The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-08-13

The scheme contemplates n combined ar
tifcial and natural waterway across the
Central American isthmus, from the At
lantic to the Pacific, via Lake Nicaragua
and the San Juan river, al a cost estimated
al 500, coo. The route selected-the choice
out of ten different routes considered, and
the one repeatedly approved by successive
engineering parties sent out by the gov
ernment-!ies through a country for the
most part salubrious, fertile, beautiful and
rich in natural resources. ~ this route
tle distance 10 be tTaVerseQ by vessels
plying between the two oceans is 1863 miles,
but i'll miles of it would be in an apIroZi-
nlately straight course by way Of Lake
Nicaragua and its eastern outlet, tac San
Juan riVer-DOth already naVi@aOle by
oceaH-S0n9 steamships, and twenty-five
miles more to DE Travelled by means o.
natural. basins 10 be filled up, 50 that
only tWenty-si& miles OF artificial canal
cutting would De needed-far less than at
Panama. Besides, the land 10 be ,rayersed
Is the lowest depression in the entire Cordi-
lea range between the Arctic sea and the
straits of Magellen. The crest line and
reservoir of the canal would be Lake Mica
ragua itself, only 10 feet above the sea
level; large inland body of fresh water
enclosed in a roc6-bound basin, where the
rainfall in the mountains is caught and
imprisoned. It's outlet, the San Juan river
can be availed of for navigation sixty-nve
miles, and the lake Itself fer 1fty-six miles,
so that by cutting down the earth and IN
building Channels in the low country west
ward from the Caribbean sea to the river
thrty-siX miles, and from the Pa
cidc ocean eastward to the lake,
twelve miles, continuous
waterway could be secured which by means
OF locks and dams could be rendered naviga-
bic throughout from ocean to ocean.
The details Of the work proposed are
briefly these: First, a breakwater an Grey
town and a deepening of the harbor there.
dredging thence westward nine miles
through alluvial ground; then a lock Of
thirty feet lift. y mile and a quarter beyond
a second lock of thirty-one feet lift and a
dam across the small stream Deseado,
above which are to be three basins SUPPORT
ed by another dam and third lock of forty
five feet lift. aftording five miles of free
ma ,igation. Next a lock cut three miles
long through the eastern Divide the piece
de resistance of the whole engineering
worA followed h. twelve miles Of free
navigation in the valleys of the San Fran
cisco and Machado rivers Here the water
is to be raised by enbankments, forming
basins connecting directly with the San
Juan river above a large dam across its
current, which Will elevate the surface
level in the river and lake and secure addi-
tional free navigation for siXty-five miles
in the river and fifty-six miles across the
lake. ON the western side of the lake it
is proposed that the canal shall ente~ u
cut of slisht depth in earth and rock nine
miles long. issuing thence into the lola
basin, with five and one-haif miles of free
navigation obtain-d there by damming a
small stream, the Rio Grande. At this dam
a series of locks VIII lower the level eighty
five feet and the canal Wil proceed thence
in excavation down the valley of the Rio
Graude two miles to a final lock-a tidal
Of Foot hole oh tI,n
canal will enter the upper portion of the
barbor of Brito, one-haif mile from the
Pacific ocean, where a breakwater will be
constructed, charging and making more
commodious the present harbor.
Thirty million cubic yards Of earth