New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-04-17
MIR. BIGELOW ON THE CANAL
REPORT TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.


HOW MUCH HAS BEEN DOSE-DlPPICULTigs TO BE
OvERCoME-FINANCIAL OUTLOOK.
The report of John BigelOw, who was sent
representative OF the Chamber Of Commerce to
Inspect the Panama Canal In company with ~ do Los
seps and his party In February, was presented TO the
Chamber yesterday IL descrbes the great projsot in
detail The total length OF the canal lt says to Do
4Gla miles Its fow Will be through tho valley Of tho
Chagres with bottom width OF ~ feet The depth OF
navjgsble water Is to be about % feet Tue plan
Involves the construction Of basin 800 YARDS long aud
ITO yards wide at Panama for the accommodation
sells a similar basin about three miles long Tsver
nilis where vessels In transit. The report
exhaustively describes the land Through which tho
canal will pass, tbas the total excavation nee
essary give the required width and depth to pro-
posed canal. estimated by the engineers amouns In
round numbers to 1870 600 900 cubic yards The
yatous made mp to December 81, 1855, was by
tract, 1l,49Ol9 cubic metros; by the company.
1920 1877 total OF BOIL 1888 cubc metres
ton during January, 1886 l,O67.s23 cubic ne rec;
total 1867 $50 cubic metres leaving 10 De excayaed
l05,S2l,I44 cubic metres. Should the excavation
through the Remaining months OF the year
high for January. 1t would make the cut for 1886
smount to l253i756 cubic metres. and the total OF
cavaton up TO the close OF the current year 1855.
25 10 792 cubic metres, leaving TO he excayated.
round nuubers "a, 800 900 cubic metres, less
four nfths of the whole.
Mr. Bigelow SAYS IL Ia i'm bic to say what the final
of the work will be % when Will be competed.
IL the present force Of men U5.O0OD machinery
trehed aud the annual output reached 5000 900 euoo
yards the work would be finished 10 1so3. But no
says. it's In foreign state under weak And un-
settled government; in one u g, az, 49, ga
regions on the continent; subject to earthquakes;
within 450 miles Of the equator snd under Tropical
where accmated abOers only are OF any service Every
thing required for tue prosecution OF the work-uelss;
machinery; the plant for contracting anu rephring
machinery for the most part the provisions ana houses
for ahi shelter OF the and
men themsrves-hsve to he imported rom foreign
countries The ointry practically contributes nothing
but tue site for the canal This work. which TOR us
eyabe cost. aud. II accomplished for the MAGNITUDE Of
erprises In all history ia attended by many uncertain
and unauowaoie conditions that the estimates Of Tue
gifted ahd experienced engineers are az the bst
bat conrcturrs Every step that taken. therefore.
less EXPERIMENTAL and deAes any attempt sire
ties W IN which the company has to contend may be
classified under four heads
which, the rainy season. is liable to noOi
the :ss pant Of ea ef S sa. Gy G yA gStT at c
Ihrd Kerpng that section 81 the canal lca rams from
lag Tiled Ia cy ocean and the no rand:
cable rates. ''''S
The unruly waters of the Chsgres declared by Mr.
such al enlargement OF the dcriyative Channels a. Will
carry OF It's swollen currents lie admits that ,iiher
work will be very costly, thoIgh he hears no doubt
pressed OF he feasibility or the dam p1-ct A. ~ ens
neeriDg prob The removal OF some 100000 cubic
yards OF and rock IN the Cueba cui thrOug tns
COrdIeras Mountains has been coun led under contract
TO an Anglo DuIch company. witch IL lui.n the
work 10, July |, 1883. TIE contractors 20 ue paid
900. They have nor periorined their contract
than sixth as rapidly as they agreed TO- and II
they do not average IL will take them about
fifteen years flush. Mr.. Bgrlow thinks the obstacles
in the way work OF the Panama section seri-
though he believes 1t TO De possible ASIDE tron!
these three pieces OF work. ho says The daB ming OF
the Chagies tie cut at CeDra aud the Panama section.
Of good reason Tor doubling tue aDilIty q,
the contractors to finish the rest OF the canal
at different poinis along the line The estimated
of the work under contract aside from these places
is $3l .O750O0. The labor supply is REGARDED by Nj
Bgeow. one Of the most serlols problems In; elh,
| rhap. / ia MI AL A
natives having simply the wants Of he birds ana me
beasts gre tify VIII not work. The difficulty ~ getting
tremendous but the Nv ntiye zen Us OK
de Lesseps IS gr.daay suppyng mSeia9s s "t sash
The financial situation Is discussed by Mr. Seio" as
great length. He does Dot know What amount uas
already spent tue work The reports $40"
maj the receipts from all sources nave been about
Si2OOOOOOO. " The International Congre's Of 1879"
he saws 1.-THE parent Of the Panama Canal Company,
estimated probable cost Including the ace sorry
works OF dervatoD harbOrs. basins. turn-ous e,e Al
lO7O 900 francs S2l3,oOOOOO Al Tue close Ot
the PR sent Sear therefore, should thr rt'r o. rAp1h
be increased nor any depts Ue iheurteu mere
VII remain of the o.Eh rs e'' r b i' p@.,sd
about half of the estimated cost Will have
been expended by the close OF the year. while NJ east
four-fs excavation. not to speak o the supple
meutIy precautionary work. WI" remain 10 o. exc
Gated. This will seem on the race Oh H. 70 oe aan"r
plecti0n the work within the original eStna'ea but
ii Is quite dscOlraging as IL seems huch lar
ger OF expenditure has been male GA pre-.
p,ous for digging the canal than the cauai ts
Bat those preparations were ludlspeusape As nave
already stated necessary to provide everything.
the country contributing practically nothing buu
teria be removed, aud nothing to remove IL with
In conclusion Mr. BigelOw draws parallels brtween the
situation In connection with the building OF the saez
Canal that OF the pre- sent enterprise Ia when,
thougn he admits the clrculn stances OF tile Panama
Canal be vastly more peIpexing ano costly, he yet
believes that with sufficient means the canal can De
built But he ventures no opinion AS 10 the Time nat
be required for It's completion, as 10 us pi0DdDe
cost the revenue II eain or even - To the
probabilities OF the required means being provided fo