The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-01-14
BELIEVES IN THE N
President Bartlett Sees Nothing Imprac-
ticable,


LONDON, Jan. Elm an interview
with Mr.. j. r. Bartlett, President of
the Nicaragua Canal Company in Lon.
don, yesterday, a United Press reporter
vas informed by that gentleman that
he had just returned from a visit to the
Manchester ship canal.
My thanks are DUE" said Mr.. Bart
lett, to Sir John jackson and the execu-
tive staff of the canal for the facilities
they offered me in my examination.
II was entertained in Manchester
and a steam yacht was placed at my
disposal. was much gratified at " hat
I saw, and surprised at the magnitude
of this work. The amount of excava.
ton in constructing the canal was in
excess of 46, 600, 600 cubic yards in rock
and earth, nearly as much as will be
required in the entire construction of
the Nicaragua Canal.
1.-THE cost of the Manchester Canal.
about G12, 600, 900, was largely enhanced
by reas n of the land and land dam
ages, and the building of viaducts and
bridges, sewers, gas pipes, rivers and
canals. All had to be taken under or
over the canal, a work of great expense
and magnitude, which does not belong
properly to the expense Of construction
of the canal.
NICARAGUA ADVANTAGE.
"None of this extra work will be re-
quired in the construction of the Mica
ragua canal, as it runs through q coun-
try not populated, and where no rail.
way bridges have to be constructed to
secure right OF way, at the expense Of
the canal, to accommodate existing lines.
l am, therefore, satisfied upon exami-
nation OF the physical facts and the
items of cost, that the entire excava-
ton in rock and earth, and building of
locks upon the Nicaragua canal will not
exceed that of the Manchester canal.
1t was known all over the world that
construction under army engineers
would cost double what it would under
the best civil engineers.
Mr.. Bartlett further said it had also
been commented on here that the com
missioners evidently went to Nicaragua
to criticise and condemn the work of
others, and it was considered signi6.
cant that they only spent fourteen days
examining the line of the canal from
the Atlantic to the Pacific and then
were loud in criticism of the work of
experienced men, who spent years in
surveying the route and making plans
with care and at a cost of several hun
dred dollars.
AN ABSURD REPORT.
Then it was thought that the com
missioners did not hesitate to guess at
the result, doubling the figures given
by the experienced engineers. The re-
port vas generally considered unfair
and absurd, and it's findings unworthy
of confidence.
Mr.. Bartlett's personal opinion, from
what he saw by the papers, was that
the commissioners report dealt unfair
~ with the experienced engineers en-
ployed by the company and by the
General Government, and that the
statements made of costs, and many
particulars were utterly u~nwarranted
and not based on even the p~retence of
any survey, as the commission ran no
levels and made no measurements or
bearings, which any conscientious and
experienced engineer would certainly
make before guessing at cost vi the
heads Of older and more experienced
men who had made surveys and bear
ings, and had demonstrated what the
quantities were by actual measure
ment. That to say the least was I'm
professional, and indicated some especial
animus of reason for making such q
ridiculous report.
It would fail, however, to accomplish
the purpose, evidently aimed at, be-
cause it would be answered as soon as
the President sent it to Congress.
No fair minded man could read what
was published in the report without
being convinced of the unfairness and
folly of making such statements on
such insufficient data.