Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-04-28
THE PANAMA CANAL.
New York Takes Look at tilt will be
Completed.

SredG importance apart from remuneraGlVe
values. The commerce between the Pacific
and the Atlantic coasts has not been remu-
nerative to our great Atlantic emporium to-
the degree that the trans-continental lines
Of railroads were expected to effect in adj
ding to the growth of the trade of the
country. Other Atlantic ports and rapidly
growing interior commercial marts and
manufacturing centres absorb an immense
amount of the annually-enlarging tributes
of the Pacific slope as they move Eastward,
SO that the monopoly which centred at New
York when commerce was subjected to a
sail around the Horn and the tortuous prim-
tive communications across the Isthmus
has not, in it's changed direction through
the means of railroads across the continent,
kept up its relative growth for the benefit
of that metropolis. When the Information
al Congress adopted the scheme of M. de
Lesseps, proposing to give the world a
shorter route for its intercourse by sea-go-
ing vessels, New York, as the representa-
tive centre of the commerce of the Western
hemisphere, was included in the calculation
which should bring the resources Of its COM
mercial power in the American nations to
bear in raising contributions to the might
lest enterprise of its kind known to men,
The United States government will, no more
than individuals, respond favorably to the
application for funds for this purpose, un-
less the great emporium leads the way in
the effort. Whether it was mere specula-
tive purpose in keeping pace with surface
movements, or real design of ultimate
concert in the plan of ship-canal across
the Isthmus of Panama, which moved the
New York Chamber of Commerce to re-
spond to the invitation of the great engi-
neer to take an observation at this time of
his work, is not SO clear, but SO it is, that
the chief and representative association of
her commercial interests has done SO, and
the result is published to the world.
The important mission was placed in the
hands of Hon. John Bigelow, who has per-
formed the service as stated. He was join
ed by M. de Lesseps and associates at Co.
lon February 18th, and every facility placed
at his disposal in learning what has been
and what remains to be done for the COM
pletion of the enterprise. The distance
from Colon, on the Atlantic, to Panama,
on the Pacific, is forty-six and a-half miles.
The line of the canal is parallel, and but
seldom more distant than half mile from
the railroad. The plan of the canal, con-
Meeting the two seas, is uniform level
without locks or tunnels. and broad and
deep enough for the passage of first-class
vessels from ocean to ocean. The total es-
| timated excavation for the canal is one hum
bred and twenty million cubic yards. If
the progress during the remainder of the
year shall be equal each month to that of
January, about one-fifth of the work will
be completed. The total cost is estimated
at two hundred and thirteen millions, five
hundred thousand dollars. One hundred
and twenty millions of the subscribed CAPT
tai of the company has been paid in. Esti-
mating that the work proceeds for the bal
ance of the year as it did in January, there
will remain unappropriated Of the sum in
hand at the end of the year ninety-three
millions and five hundred thousand dollars
There are six contracting syndicates oc-
cupying the entire line, and the miles in
length of each contract is stated. The cut
through the Andes at Calebra is the largest
and perhaps the most difficult in current
progress of any part of the work, because
of the inability to place more than limit
ed number of laborers or machinery upon
| it. The rolls call for twelve thousand men
on the entire line, but the opinion is ex-
pressed that the numter at work is much
below that. The difficulty in obtaining la
Dor, and the great cost of supplies of all
kinds, including subsistence, as all have to
| be imported, are infinitely referred to in the
report. The unhealthfulness of the region,
and the oppressive climate are great draw
backs to securing labor. Only the native,
which is wholly insufficient, can endure the
service. AS the matter is viewed at pres
ent, the labor question Will be the axis on
which the future of the enterprise will re-
volve. The Chinese, as labor reinforce
ment, are referred to. If they are received,
| it is conjectured there will be an exodus from
| the Pacific slope, where that population
is now experiencing much trouble, to the
Isthmus. AS far as it is possible to substi-
tute machinery for men, in the more
rapid progress of the work, it is being done
on the largest possible scale. Already ex-
cavating and dredging machines, more pow
erful thar any used on the Suez canal, are
in operation. The Dutch contracting syn
dictate, who are on the cut through the An
DIES, are very m uch behind in their work on
account of the difficulties previously refer
red to. They have, however, now in the
course of construction in Germany, excava-
| tors of greater power and of new methods
in mechanical skill superior to any machin-
cry of the kind ever introduced. They are
Of five tons weight and seventy horse pow
er. The contractors in the aggregate have
and ten locomotives and the canal company
will add on their own account eight new
dredgers and thirty four excavaters.
| Some of the chief difficulties which have
to be overcome for the future safety of the
canal by engineering skill are as yet un-
solved. The slopes of the cuts through the
Andes and the management of the annual
| floods in the valley of the Chagres river are
two of the greatest troubles to be surmount-
ed. During the rainy season, the floods of
| the Chagres will overflow the canal, and
the questions under consideration are
whether the volume of water is to be re-
strained by dams, and thus allowed to flow
out in small currents or a new channel cut
for it till the boundaries of drainage to the
canal are passed. At present an enormous
dam is the most approved remedy. 1t will
require nine million cubic yards of stone
and earth, which are close at hand in the
cut at EmperadOr