Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-08-04

the expense OF the fanama fallure, the COM
pany has made very complete arrangements
for the health and comforts OF its employees.
The canal will be of great assistance to the
naval strength of the United States.
GREYTowN, NICARAGUA, July 49,
This hitherto dull little town, destined to
be the Atlantic port of the Nicaragua Canal,
is rapidly awakening into new life, and is
already blossoming out as the scene of con-
siderable actiuity. The terrible example
set by the Panama fasco has been q most
useful lesson. All the errors into which
the French company fell have been avoided
by the American canal managers, and it
may be said that every dollar squandered
by the De Lesseps' syndicate has been a
dollar saved to the American company.
Sickness, starvation, dissipation and dis
pair marked the route projected by the
financiers of Paris, but health, plenty of
food, decencv and quiet energy are the
characteristics of the American engineers
and their assistants. The Panama people
paid their employees so much a month and
allowed them to ''fnd themselves" but the
hard worked laborers
GENERALLY NEGLECTED
to supply themselves with solid food and,
on the other hand, INDUCED continually
and disastrously in strong drink. The re-
suit was much Sickness little work and
terribly long death list. The American
company, on the other hand, pays as high
wages, il not higher, than the French COM
pany, and in addition supplies all its en-
Ot
colored laborers, with good, wholesome
food and plenty of it-shipped direct from
New York and purchased in the best
markets.
Good hardtack (ships' biscuit), rice, ba-
con, fresh meat, vegetables and coffee are
served out to all the American camps, and
as the work expands all the suffers stores
along the line of the canal, from the Allan
tic to the Pacific, will be under the compa-
ny's control, the goods sold being charged
for at the cost price only, so that the COM
pany's employees will get boots, shoes, shirts,
socks, tobacco, cigars and also other lu1u-
] les of nature akin to the last two men
toned articles at the same rate that they can
be had in New York.
A CoMMENDABLE PLAN.
The company's idea in this connection is
to keep up the morals of the men and let
them have decent profit left when their
monthly wages are paid. This plan has
worked admirably up to the present moment.
In still other respects the American Canal
Company's policy differs from that of the
Panama people. Everything it is possible
to do for the health of its employees is being
done, and still further efforts are being made
in this direction.
Portable buildings of all descriptions are
being continually shipped from New York
to Greytown, and the engineers and me-
chanics will soon be practically as we'll
housed in Greytown as they would be while
at work in any part Of the United States.
Over an immense storehouse will be quar-
ters for 100 engineers. Added to this build
ing will be billiard room, reading room
and library.
Officers of higher rank are quartered in
another handsome building containing 16
rooms, while the headquarters of Chief En-
gineer Menocal will be in as pretty frame
cottage as you could find at Seabright or
Long Branch. Recognizing the fact that
pure water is the source of good health, the
Greytown engineers of the Nicaragua Canal
Construction Company have just received
orders to surv " and Law out the ground
and plant for two large water reservoirs.
THE WATER SUPPLY.
Fifteen miles of steel water piping will
convey an abundant supply of perfectly
pure water from the Deseado basin to Grey
town. Thus, as soon as the jetty and
are completed, ocean steamships
will be able to water" at the company's
dock. The town of Greytown, otherwise
San Juan Del Norte, will also receive its
water supply through the canal company's
pipes.
1t is reported in Greytown that the canal
ap -
American steamships, which will be estab-
ished between Greytown and New York
md San Francisco and Britow, one of these
steamers 10 be devoted to carrying stores
and machinery for the company's use be-
tween San Francisco and Britow on the
of the Pacific harbor of the
canal, and the other two to perform like
service for the company between New York
aud Greytown.
Property about Greytown, Ft San Carlos
and Prito, all along the line OF the canal
-oute, in fact, is rapidly advancing in
value. Some contractors from San Francis
20 and Chicago are announced to be coming
his way, several from New York are
STILL FIGURING
lere and it is expected that by January /.
he San Francisco construction party will |
De "stirring up the mud" at Britow, while |
ligging their way toward Lake Nicaragua |
rom the Atlantic side, for it is now said to |
De the plan of the Nicaragua Canal CON- |
lany to attack the Isthmusian problem from |
wo sides-the Atlantic and the Pacifc-at |
,nce
If this plan is actually decided upon land |
Fe shall know the truth in this connection |
lpon the arrival at Greytown of Chief |
Engineer Menoa), the Nicaragua Canal |
will be open for operation in a much |
horter time than at first contemplated, |
While, inside of say two years and a half, |
he grand fresh-water bosom of Lake |
Nicaragua, draining a water shed of 5000 |
quare miles, will be thrown open to the |
rorId, and, say in about two and half |
ears more, or in 1S94-95, the whole canal
will be ready for business.
AS a rendezvous for an American feet |
nd as coaling station and dockyard for |
American men-of-war, Lake Nicaragua will |
oTm an immensely advantageous addition
o the war power of the United States, for
eet there assembled could coal, provision
nd repair and swoop east or west, strike
orth or south and have a safe refuge,
hould such a safeguard be needed.
AN IMPORTANT POINT.
Thus it will readily be seen that it must
e distinctly understood at the start that the
icaragua Canal is an American institu-
ion, and that the growth and strength of
ur navy keeps pace with the growth of the
icaragua Canal, even without increasing
he number of ships. This conclusion is
rrived at from the fact that our Atlantic
eet, at a few hours notice, could reinforce
he Pacific feet, or vice versa, while even a
nall squadron anchored in Lake Nicaragua
ould be extra useful from the fact that it
ould strike sudden and unexpected blows
ther in the Atlantic or the Pacific at a
loment's notice.