The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-03
Millions of Money SQuandered in Building
Gaudy Towns and Palatial Residences for
0tficials-Result of Five Years Work.
Galicia's Oppressed and Superstitious
Feasantry Ripe for Rebellion.
Anarchists Tanning the Flame of Discomfort,
and Arson and Pillage Among the Possi-
bilities-Preparing for Labor Riots.
THE PANAMA CANAL.
Millions of Money Notwithstanding State
Mo- bxzD Do

Millions of Money Notwithstanding State
ments Made by De Lesseps.
New York, May DIR. Wclfred Nelson
formerly member of the Board of Health of
Panama, arrived in New York from the isthmus
by the last steamer. In an interview with a
representative of the Associated Press to-day, he
said:
s'If De Lesseps Is correctly reported by the
press as saving that half the work on the canal
is completed, the statement is willfully mislead-
ing to tae French people. A fearful crisis has
arisen in canal affairs The company's indebt
edness to share and bondholders now amounts to
about $3.50, 000, 900, which they are paying an
nual interest of S. 000 600. 1t is reported on ex
cellent authority that the company have ex
hausted their funds, and are working on bor
rowed capital, pending the floating of a new loan
was preliminary step to floating this loan. If
this gigantic sum Is secured it will give
the canal works a fresh impetus, and
enable the canal company to refund some
of the borrowed capital. For months past the
work has been dragging. Quite recently Boyer,
chief of the works. called some of the contractors
together and requested them not to push the
work. This was'done, presumably. to keep down
expenditures. Millions of dollars have been ex-
pended in useless machinery, which can be seen
along the line of the canal, the greater part un-
housed and unprotected, and much OF it already
ruined. Valuable locomotives, French and
American, have been allowed to stand uncovered
on sidings for months. In short, millions of dol
lars have been thrown away in the purchase of
a useless plant Much of it had been used in the
Suez ditch, and it was wholly unfit for work on
the Isthmus Of Panama it having been built to
work in sands, and being inadequate to grapple
with hard clay soil. At Christobal Colon, a
magnificent village built on the former site of a
mangrove swamp. the level was raised
twenty-one and one-haf feet above the
tides; here vast workshops and warehouses
can be well number of handsome
streets with villas on either side The streets are
beautifully white, well kept and clean; cocoanut
trees have been set out at regular distances. A
A canal chief states that 5000, 900 have been
spent in reclaiming the swamp and building
boats and dredges in the harbor. Then it was all
condemned as useless. Although the company
has spent this fabulous sum, 1t has not yet full
right OF way across the isthmus, several impor-
tant localities not having been arranged for.
While this may seem incredible, it is probably
fact. Despite the presence of legions of en-
gineers there are sections on the canal to-day
where the contractors are unable to 60 on with
the work owing to faulty surveys.
The willful. reckless extravaganza which
characterizes the management has probably
never been paralleled Huge sums of money
Agent Jules Dingler occupies magnificent resi-
dence built and furnished at a cost Of 800, 600.
Besides this palatial residence built for him at
Boca del Rio Grande, in Colon, magnificent
house was put up IOF tu0 VlSlJ Ol D0 hcSScpSs
and fitted up in princely STYLE the furniture be-
ing specially imported from France
''Much useless dredging being done in the
harbor of Panama. The company has not yet set
tied on a plan for damming the unruly Chagres
river. This will probably be the most difficult
obstacle to overcome Again, the huge cut at
Cuebra, if ever completed, will have sides 397 feet
high. The whole project brstes with difficulties
that many consider practically unsurmountable.
It reported, recently, that Boyer, the new
chief of works. believes the sea-level canal
scheme impossible, and that the work will have
to be built as a lock canal, as originally sug
gested by Captain Bedford PIN and Commander
j. Luli In short, after fve years work the
canal company is foundering about in an ocean
of difficult and unsettled problems"
The Doctor says the mortality from yellow
fever is fearful, and gives instances of its raw
ages, even among officials of the company He
concludes: Should De Lesseps fail to secure
the new loan, and the French government as
sumo the debts of the canal company. receiving
in return all it's concessions, lands ETC., new
and vexatious political question must arise, as it
is hardly fair to presume that France will be al
lowed to colonize at the gate of the Pacific"