The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1889-03-01

Two Hundred and Fifty NAil'
lion Dollars Lost ina the AsiR
scheme.

down there. He says that there is
no question about the canal project
being failure, and that within a
short time work will entirely cease
and everybody who can do SO will
abandon the scene of ODE Lesseps'
foIIy," which started with such
flourish of trumpets. The informant
tells a remarkable story of the reck-
lossness with which money was
squandered on the proposed canal,
aud says that every statement he
makes will soon be verified by official
information. The situation as he
pictures it is as follows:
When the last mail left the isthmus
only few small gangs of men were
making any pretenso of continuing
work, and it was conceded that they
must stop in few weeks at furthest.
The last important desertlon from
the work took place February l, when
the contractor in the San Pueblo cut
discharged his 1000 men and an
nouncement that he would not need
them again At one time as many as
$4,000 negroes, mostly from Jamaica,
were employed on the canal. From
time to time the men were discharged,
They became turbulent AZ the unem-
pIuycd increased in numbers, and the
Columbian government found it neCes-
5ary to place on duty large guard Of
soldiers and have the line of the
Panama railroad patroIod to prevent
outbreaks.
The negroes were paid small wages,
an being shiftloss saved nothing.
They drew their money in small sums,
aud when they happened to have more
than WAS necessary they bought rum,
they rode ont the surplus on railroad
trains, aud consequently, when dis,
charged, were peunIe9s.
American, French and English
n-of war are at anchor in the bay
at Colon, ready to protect the citizeuS
Of the respective counties If nccos-
sary. Not Uuiy on tue UanaL UuJ ataU
on the railroad large number Of men
have been thrown out Of work. When
the canal building was being pushed
there were four passenger trains run
on the railroad; but now two are more
than sufficient, aud half Of the force
have been discharged, aud those still
at work are threatened with rGduC-
ton Of wages.
This is the dry season, aud there is
consequently not so much sickness as
there will be when the wet season sets
in. Theu, unless the idle men are
returned to their homes, it is feared
that they will die of like sheep.
When the Campagnie UuiverselIe
TransatIantIque began work in 1880
it gave out TO contracts, but prepared
to dig the canal itself, and under the
liberal guidance of Count dc Lesseps,
made ample provision for such com
forts as were possible in that section.
Towns, hospitals and other modern
improvements were introduced. At
Colon tho French quarter is laid out
Ike park, and improved like a
European villa. De Lesseps built at
the company's expense a residence
for himself and another for his son at
the total cost of $3.50, 900 The
frescoing of De Lesseps house was
said to have cost $50, 900, and every
thing else was on a corresponding
basis, and yet neither house has been
occupied.
The hospital at Panama cost ST.,
100000, and other improvements for
the comfort of the Canal company's
employees were on an equal scale.
Within the past two years the streets
Of Colon, which were previously Of
mortar, have been maCadamized, and
the principal street has a substantial
board pavement. Before these i'm
proyements were made the only
wheeled vehicle in the city was a
carriage provided for the hospital
nurses, bat now cabs abound. All
along the proposed line of the canal
money has been lavishly expended for
the comfort and even luxury OF the
company's officers, all Of whom lived,
while the bubble hoaled, like princes.
The extravaganza had counter
part in the way money was thrown
away on the work Of canal digging
until three or four years ago, when
contracting began, and altogether
there is very little TO show for the
vast outlay of 250,000,OoO, which is
said to be the amount sunk. The
only watercourse actually developed
by tbe work is from Colon 10 Bohio,
distance Of thirteen miles. This
work was chiefly through marshes,
and was done by an American dredg-
ipg company. The only herd work
was al Mentoa, where, for . distance
Of 800 Of 400 yards blasting was
necessary owing 70 rock obsirncLipg
the way. This section Is compara-
lively q small fraction Of the entire
work projected, as The other thirty,
four or tbirty-fye miles Of ihe canal
were surveyed oyer mountains, some
Of them bristlipg With rock on The
Culebra considerable work was done,
but II vas not anywhere peaFly
finished, and elsewhere very llttle ac-
eomplisbed
on the basis Of previous expepdi
lures it is estimated that . thousand
million dollars would bo required 10
faisb The canal As eyidepce Of Che
manner in which moneY was sauana.