Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1889-10-12
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THE H~iCdRAsUA C4x,,
interesting Data Concerning p

Data Concerning paD,u-,
Rival. mss
On a map oil the Western Hau;o,
distance between the Atlantic ana s'' the
oceans, at the point OF their acidc
proach to each other, dwip6los arrest ap.
insignifcance. To the superficial, ~ppar'nt
instructed observer. it seems Et,,o ",' 10.
absurd that the civilized world sho n0rt Of
used ali it's resources, vainly tbn. 'a have
break through the frail conpectin. 'st' to
for so it iooks-by which North INK
America are joined together, and thr south
rowly escape being two continenta. mar
OF one. But distances on a man 81, "S'ead
world are highly deceptive. Thu ""it the
the Panama canal, as proposed to ~ OF
is 4e miles-half as far, say, as t,oe 0rl't'
York to Philadelphia. And tba Ne"
difficulties to be overcome are vne bDsS'eal
multiply that distance ~tenfold, ascor 70
with a level country Of such geoIooia p'red
Typographical features as would ,eH" and
construction OF a canal. 'ne
There are still some resolute s.:-,
predict the successful compIetio, "ao
Panama Canal. But the ipterrnrt 'h'
that work, whether permanent a. d
brought the rival undertaking-tbat| aas
Nicaragua Canal-pronIinenMy 's :
public, and o brief description OF it, The
ana the nature OF the task to be route
pllshed VIII be OF interest to the rsad aS'Oa'
the hrst place. the Nicaragua canal aa Ia
posed is l71A miles. long mora sS pro-
Panama Canal. But there are COMB pl the
ing circumstances which are reoargS eISa
much more than sufficient to maIa as
this eScess OF distance. Lake Nicor.oup Tor
part OF which lies in the course NJ tho a a
is a most import mt factor in tho 'ne canal
OF the problem. This lake is the 10 oolulon
Central America, having an extromaf eStl IN
OF la miles, a maximum widtS iength
miles, and an area Of more tbon u ID
square miles. 1t is said to baua 4'VW
depth OF water and to be siponla,,e aIps
from obstacles to navigation. Ont nea
171k miles OF the canal as marked o y, t1e
miles fall within the basin OF the loLO ou''N
This, however, is not all. There
eral rivers-chiefy the San Juan. b~ ~ Sh
the waters OF Lake Nicaragua ara "aNl
into the Caribbean Sea-whicb w;lIhaaoMa
to serve, with comparatively littIs IIads
as a dart OF the canal. The San InaaOUt,
said to be navigable by steamers - ss
draught, even in it's present co., ;ti " Nsnf
a distance OF Ga miles; and altooothOu: lf
estimsted that "a miles OF the coneiNs
coincide with the channels Of rivsrs nr WIN
will be utilized for its purpos4 at r%eIat GnTo
small expense. This, added to tba S7 ns!g
Of lake waterway, makes a totaI oI ITs
miles. and leaves but BOZ miles Of tba III
for which nature has not made a Do oal%
provision, ard which has tbdp, atau
so to speak, to be cut ont W ~
whole cloth. 1t is in Ills t,;' %
miles, doubtless, that the WI!
difficulty OF the enterprise will he aDa maa
tered, and thu greater part of the outIr
required. Some Of it is of a formiJ J"S!
nature; for example there is at ona u%".
a layer OF rock three miles in lengtb t tOSs
broken through. The river courses W"
over, may not be tractable as has been az,
sumed. The endless trouble which n.
Chagres river has given the engineers n t5S
Panama canal is q warning not to hs ""
sereneIy confident on this point. WHIT
other obstacles may arise to DELAY tbev
swell the expenditure, it is OF coursp inA
possible, even for those who are an fl.
ground and havethe best meanso Of formins
opinion. to predict with certainty,
The enterprise has, nevertheless, a bonA
Iul outlook, and a determined and rorS.
dent spirit seems to a~ctuate it's manages.
1t is proposed that the canal shall have an
average depth Of about thirty feet and A
minimum breadth Of nearly eighty tpt,
There are to be sig locks, for which, it il
laid, an abundant supply OF water can al
ways be relied on. The total cost Of f6i
ANAL is estimated at $50, OOO, OOO-a Lp,
'um in itself considered, but not quiteo one
'ixth, according to figures lately given, Of
he enormous outlay thus far made Oh III,
'anama canal.
At one point or another-perhaps at
more than one point-the barrier between
he two oceans will no Goubt bepenetrstS
ooDer or later. II the hopeful a~nticipa,
ions OF those engaged in the work are not
most seriously disappointed, this will be
me OF the final achievements Of the nine.
zenith century, ant the year 1900 will see
he commerce of the world passing without
Interruption through this long desired
waterway between the Atlantic and the
'acific.