The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-12-01
CANAL OR NO CANAL.

The synopsis of the governments
Nicaraguan canal commissions report.
which Is vouched for by the New York
| Herald, seems 10 show that the FEAST
bility Of the Nicaragua canal over the
route proposed by the canal company
Is still In doubt, and that, if feasible,
it will cost probably S133. Az. 1913 in
stead of the S69, 1893 800 estimated by
the company's engineers. The bill
which failed In the last congress pro-
posed an expenditure of 100000, 900,
part only of which sum would be
| needed, 1t was said, to complete" the
canal, the rest going to the company
for its franchise and other objects, but
the governments commission Of able
engineers find that the data on which
congress was asked to proceed are
wholly unreliable. A further inquiry
by engineers is wanted before Ii can
be said that the canal is feasible at any
cost. The surveys made by the canal
company are pronounced defective.
The great feature of It's route is the
Ochoa dam, which is to be very high
and IS TO withstand the sudden floods
OF the San Juan river. Tropical rains
are TO be controlled by ''rock-till''
dam-dumped stone-of great height at
a cost of S977, 213. The commission OBJ
jects that the foundations on which
this structure is to rest have not been
examined. Behring'S, it says, have been
few and far between. The bed of the
river is treacherous and the geology
Of the site is unknown. A proper
dam here would be of cut-stone and
would cost 100000. But even at
this cost the Ochoa dam, without
further surveys. borings, records Of
rainfall and observation OF the volumes
of streams In wet and dry seasons for
a year and half, would be hazardous.
1t needs great deal more study than
has been given to 1t. and so great diff
ficulty does it constitute, in the COM
missions opinion, that an alternative
route is recommended for inyeStiga-
ton. The company's reports upon the
route generally are pronounced made
quate, its maps being repetitiOns,
without apparent attempt at revi-
sion" of the Glilds map made in 1852.
1t is recommended that $3.50, 900 be APP
prGpriated for d new and thorough sur
vey. without which it will be impos-
sible to solve the canal question intel
ligently, whether from a financial or
engineering point of view.
Many changes Of the canal COM
mended. The cost of labor should be |
guaged, it is held, not by the rate of !
wages in the United States, but in |
Nicaragua. The harbors at each end |
of the canal should be differently To-
Gated and protected. The depth OF the /
canal, its width and the number and 4
size of its locks should be different to |
fit it for the work it is TO do. The /
Strange to say, the survey of 1852 is /
described as the most comprehensive /
vet made. The canal company's |
figures of cost differ greatly from those
of the commission. The company esti-
mated S31 1893, S44 for the eastern divi-
sion of the canal; the commission re-
quires SOL, BOG, 295. For the western
division the company allows S20,549,-
091,; the commission SIS, ,II113. For
the lake division the company thinks
but S5,922,1S5 is needed; the commits
sion says S26,234.343. The commits
sion requires S5.O00,000 for manage
ment engineering and hospital service
items which the canal company does
not provide for at all. The total pro-
estimates made by the COM
pany and commission. respectively, are
S5S.0000o0 and S111,0O0,O00 which
figures are brought by the usual allow
ance of - per cent "fOr contingencies
TO SIS, 1913 eco and S133. AZ. s93. as al
ready stated. Ii is noticeable, how
ever, that the commission is careful TO
abstain from saying that the canal is
feasible at any cost The gist Of its
is that engineers be
given eighteen months and $4,000 To
make proper study Of the whole
problem and obtain data on which TO
base reliable estimates.