in the shadow OF the drow-
sy palms. The handful Of sleepy laborers
doze in the shade or throw a few shovelfuls
of earth to one side with weary motion Ia
short in going over the canal route one gets
the impression that the work IL practically
stopped and from the best information TO be-
got at here believe such to be the case. The
last revolution here, OF course, has had some
thing to do with this state Of Affairs, for when
bullets fly spades drop. But revolutions have
their bene fits, too, for they afford the canal
company a reasonable excuse for giving up
the work and give it up they must before
long, or get large amount Of new capital
The greatest difficulties OF construction
have not ~ yet been Rrappltd with at all Al
Culebra, the summit, where a cut 2GO feet
deep will be made TO tide-wAter level, only
about IL feet have been sXcavated. The
great dam which it is proposed TO build be-
tween the hills Of ObispO and Santa Cruz, to
control the waters Of the Chagres, has not
been begun, nor bas spade been put to all
those sluices and channels which are to be
built 10 carry of the waters OF the turbulent
river in the rainy season. Iu fact the Cha
gres is such a knotty problem that there is
still some hazness about the method in which
il shall be treated.
The isthmus has q reputation that extends
to all parts of the world, and it is with difh-
Guilty that laborers are induced to come here
Nearly all the lAborers on the canal now are
Jamaica negroes. They are averse by nature
and tradition to work, aud their natural and
Inherited predictions are fostered by the
climatic influences and the customs Of the
country. So they work AZ lotus eaters might
work-drowsiy and slumberousy, with far
away look in their eyes and dreamy tone to
their voice. But, whether work on the canal
is vigorously prosecuted or not, salaries must
be paid and a thousand and one incidental tx
P'hAcn mum w hoh ~ cNoh hONI Wih Aho
work at Q standstill, the company pays out
$40, 900 daily. 1t cannot be said that the
attention TO details and the elaborate prepsra-
tions for possible emergencies have been
waste Of money. The thorough preparation
for the actual work was undoubtedly necessa-
ry, but the protector Of the canal evidently
underestimated the obstacles to be overcome.
The rainy season has already begun, and in
few weeks il will be here in full force. To
L n
good deal Of what actual work on the canal
has been accomplished. 1t is rumored that
Lavallee, who, when the Suez canal seemed
about to fail, took hold and carried it to
successful issue, is even now forming a syn
dictate in Paris to take hold OF this work.
Whoever takes up the canal now will be able
to make his work tell, for it is the actual dig
ging that he will have to do. Everything ID
at his hand, and the ground is prepared.