Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1895-11-29
Is UNAVOIDABLE.
Report Of Commission on Nioara-
qua Canal Made Public
Declare. Estimates Of Company Too
low-Present Surveys Inadequate
and Misleading.

Washington, Nov. ga serious blow has
been dealt the Nicaraguan Canal COM
pany's project for the construction of a
waterway across the isthmus by the re-
port OF the Nicaraguan canal commission.
inevitable delay and q further and more
thorough investigation of the entire sub
1ect are declared to be necessary before
even the engineering feasibility of any
canal across Nicaragua can be decided
upon.
A review Of the contents and the text
OF the conclusions Of tho report Of the
Nicaraguan canal commission became pub
nc Monday morning. This report is now
lying on the presidents desk, and is now be-
ing considered bl him in connection with his
annual message to congress. The report
IS at such variance with the numerous
rumors and predictions which have from
time to time been published concerning
II, that 1t will cause great surprise and
disappointment among those who have
hoped for generally favorable report,
and who have, therefore, placed credence
IN these rumors, which usually stated,
"on the highest authority" that the COM
mission favored the route proposed by the
company, and placed the cost Of the canal
at about s110, 00O, 900.
On the contrary. the report points out
that 1t is neither practicable nor advis-
able to attempt the construction of the
Nicaragua canal upon the data at pres
ent available, and that the undertaking
would be fraught with hazards too obvious
to disregard. That the necessary knowl-
edge may be had of the physical and typo
graphical conditions affecting the con-
struction and maintenance of canal
across Nicaragua. upon which to form q
final judgment as to the feasibility,
permanence and cost, the commission
recommends an appropriation by congress
OF $350,0OO tor extensive additional surveys
and examinations, covering period of Is
months.
Unfavorable to Canal Company.
The general trend Of the entire report
Is certainly very unfavorable to the canal
company. The commission refrains from
any direct criticism of the company's
prospectus, but its report shows that GER
tain features, which the company has
persisted in assuring the public, through
congress, were known to be absolutely
safe and feasible. If put in execution
might 1eopardize the practicability of the
whole system, and possibly destroy for
ever the hope Of a canal by means Of the
San Juan river and Lake Nicaragua
The commission considers that too
much time and pains were devoted by
the company to ascertaining the topog-
raphy of the country when 1t should
have paid more attention to the FEAST
bility of the waterway across Mica
ragua, and its cost.
Better Surveys Are Necessary.
The commission refrains from COM
menting on the company's methods of
making its surveys, and, in great many
cases. the failure to make surveys. Ger
tain features OF Its plans are commended.
me report, however, presents many very
comparative tables. which APP
pear to show the astonishing insufficiency
of the company's data, the inexplicable
smallness of the amount Of work 1t
fylF 900 - l. A.
quently comparatively modest estimate
of cost of construction and completion of
the canal. The conclusions of the COM
mission are Is in number. They refer
largely to questions involved in the detailed
of the work.
Perhaps the most interesting portion of
the work is the section which gives
comparative recapitulation of the cost
This section follows:
Company's Boards
estimate. estimate
Eastern division: 1884 S., 306, 2s5
Lake and river div. * 900 TSS DC C2d GAG |