The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-12


width Of from 10 to 80 feet, and the top
width varies from 80 feet (condned to the
two "divides'') to 2s5 feet. The estimated
time OF transit from ocean TO ocean for the
whole i691z miles IS . hours: the average
time of transit AZ suez for 100 miles Is a
hours.
The greA natural advantages Of this
canal, outside Of its inestimable naval and
military value TO the defense of the coast
Of our Gulf states and our Pacific domain.
is the extension of our coast line OF water
transportation TO California, Oregon,
Washington, and 20 neighboring coun-
tries. Vessels sailing from New York to
San Francisco are now compelled to pass
around the Horn, distance Of 1900
miles.
The enormous quantities Of wheat, lum-
Der and other articles produced on the Pa-
cifc coast can now be transported to the
Atlantic states only by 5000 miles Of rail-
way OF by the long voyage around South
America, 50 that the entire value of these
productions is often consumed in the ex-
pense of the journey.
To California. Washington and Oregon,
with large and increasing population
and large surplus production of the
staples If trade, the Nicaragua canal is
Absolutely essential TO furnish them with
cheap water transportation TO the markets
Of the world.
In 1850 the wheat product of Oregon
was u S65. 600 bushels, that of Washington
s.o7l, 900 bushels. and California produced
$1,000, 600 bushels. The wool clip of the
same territory for the same year was
estimated at S., Coz, 600 pounds. California
alone shipped by rail in the same year
235, 000, GOO pounds Of fruit-canned, dried
and fresh-to Eastern markets, and over
100000 gallons of wines, brandy, etc.
The commerce Of San Francisco with the
rest Of the world amounted for the year
to more than $3.50. 10000. OF these pro-
ducts the wheat, the wool and the wines
were largely marketed in Europe, and
consequently went by sail around Cape
Horn, 3 distance Of 1900 miles. The
canal route viii shorten that distance
over one-half, to 1900 miles.
Between New York and San Francisco
the ocean route will be shortened from
1880 miles, around the Horn" to 1900
miles by the canal. as against the railroad
route, which is about 800 miles.
This saving in transportation of time
against sail and cost against rail Is neces-
sary to the full development of the Pacihc
coast. The Nicaragua canal, built under
the bill pending before congress, would
be controlled by the United States gov
eminent. who would own two-thirds of
the stock and appoint two-thirds OF the
directors, thus making its substituting by
the transcontinental railroads impossible.
The products OF the Pacific coast
not only include excellent wheat, wool,
wine, grapes, oranges and other semi-trop-
ical fruits, but in the forests and fisheries
of Western Washington, Oregon and
Alaska there exists an enormous amount
of undeveloped wealth. There are %, 0O0,-
900 acres of forest land and 400 0O0. oO0, 600
feet of merchantable timber in Western
Washington alone. The present capacity
of the Puget sound mills is 900, OOO, 600 feet
per annum. The white cedar shingles of
Puget sound even now find market as far
east as Ohio. The forests of Maine are
stripped of spar timber; the forests of
Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Cam
ada are becoming rapidly exhausted, and
the Gulf states find their supply of timber
rapidly diminishing. and lumber for build
ing purposes brought from the Pacific
coast viii find ready market in the Gulf
ports and the West Indies so soon as it
can be delivered at prices not too much
enhanced by costly transportation. Thus
the eastern and more densely settled por-
tons of the states viii become the conve-
nient market for the abundant product of
the now remote forests of the Pacific
coast.
The products OF Alaska, Washington
and Oregon, mostly low-priced commodi-
ties furnishing a large bulk of tonnage,
will be carried at less cost to Eastern
markets, the markets of the western coast
of South America will be opened to the
low-priced Goals of our southwestern
states, and the coasting trade now carried
Oh with the West Indies to the extent of
over 10000 tons per annum will be e1-
tended beyond calculation. The traffic of
the Sault Ste. Marie canal has developed
from 1,067, ia tons in 1881 to the enormous
aggregate of s.3Ss, SCI tons in 1891, and is
still increasing. And this traffic has
grown up in connection with the internal
trade only of q portion of the northwest
ern states with the East. Like results will
follow similar methods, which are equally
available in the waters connected by the
Nicaraguan canal. The demand of Cuba
and our Southern states for soft pine will
be met and supplied from the Oregon and
Washington lumber fields on the opening
OF the canal, and its construction will add
at least 100, 600 tons per annum to the ex-
listing commerce of this coast.
The construction of this canal will cause
the transfer to the United States of much
of the commerce of Europe with Asia in
commodities which the United States can
produce of equal quality and at as low a
price as elsewhere, the traffic in which she
is now excluded from competing for by the
longer routes and correspondingly higher
cost of transportation.
New York and Liverpool are now prac-
tically equi-distant from Valparaiso.
Callao, Acapulco. San Francisco and all
intermediate ports, but with the opening
of the canal New York will be brousht