, 1894-09-01
RENEWED INTEREST IN TIE NICAR-
Aqua SHIP CANAL.
N. 7. Press, 9TH Angus

WASHINGTON. Aug. 5.-Ihe great Nlcara-
qua interoceanic ship canal project IS steadily
forging to the front in Washington. No less
than six bills-an unprecedented number-tor
the development and execution OF he enterprise
under the supervision Of the United States
Government have been introduced in Con-
gress at this session by statesmen from vide
" scattered sections. One OF these bills has
been formally reported to the Senate by Senator
Morgan of Alabama and one to the House of
Representatives by Representative Mallory of
Florida, the latter as an accepted substitute Tor
the bills introduced by Hayes Of lowa,Storer sof
Ohio, Doolittle Of Washington and Bryan Of
Nebraska.
Senator Morgan, who has the success of
the enterprise greatly at heart, from a
patriotic standpoint, predicts that it is des-
tined to be the clowning glory Of the nine
teenth century.
The project is truly a momcntous one, but
it has been pronounced by all the experts
who have investigated the subject to be per-
fectly practicable. The scheme contemplates
a combined artificial and natural waterway
across the Central Isthmus from the Atlantic
to the Pacific via Lake Nicaragua and the
San Juan River, at a cost estimated at $G5.
eO0,0, Q. The route seleoted-the choice out
of ten different routes considered = lies
through a country. for the most part salu-
briOus, fertile, beautiful and rich IN natural
resources.
By this route the distance to be t|raverscd
by vessels plying between The two oceans is
1863 miles; but 12l miles of it would be in an
approximately straight line by way of Lake
Mica aqua and its eastern outlet. and the San
Juan River-both already naVigable by ocean
going steamships, and % miles moro to be
traversed by means of natural basins to be
filled up, SO that only '26 miles Of artificial
canal cutting would be needed-far less than
at Panama.
The reservoir Of the canal weuld be Lake
Nicaragua itself, 40 feet above the sea level.
It's outlet, the San Juan River, can be awaited
of for navigation for sixty-fve miles and the
lake itself for ffty.six miles 50 that by cut
ting down the earth and upbuilding channels
in the low country westward from the
Caribbean Sea TO the river thirty-six miles,
and from the Pacific Ocean eastward to the
lake twelve miles, q continuous waterway
can be secured, which by means Of locks and
dams can be rendered navigable throughout
from ocean to ocean.
The minimum depth of water in the canal
is to be thirty feet. The lake supply of water
alone. it is estimated, Will be ten times the
maximum needed for the operation Of the
canal.
The Nicaragua Maritime Canal Company,
an association of American business men and
fnanciers, was incorporated by IAN act of
Congress in 1889. That company delegated
the actual performance of the work to the
Nicaragua Canal Construction Company. The
latter concern fitted out an expedition from
New York in May, 1880, for Greytown, on
the east coast of Nicaragua, and in June began
operations. Activities were pushed rapidly
until The close of the season of 1892. l. the
following year the disturbed state Of the
money market caused a stoppage of the work.
and it has remained suspended ever since.
But nineteen Miles of the route have been
cleared, sixty miles of telegraph have been
erected, a telephone system established,
and six miles Of railroad have been construct
ed. The net expenditures have footed up
So 100000.
By the terms of the Morgan bill in the
Senate and the Mallory bill in the House it
is proposed to amend the Incorporating act
Of 1859 so as to enable the Maritime Canal
Company to construct the canal with the aid
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