The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1897-03-19
COST AND VALUE OF CANALS.
The Nicaragua Cut Likely to De an Enor-
mously Profitable Enterprise.

The Nicaragua Cut Likely to De an Enor-
mously Profitable Enterprise.
The Suez canal. with almost a hun
bred miles of continuous digging, cost
about 500, OO0. 900; of this sum $50, 000,-
900 was wasted in interest, commits
sions. changes of location and bad
management. That canal has now a
traffic of nearly nine million tons an
nually and, according to the North
American Review, it must be speedily
enlarged TO accommodate the COM
merce that is %crowding through 1t to
the western coast of the Pacific ocean.
The Nicaragua canal has twenty-nine
and a half miles of canal prism, or
ayial line. Of this one-third is very
light dredging. The total length of
this transit from sea to sea is 1907
miles; of this line 1904 miles is slack
water navigation at an elevation of
110 feet above the level of the sea.
This small lift is overcome by six locks
three on either side of the lake. The
entire cost Of the canal ready for use,
as estimated by Mr.. Menocal, allowing
% per cent. for contingencies, is $685.
0S4,176. A board of five other great
engineers went over Mr.. Menocal's
measurements and estimates with
great care, and out of abundant eau
ton, and not because of any substan-
tial change in his figures, they added
to his estimate another 20 per cent. for
contingencies, and so changed his esti-
mate as to make the total cost of the
canal, ready for service, S87, 799,57O.
1t seems that this may be reasona-
bly, accepted as the outside cost of the
canal. But, ii we run up the conjec-
tural cost to 500, 900, 600, if built for
that sum, it must be the most valuable
property in the world of it's magni-
tude. The tonnage, annually, can
scarcely fall below that of the Suez
canal. 1t will gradually exceed that
amount. If it is t%wo-thirds as great as
that which passes through the st.
Mary's canal on the lakes it will equal
9,OOO,0OO tons, Who does not know
that 1t must be greater than the traffic
supplied by so small an area of inland
country? A just estimate would be
: hXed, confidently, by the most careful
t and hesitating persons at 5000, 900
TONS per annum, to say nothing of in
come from passengers, of whom
SWarms will emigrate to the Pacific
coast. OF this estimate we could
place the tolls at the rate of ST per ton,
Q ana realize $4,000, 900 per annum. Take
S5'oOO' 600 OF this sum for maintenance
Y OF the canal, which will not exceed
hal1 that sum; $1,000, 600 for interest
on the bonded debt, and s. 5000, 900 for
VAe stockholders, and we will have a
result that should excite the cupiditv
o' Ene most grasping Spectator. But
0he true friend Of the industrial and
commercial people will see in this re-
sun d SAVING to industry and COM
i mefce of more than one-half the
charges for tonnage that are now
paIu 10 the Suez canal. If the United
1Ia'es are the owners of $50, 900, 900 of
the $780, eco 900 of the stock in this
o canal, and II it is to cost S1OO. 600 600
to build it, the dividends on hat
5 $50, 200, 900 of stock, omploved IN a
e sinking fund and invested in the bonds
n OF the company, would pay the entire
a cost OF construction and the interest Of
the bonds in less than fifty years.
\ o