Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-03-13
The GREAT FIASCO.
RuinOus Condition of the
Panama Ditch.
THE ENGINEERS VERY RETICENT.
A Possibility That the Commission
May Report in Favor of Pros
ecuting Work.
Associated Press Dispatches to THE HERALD i.

Associated Press Dispatches to THE HERALD
PANAMA. February 24.-The commits
sion sent out from France by the Panama
Canal Company to investigate and re-
port upon the possibility of completing
the canal has returned to France, after
remaining in Panama and on the isthmus
for three weeks. The commission con-
sisted of twelve French and Belgian en-
gineers. They declined to express their
views until they had made a formal re-
port upon their return to France. When
it was known that the commission was
coming, few hundred laborers were
employed. the machinery was painted,
and everything put in as presentable a
condition as possible for their inspection
The visiting engineers examined all the
works carefully, made plans and pre-
pared an extended written report DUR
ing their stay. They were entertained
at series OF banquets, but failed to re-
spond to any of the toasts designed to
bring out their individual opinions
Nothing will therefore be known as to
the conclusions reached until the annual
meeting OF the company in April. The
general view upon the isthmus, however,
is that the report will be favorable and
recommend the completion of the canal.
During the fourteen months since act
i've operations ceased upon the canal
little or no work has been done. About
one hundred men are still employed
along the line of the canal to watch and
guard the machinery plant belonging
to the company, and which represents
an original expenditure of $4,000, ,000
This has been exposed to heavy rains,
and, as whole, is in a state of ruin. At
the mouth of the canal on the Pacific
eide at Tahoga, there are at present three
dredges, two of which are dismantled,
but all are in good condition. From Ia
hoga across the isthmus the machinery
of the company lies in all directions.
The largest amount of machinery is at
Calebra cut, eighteen miles from Colon.
The canal has been built for distance
of twelve miles, with an average width
of four hundred yards. From Monkey
Hill, three miles from Colon, until the
mouth of the canal is reached, the banks
are completely covered with unprotected
machinery, rotting away under the &C.
ton of the water and sunshine. The
canal itself is filled with small feet OF
tugs, steam launches and small steam
boats. The American Dredging Com
pany keeps its Office open at Colon, and
the Panama Company still keep their
Offices open here and at Colon. Apart
from this and the small guard main
tanned along the canal there is no sign OF
life.
In case the commission reports favor
ably for the prosecution of work, it is
believed they will recommend the build
ing of large lake beyond Cslebra cut,
with lock, the whole work involving a
cost of one hundred million dollars and
diverting the Chagres river into the lake
for the supply of water for the canal.
This plan involves the overflow OF the
river in the wet season, and in the
dry season there is lack of
water. This is the only plan out
lined to divert the Chagres river, all
other attempts to divert it at points
where it touches the line of the canal
having failed. Even should the pro-
posed plan succeed and the attempt be
made to complete the canal with this en-
gineering feature added, the cost of com.
pleting the canal is estimated at $780,
600 900.