The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-09-11
THE AMERICAN CANAL.
THE WORK STILL PROGRESSING
MOST SATISFACTORILY.
Chief Engineer Menocal to sail on the
2Oth->an Juan del Nortc and Greytown
Panama and Nicaragua WATERWAYS

tontrastcd.
Especial Correspondence Of the Times.l
New YORK. September 9.-After sew
eral unavoidable delays ard postpone
ments it has been definitely decided
that Commander A. q. Menocal. Uni
ted States Chief Engineer of the Mica
ragua Canal Company will sail from
this port for San Juan del Norte. Grey
town on September 20;h. bg the steam
ship llOndO. Commander Menocal was
to have followed the construction
party (which sailed on May p, last.
on June 6. but his attendance was re-
luired in this city during the prepara-
ton of the large contracts,
and the discussions which fol-
lowed the warlike rumor circulated
concerning Nicaragua and Costa Risa
bv enemies Of the American canal .en-
enterprise. AT this writing matters po-
itical and Otherwise are IN such sat
isfactory state that the chief engineer
feels justified in resuming personal
charge Of the active operations along
the line Of the canal.
Its not expected however. that Com
maDder Menocal will remain for any
length Of time IN Nicaragua, as hIspres-
ence is desired at the coming convention
Of the Central aud South American Re
publics. which assemblies in Washing
ton on November 14lh. next.
Assistant Engineers HolcOmb and
Miller. who have been on leave OF alb
sence in this country after twenty
months Of hard service in the low
lands of Nicaragua, return TO Grey
town with the chef engineer. The
fact that all the American canal engi-
neers who return to the United States,
on sick leave or for a vacation. are de-
-irous TO return 10 Nicaragua so soon as
their vacations expire. speaks very well
for the future of the great work under
taken.
JUAN DEL NORTE AND GREYTOwN.
In a letter TO the New York Sun. pub
lished' within a few days. correspon-
dent at San Juan del N0rte outlined the
situation of affairs there 0s follows:
PREY town is assuming lively appear
ance-in fact one enthusiast is already
proposing a street railway, electric
lights. and an improved water supply.
Well. | don't know that san Juan del
Norte has actually reached the street
railway and electric light stage, for
they are working SLOWLY but surely
down there. not at all Il Ia dc LeSseps,
but, as already published IN the TINES.
the improved water supply referred 10
is already in ccurse of realization. the
aqueduct is surveyed and laid out ana
the first mile of eight irch steel water
pipe is on its way TO Grcytown
while additional miles follow on
the Hondo. September Goth. San Juan
del Norte hopes 70 reach the electric
light and street Railway period later
on. Just now more attention Is being
paid TO building the temporary Ietty
which will protect the first dredges IN
tended 10 cut through the bar now OBJ
struciing the harbor. and thus admit
of the Tas'a Of the dredges intended
to cut the interoceanic canal.
A CONTRAST WITH THE PANAMA. TAsCo.
Contrasting with the satisfactory
manner in Inch affairs are progressing
along the proposed line of the Ameri.
can canal. is the disgTaceful state OF
things existing at Panama. A CORES
pondent Of the New York Times, in a
letter published to-day, describes the
situation as follows:
For tw wenty five cents in Colombian
silver one may hire "A small one-h0ise
victoria, with a negro driver. to take
YOU 10 the mouth of the canal at Pdna-
ma. The work at this show point,
so to speak. was 90 s.Oyeuly done that
liz is difficult to distinguish the lines Of
the canal at high water. ana At low
tide II has no more water than a New
Jersey mud fiat. Further inland, pass
ing a few dredges, the bed of the cut
becomes a pasture fer the cattle IN the
vicinity. and a few steps further along
bring YOU to banana trees growing M
the track of the commerce OF the world
On the entire line there are now regu
larly employed one hundred men. The,
are watchmen. who guard the company /
property. and others " no carry paint
pots TO paint the hundreds Of rusilne
engines. Near the Culebra cut thei'
must be fty-odd fine engines. which
with their fresh coats of pant, present
quite prosperous appearance. III strong
contrast TO that of TWO yeas ago, whel
everything was going 10 rack and run
through criminal neglect. The engine
and iron work | formerly saw hal
buried in the mud al the foot of th'
mountain. are now out of sight. proba
blv 10 be unearthed by future genera
tions of canal builders, and 10 be re-
parded as evidence of the ingenuity o
their ancestors as far back as ihe nine
teenth century.
ION all good building points aloni
the line tie company had beautiful cot
tages for its superintendents. engineer ;
and other officials of rank. original.
they were painted a pretty cOmbinatlo
of lead color. with red trimmings, an
we're the homes of many Jolly French
men. who entertained on lavish seal
on high salaries. Many now hav
graves close by, the lead color has be
come a dirty. rain-washed gray, an
those entered were Inhabited ty hur
! Creds 90 rats. which found comtoftabl
nests in upholstered chairs and sofas.
Continuing. the same corresponden
writes: Nowhere have | seen sue
saualOr. such rags, such illth ana laz
ness as among the negroes Of the lsli
mus. The mother. an immensely II
negroes. is usually seated on the dcol
sill smoking pipe and COS ipplng wit
some equally fat, naked and lazy Il
male of the neighborhood. The fatht
lies stretched out exposed to a broliin
,. SUI and sleeping as peacefully as
: civilized person would IN darkene
room: while two or three little Je
black pickaninnies are playing arouu
the lower steps. kicking the green scuI
off the dirty pools to make a place
sail their pieces Of wood, which me
: have named after the Pacific Ma
q steamers. All the refuse OF the hou'
goes into this pool Of water. and,
there : 10 outlet or drainage. /, siul
I aud becomes soil. Strange As 1t ma
4 seem. the family is never Ill.
The writer then depicts the horrol
, of contract labor and the dead WACO
rounds in the following terms:
Contract labor brought 10 the lstl
mus the dregs Of the population OF II
II I'll, and 50 much of ~ remains that