New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-16
NOVA SCOTIA,S SHIP RAILWAY.
SIR BENJAMIN BAKER TELLS ABOUT TIE
WORK ON 1T.
HE is WE'LL SATISFIED WITH THE PROGRESS o!
THE NORTH EIvER TCNNEL-THE COST OF
FINISHING THE PANAMA CANAL.

THE NORTH HIvER TCNNEL-TNE COST OF
| FINISHING THE PANAMA CANAL.
Sir BENJAMIN Baker. OF the constructors OF tho
Forth bridge who is paying flying visit t. this
try as head engineer Of the English syndicate which
bouct the Hudson River Tunnel, visited the tunnel
Yesterday morning with MIR. or, the manager OF the
company After q long inspection he expressed his
entire satisfaction with the progress Of the work. "of
course said Sir Benjamin to Tribune reporter last
night tho difficulties at the beginning In completing
nm old tunnel which had already been advanced con-
.do-ahlc distance. greater than They would have
been had an entirely tunnel had to be constructed
The water had worked Its way into the old tunnel and
so1encd the soil This made II far more difficult for
rs TO construct the first part Of the tunnel The
tunnel Is of cast iron. and II Is being driven with the
| aid Of q shield made by Sir William Arro'
Sir BENJAMIN is also here for the purpose OF in
| smoothing the work on the ship railway
from the Bay Of Fundy TO the Guf OF ST. Lawrence,
which is now III course Of construction at Amherst
Nova Scotia. lie Is chief engineer OF the railway ana
| represents the syndicate Of English and American
capitalists who control the scheme. "The project Of
! a shin hallway Is by means new" he said. II
has been mOotcd any time within the last thirty years
Capton Eads Of Mississippi ctty fame. proposed it
many years ago an alternative to the Panama Canal
| NJ Ejt,cl who built the great exhibition tower atd
has contracts for locks on the Panama Canal lately
l
the Panama Canal into ship railway. Thus the
| works now going on at Amherst Is exciting profound
interest.
1.-The earthworks and masonry Of the docks Of this
ship canal arc being constructed by American firm
of contractors. Messrs Dawson. Symcs & Usher The
! machinery including powerful hydraulic lifts. each
CAPABLE Of hosting TO height Of forty feet the total
weight-3oOO tons-Of ship and cradle. Is being man
uf.lctured by Eas,On a Anderson, Of London. About
| TWO thirds OF the railway and docks finished.
Nearly the whole OF the machinery has been made and
| the greater part Of 1t shipped t" This country.
The railroad will lie abou. seventeen miles In
| length. The locomotives for hauling the ship owe?
the railroad exceptionally powerful being eight
| wheeled tank engines. each weighing eighty tons,
Tie saving Of time in transit will be enormous when
| YOU consider that II takes a ship trcc days
60 from the Bay to the Gnlf while the time occupied
on our road will be about TWO and half hours. We
have now 400 al work and hope that the rail-
way will be opened in the spring OF la02. If not earlier
| Tho Canadian Government has guaranteed the COM
pany 81 20 900 q year for twenty years
Referring 10 the possibility Of converting the Pan
anna Canal into ship railroad. sir benjamin remarked
The cuttings OF the canal So Ear NJ complctS. arc
adapted for the construction II locks PROPOSED by
Dc Lesseps, and for the inciincs necessary for
ship railroad. In order TO make railway con>d-
cradle portion OF the excavations already made would
t. lie rcflled. The gradients would b. steep and
the cost Of transport in the case Of Ship vi "on
TONS for which the canal IS adapted. would be eor-
| nous. From careful examination Of 'hc WORKING
plans Of tho canal 1t stands t present. estimate
that the lowest possible cost of i's completion would
be 300 900 OOO while two years d. LcSscpS made
an estimate OF 900. 1t Is IN my opinion,
oute impossible by any financial combination 10 raise
money sufficient to complete the Panama Canal either
| would involve an outlay Of sl3OOOOOVO. including
| all appliances. a.,
"Thc plan OF the Nicaracna Cana! Is cntircly dlf
that the Panama Canal. ana IL l.
ously Of such importance the United state, that
have doubt that meals VIII bc found ol MAX
| ing it, w,,
night for Nova Scotia and Will return ~ England In
| clIu; two weeks fnlm 10 day.