New-York tribune., 1891-05-08
WARNER MILLER'S STORY.
HE TELLS OF HIS TRIP TO NICARAGUA.
ENTIRELY SATISFIED WITH THE PROGRESS OF
THE WORK ON THE CANAL AND SURE OF
THE SUCCESS OF THE PRoJECT-wHERE
HE AND HIS PARTY WENT AND
WHAT THEY SAW.

~N~--"~
pany reached Washington this afternoon on his return
from Nicaragua, where he went TO ascertain, by per-
sonal inspection the work already done on the canal
and its future prospects Mr. Mer's story OF his trip
and IFS results is best told in his words, which are
as follows
Il sailed from New-York the 18th Of March, with
party of twenty odd persons, mostly engineers some
from England 10 go Nicaragua and make thorough
Investigation of the entire line of the canal take ac-
count of all the engineering questions and also make
special examination in regard 20 the probable course
Of the work The story Of our shipwreck IL Is uh-
necessary to tell further than that 1t occurred on the
2eth Of March, that the party remained on Darreh
island for six days and was finally taken on by the
schooner Carazo, which had been obtained by boat
sent ashore The party reached Greytown, all In good
health on the Cd of April and at once began the IN
spection OF the work already accomplished The con-
struction work has so far been confined TO the aroor
OF Greytown and the first few miles Of land work.
"a year ago tile harbor of Greytown was entirely
closed by the bar at the entrance. our party nov"
ever sailed into Greytown in the Carazo passing
through the bar where at present there is depth OF
fonreen feet of water. This opening Of the harbor
has been accomplished through the work OF the
canol company and this work consisted In building
q pier or breakwater over 900 feet into the sea-
The construction Of this pier has operated exacuy
accoring to the calculations Of the engineers ana the
result has been as l have stated fourteen feet OF
water on the bar at the present time.
"Beginning at Greytown, the line Of the canal mas
been entirely cleared of the dense growth OF opcal
vegetation which covered it for distance OF ten
miles the trees have been all felled and burned.
The actual exploration Of the canal was begun about
the first OF January of the present year. one OF tne
first of the American dredges purchased from the
Panama Canal Company, the City OF New YORK; was
set at work. The company has six OF these large ana
powerful dredges which will be at work as fast as they
can be set in order. Two Of them are now at WORK.
and three others will be ready In a short time These
dreges are the most powerful ever construced Dehg
capable of excavatng canal to depth Of thirty live
feet They raise material out OF the cut and de-
posit 1t at distance from the bank OF
the canal so that the material does not have 10 De
removed second time. The two dredges now at WORK
have already excavated the canal for distance Of half
mile to width of go feet and depth OF seventeen
feet Two other dredges will follow these and complete
the excavation to depth Of thirty feet which Is 10
be the depth of the completed canal. The company
has constructed from GTeyOwn parallel with the line
of the canal railroad for the purpose Of enabling
II TO transport men, material and machinery INTO the
Interior that the work may be begun simultaneously
at several dl lerent points upon the ne This railroad
is now completed distance OF ten miles, ana TWO
miles more are graded and nearly ready for track
laying This railroad will extend to point on the
San Juan River called Ochoa. where the river Is to
be damned This dam vii raise the water of the San
Juan River up TO the level Of Lake Nicaragua and from
that point to Lake Nicaragua, distance Of sxsyhve
miles, the San Juan River itself becomes part Of the
canal.
"After inspecting the work at Gfcytown and on tho
railroad the party made march through the wilder
ness near the line of the canal to ochoa. This was
work of great difficulty, because the entire distance
YVES through an almost impenetrable tropical forest
The only paths through this forest those made
by the engineers and surveyors. The distance was
some thirty five forty miles, which the party sue
ceeded in covering in three days, thus examining the
actual line Of the proposed canal enabling all OF the
engineers to Judge Of the character Of the work that
had been done and OF the kind OF material-rock and
earth-that had TO be moved. They were entirely sat
isied with the examination.
At OchOa the party took steamer on the San Juan
River and went up the river to Lake Nicaragua. There
they were transferred to the steamer which is en-
ployed on the lake for carrying freight. Before malE
ing an investigation Of the western end Of the canal
that part between Lake Nicaragua and the Pacific
Ocean-the party went up the lake distance OF sOme
thing 100 miles TO Grenada, one Of the principal
cities of Nicaragua, and from Grenada to MaDagua,
the capital of the country, thirty odd miles, where
several days were spent We then took the steamer
and went down the lake to Rvas, near which the canal
leaves the lake for the Pacific Ocean. The distance
from the lake to tie Pacific this, the western sde IS
about sixteen miles. The country there Is generally
cleared, settled and cultivated OH tlS acCOull
party were enabled to make the investigation OF tho
line on horseback. Three days were spent here in
examining the line Of the canal from which the forest
has almost all been cleared. The point where the
canal leaves the lake for the Pacific Is the lowest point
of land in Nicaragua and presents the feWest Obstacles
TO the cutting of the canal The highest point is only
fortyone feet above the water OF the lake. NO dill
cultes Of any kind present themselves on this side
il IS simply matter Of removing certain amount OF
oh %n ln IN
the canal down TO the level of the Pacific ocean.
The entire party were greatly pleased with thelr
p aGrofs e country a eITev ar v sssed 9r o the as
bilty Of the route and OF the perfection OF the plans 0,
the engineers Of the canal IN % 9adoh 70 nes oS
ernment since 1872, the present company Eas spent
nearly three years Of time and employed Owed areS rea
magnitude has been thoroughly surveyed and
studied in advance Of Its execution as t ot tho
quantity, character and stability OF the work that ad
been done at GreytOwn. In addition to what have
already mentioned the company has established ma ma:
chine shops and storehouses built docks and WhaTves
Including warehouses offices for engineers, quarters for
the men and railroad terminals, besides locomotive
houses and other structures necessary 10 carry on the
Personally i was much pleased with the condition
work had been done, but after my examination upon
the ground found that it exceeded my own expecta
and gave much attention to the development Of the
country and It's products. Nicaragua seems to be be
coffee is largely increasing in the face of rising prices
We were cordially received by the people every
where They were deeply interested in the construc-
ton Of the canal knowing that 1t Touid develop the
country and add to their wealth: ! left Greytown
week ago Nr MenOcal. the chief engineer OF the
canal coming back with me- We came on the Unued
states gnboat Pctrcl, which landed us at Tampa last
Tuesday.
I'm conclusion. must say that am thoroughly
satisfied Of the entire feasibility OF the plan for building
tne canal and believe that the cost will be less than
our estimates. All Of the work has been below the
estimates of our engineers, and haye no doubt Of
the ultimate success OF tho enterprise"
ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CANAL COMPANY.
The annual meeting Of the stockholders OF the Mari
time Canal Company Of Nicaragua was held yesterday