Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-15
THE GREAT INTER OCEANIC DITCH.
The Truth About the Panama Canal
The DIM ulties to be Overcome.
From the Sasitary Engineer.

| From the Sanitary Engineer.
The report on this important project made re-
Gently to the chamber of commerce of New
| York by the Hon. John Bigslow is a well-con-
| sidered document, and treats the subject in
spirit Of fairness and impartiality quite differ
ent from much that has been written. Every
| facility seems to have been given him and the
| other visitors for obtaining Information. In
his report he states briefly the dimensions OF
| the work to be as follows. Total length,
461a miles; the bottom width to be
| az TO 20 feet; width at water-level
| ~ to 100 feet; Depth % to % feet, and curves
with radii of at least ) 900 feet. Commencing
at Colon, in ten miles the elevation of the land
gradually reaches 30 feet; in the next seven
miles 40 feet, with a hill for n short distance
10 feet high; In the next seven miles ranges
are cut through OF 100 to $50 feet elevation,
and at Culebra, the highest point, there is cut
thence in three miles the Rio Grande is reached,
where the cut is but 40 feet, and five miles
more reaches sea level OF the Pacific: thence a
channel must be dredged tor four miles into the
Bay of Panama,
Up to February 1, 1886, the total excavation
accom- pli>hed was 146-S, $50 cubic meters,
leaving los, S21 IA cubic meters to be exca-
waited, little more than once j. nth being COM
plsted. He states that it would he quite lila
sorry to base the time of completion and the
total cost upon that OF the work already done.
giving the following cogent reasons: The work
rs IN a foreign state, in one Of the most I'M
healthy regions on the face of the earth, sub
yect TO earthquakes, and where provisions,
men, must be imported, aside from all which
the problem of the control OF the Cnagres river,
which in flood increases it's volume suddenly to
loO times Its normal 6ow, the uncertainty at
tending the deep cut at Culebra, the probability
OF great expense in keeping tine cut in the Bay OF
Panama open, and the great difficulty in secur-
ing labor. AS to the latter he SAYS the price for
labor has advanced from 80 cents to $1.75 per
day. The total population OF the state of
Panama is but 100 OOUand the natives have no
inducement to work. Their wants are few and
what they earn Is usually spent in living in
1dieness or in gambling. OF $4,000 operatives
there are but about H. 900 effective men at
work. He very graphically says: ..ro get cool
from the effects of (such) shower SO that the
normal perspfratlQn Is checked means, for q
northern man, in nine cases out OF ten, u
fever in few minutes and funeral in
labor is the only labor that can be relied upon
As an offset TO this he points out the rapid
advance made in the Suez canal when mechan-
zeal appliances were more fully introduced and
muscle dispensed with, and says that the au-
thorities are spending their energies more and
more in this direction. Owing to the tact that
the company have been able TO fulfil their
guarantee OF a supply OF laborers, the penalties
on contracts cannot be enforced, and the Dutch
company, who Were To move 10000 meters
per month from the Culebra cut, have never
Yet moved more than 100000. They have,
however, ordered more excavators, and expect
To materially increase their output. The canal
company have also ordered eight more dredges
and thirty-two excavators. and contractors
have ordered ITO locomotives. He suggests the
possibility OF our Chinese colonists turning
their steps hitherward.
As To the ChagreS dam he cannot learn from
his own observation or the opinions OF engi-
neers but that it can be made success. 1t Will
be three-fOurths OF a mile long, 300 feet broad
AT base and 14O feet high, built oi broken rock
with an exterior slope oi four to one, and the
basin side covered with clayey earth allowed
10 take its natural slope. From the basin a
tunnel Will be made through the rock OF twenty
feet diameter lined with iron, to carry all sur
plus water direct TO the sea and entirely away
from the canal.
AS 10 finances, the original estimate of cost
was about S2l3,oOO,O0O, and, should the rate |
oil expenditure not be increased this will be all
used by the end of $50 except about 1913 5OO- |
OOD. Fully two-thirds OF the expenditure has |
been for plant. at requires "a very robust |
latin. says MIR. Bigelow, Ito believe that the |
Panama canal can be opened from sea To sea |
Tor an additional sum no larger than the net |
proceeds OF the loan OF 100000. 900 |
which NJ. de LessepS is now soliciting and |
yet know OF no person who is competent |
10 say with authority that ii cannot be- |
4 he report then discusses the damage To the |
work OF seven changes IN the directors-general |
of the probable tonnage, OF the confidence the |
French people have in De Lesseps and the |
fact That the canal issues held by the |
'.petites bourse, or small capitalists four-ffths
of the shares thus far issued being held in blocks
oil one To nve shares, representing 300 To $500 |
As ID final summary, he believes that having |
gone 80 far the canal will be built, but the time
OF completion and the cost he think to be en-
Iirely prOblematical.