Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-03-03
CANAL COMMISSION.
REPORT on FEASIBILITY OF THE
NICARAGuAN DITCH.
CHICAGO ENGINEERS OPINION.
"WE FOUND CONDITIONS BETrE,
THAN REPORTED."
Governments of Costa Rica and Nica-
raEua Favorable - Fatalities
From Yellow Fever Rare
New Channel Found
in Laki.
CHICAGO ENGINEERS OPINION.

New York. March Frank S. Wash
| burn has returned from Central Ameri-
ca, where he went with a party of thr-
| teen to. investigate the feasibility of the
/ Nicaraguan canal construction Among the
party were f. l.. Cragin. of Chicago. and
| L. L. Cooley an authority on ship canals
and the chief engineer of the Chicago
/ drainage canal. Accompanying these men
were representatives of nine contracting
/ firms who lave been asked to make a
proposition to the syndicate represented
! by E. l.. Cragin for the construction of
| the Nicaragua canal. Mr.. Washburn said
| last night that the committee would be
ready to make its report to the syndi-
i cate in about a month"; LAS sum-
mary of OPINION he added, we
found conditions better than have been
| heretofore reported. The matters which
bear directly upon the question of the
practicability of the canals construction
and the cost and the ease of its mainten
ance are climatic conditions. rainfall, Ia
Dor and the governments of Nicaragua and
Costa Rica. AS regards the climate, there
seems to be not reason why the work can
not be as well conducted SO far as the
health of the laborers is concerned as in
the more favored portions of our own
country. Our observation convinces US that
the difficulties due to rainfall are fully Off
set by the frosts in the northern parts of
our country.
I'VE found that the native laborers are
excellent pickers and shovelers, and the
record of imported labor from Jamica and
the Southern states is excellent. 1t should
be remembered that no labor can accom-
plish as much in that country as in our
own. This fact however, is partially off
set by lesser wages. 1t is impossible to
say what the rate of wages would be when
N,0O0 or S0,0C men are required for EN-
ployment on the canal. but at present COM
mon labor in Nicaragua receives what is
equivalent to 50 cents in gold a day. The
republic of Nicaragua will be affected by
the canal in a. greater degree than Costa
Rica. The conservative party, which was
in power until a few years ago, and the
liberal party. which is now in power. are
enthusiastic friends of the canal. They,
of course, realize the tremendous adj
vantages which the canal would bring to
ment of Costa Rica views the advantages
of the canal similarly, though in less de-
gree. All the expressions received from
the president and his cabinet We're heartily
friendly to the canal, but We surmised
that the present strained relations and
consequent jealousies between Nicaragua
and Costa Rica prevented the some active
interest on the part Of President lSlesias,
of Costa Rico, as was present in the atti-
tude of President Zelaya. of Nicaragua.
at Greytown, the Atlantic port for the
canal, where we are assured that fatal
case Is the exception where men observe
the ordinary rules of health and abstain
from the excessive use of alcoholic drinks
OF the $500 labOrerS engaged Tor year
on twenty mile railroad through the
swamps from Greytown only three died"
New York, March "A letter to the Her
aid from Rivas Nicaragua, says: The ca
nal commission has finished its work on
the division of the canal project between
Lake Nicarauga and the Pacific.
A preliminary report on the canal pro-
ject would state that the canal is wholly
feasible. although specific reports as to
the more important features could not be
made The cost is reckoned at about $780,
900 coo.
j. w. G. Walker and his party have
moved their camp from San Pablo, on the
LaJar, and are now several miles further
westward. the canal line being cleared in
land from the lake for about six miles.
The party is working under instructions
to determine that the canal line as laid at
present is the only line and the cross sec
tions are being run 1000 feet on either
side of the line.
soundings of the big lake, has made some
interesting and important discoveries. Sur
veys of the coast line have developed the
fact that the shore line of the lower end
runs out into the lake five miles further
than existing maps show it. In other words
the lake at this point is five miles shorter
than it has previously been held to be.
Lieutenant Hanus had also found a thirty
foot channel running three miles nearer to
than present plans or charts show. This
would mean a reduction of three miles in
the amount of dredging to he done from
the river to deepwater in the lake.