The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-03-23
BETWEEN TWO OCEANS.
Poute of tho Proposed Nicaragua Canal
Graphically and Realistically Presented
by Mr. MenooaI's Beautiful Model-ihe
Morh of True Artist

] Route or tho iToportn NithihLha th""i
Graphically and Realistically Presented
by MIR. MenooaI's Beautiful Model-The
Worh of "A True Artist
Especial Correspondence Of the TINES
WAsHIxGTOS, March %, 1899.
Editor If The Times.
1t is no wonder that Mr. Menocal, the
accomplished chief engineer Of the Mica
ragua Canal Company, has had the rooms
in which his model OF the canal has been
on exhibition in Washington for several
DAYS past crowded at all hours, for a
more complete and perfect model OF any
thing has never been made 1t is a work
of an artist of superior excellence, and
shows every detail not only OF the canal,
bat of the topography of the surrounding
country in the most graphic manner pos
sible
This model is made OF plaster of Paris,
and the canal is represented on it in min
/ iature as faithfully and accurately as II
/ will be in reality when completed. BE
ginning at San Juan del SUR on the Pa
cfic, ii soon passes through locks g. l
and 5 to what is known as the IOla Ba-
sin" until il enters Lake Nicaragua.
This lake, which like the canal proper, Is
shown with real water, is presented mOst
realistically and exactly us ii is in nature.
The canal enters the lake at the point
| known as La Nirgen.' just
where the Rio Lajas' also enters, and is
utilized for a distance of 56t miles, until
the mouth OF the river San Juan is
reached at Fort san Carlos. From this
point the San Juan is made the source
of supply OF the canal, and the course OF
that river is followed for Ct. miles 10 the
Ochoa dam, which throws the main
channel OF the canal OIL 10
the left of the stream, causing
il 10 pass Though deep mountain cut
into the "Deseado Basin which Is To-
Gated Just before lock No. is reached.
Locks 2 and l are then passed in rapid
succession, and the canal then proceeds
( for "a distance of about twelve miles
through the low.lsnds, stretching back
from the Atlantic TO the hills, until il
reaches Greytown, the main Atlantic
post of the Republic of Nicaragua.
The average depth of The canal proper
is fifty feet, and its width will be sum
Client to enable two ships 10 pass each
other with ease throughout It's course,
except perhaps nj the cut above men.
toned through the Cordilleras at the De
seado basin. The distance from ocean
TO ocean will be 1893 miles, and Mr..
Menocal has certainly proven his claims
TO being most skillful engineer in Sc
lecting route for this enterprise which
has most Of the way been provided for
IL by nature. In fact the COrdillera cut,
the six locks and the dams are about the
only pieces of reallyhard work throughout
the entire length of the canal, and 1t
seems wonderful how in the face OF
these natural facilities Tor an inter
oceanic water way, any other route
should have ever been suggested. 1t is
safe 10 predict that this Nicaragua canal
can be built and put into successful Ope
ration ut "A cost which viii be little more
than the interest ON the enormous sum
OF money which has been thrown away
in the well -nigh hopeless task OF cutting
water way through the Isthmus OF
Panama.
All these facts are beautifully and in
simultaneously presented by even cur
sorry inspection of Mr. MenOcals model |
Every mountain, valley, riyulet, and
even spring rushing down the mountain
sides, have been faithfully and truthful !
~ portrayed. and one can learn more
from il In five minutes than he can /
gather from books and reading in as
many weeks.
Mr. Menocai leaves to-day for New /
York. where his model will be placed on 4
exhibition, and, no doubt, the capitalists I
of Gotham will soon become, through .
its medium, more deeply than ever in
,erested in what promises TO be the great
e-t enterprise OF modern times, and
source Of incalculable benefit, not only TO
the commerce and navigation of the
interested, but 10 the whole
world 40 well. W. u. WALLER.