, 1891-01-10
The Nicaragua Canal.
From the ColOn Telegram, 10Th d 18TH Dec.)

A declara Ion has just been made bv the
government OF Nicaragua which IS highly
nattorlng to the Nicaragua Canal Construction
company. Construction work on the CanaE
began on the 9Th Of October 1889, and by the
term Of the concession at least S2,0M,OO0
was to be expended during the first yeal's
work. Accordingly, at the end OF the year,
the Government Commissioned M9ssrS. ). "A.
Roman and Macmillan Sonenstern, both dis
tn2ulshed engineers, to examine the works
OF the Canal and report the progress made.
These gentlemen arrived at San Juan del
Norte over q month ago and for several weeks
occupied themselves in visiting and examGn-
ing all buildings, machinery and work that
had been done, being given every facility TO
carry out their Instructions by Chief Engineer
Menocal, and at the end Of their examination
declared in their report, which has just been
accepted and approved by the Goyornment,
that not only has the Company spent
$2,OOO,OOO for which it has obligated, but
hat the expenditure has reached a sum over
twice that amount. This declaration made,
the Nicaragua Canal Company has a period
of ten years to complete the construction
from ocean to ocean Of the great Canal.
A review of the work done here during the
past year has great interest for everyone
who has given serious thought to the under
taking.
The surveys for the final location of the
entire Canal have been completed and the de-
tailed surveys of the sites of all embankme nts,
dams and locks very nearly finished. These
surveys have covered not only the one line
selected but all routes which gave any proba-
bility Of being practicable. The entire coun-
try adjacent TO the line has been thoroughly
explored, so that every range Of hills and every
small stream has been examined to ascertain
what, If any, bearing it might have on the
general problem of construction.
TIL survey for a railroad line from San
Juan del Norte to Ochoa, a distance of 80
miles, has been completed together with
another line running parallel to the Canal
for twelve miles for construction purposes.
A reservoir and dam on the La Paz creek
has been located as we'll as a pipe line to bring
the water from that point to this place and to
supply all the canal works with pure fresh
water.
To ascertain beyond question what the
character inc cost of the work was to be,
borings have been. made at the sites of all
important works, such as dams, entertainments
and locks as we'll as at the heavy GUS these
holes have been bored to'the bottom Of the
Canal or to the bottom of the foundation of
all locks &c., many OF them being from 200 to
300 feet deep.
One OF the first works of actual consttuc-
ton began was the running of q telegraph
line to the Interior, a distance Of sixty miles.
This was very difficult to construct, the first
ten miles being through q deep swamp, where
the wire and all other supplies had to be
carried on the backs of men who were wading
in water from one to four feet in depth.
Much of the way was so deep that poles
could not be set in the ground and had to be
fastened to stumps with wire as the only
means Of securing them.
The rock quarry at Silico Lake has been
worked for the purpose of getting rock to Eli
in the pier and breakwater at San Juan del
Norte, the rocks being brought for a distance
OF twelve miles in lighters.
During the summer of 1889 permanent
buildings were begun and building construc-
ton has been in progress ever since. Up to
the present time nearly forty buildings have
been erected, covering an area OF TAO 10y 1856
feet. Some OF them are three stories in
height and others two stories, while but few
have only the ground floor to represent their
capacity. The principal storeh0use is 80 by
139 eet, three stories high and the most part
of it is filled with material for the work.
There is now in process oferection q machine
shop los by 81 feet and a blacksmith shop
and foundry % by 80 feet. Much of the
Machinery for q first ella 8 machine shop is
now here. There is also q building in course