Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1898-11-11
CANAL IS PRACTICABLE.
Result of the Work of the United
States Nicaraguan Canal
Commission.
COST WILL Be WITHIN si25,ooO,ooo.
A Most Concise Report of Investiga-
lions Made Now Being Prepared
for Presentation to the Adminis-
tration and ConEress - Accurate
surmise of Opinion of Commission.

president u1luei du aCe VI Soh6 ASSS oA
recting complete inquiry into this pro-
iect, with particular reference to its
practicability and cost, has about COM
pletedits work, and the present prospect
is that the report will be handed to
Secretary Hay in about a month. The
commission has taken building on
Fifteenth street, formerly used as the
German legation, and under the direc-
ton of Admiral Walker, chairman,
force of So computers, draughtsmen, en-
gineers, etc., are at work on the report
and the mass of technical matter which
will accompany 1t, making In all the
most elaborate presentation of the sub
iect ever attempted. The commission
is laboring, however, to avoid prolix-
ity, and to concentration of the sa-
lent features of this great project, leav-
ing the details and statistics to follow
in supplements. This promises to give
report which will be ineligible by
it's conciseness, and yet sufficiently
comprehensive to meet the require
ments of such large problem. The
commission has gone about its work
feeling that 1t was likely to furnish the
basis for the final action of this govern
ment on the building of the canal.
Conclusions Kept Secret.
The conclusions reached by the commits
sion will not be announced until the report
is submitted. 1t is known, however that
on the two salient features-practicabili
and cost-the commission will report first,
that the project of a canal Joining the At
lantic and Pacific by what is commonly
lrpo Nipor OIL Ia
feasible and practical. presenting no en-
| cheering problem which cannot be met;
| and, second, that the cost can be present.
| ed with fair degree of mathematical ex-
actness, allowing for excavation, construc-
ton, and all other items. The report Will
give this cost in figures, but the amount is
not yet known even to the commissioners,
as 1t will depend upon the careful computa-
lions now being made. The purpose is to
make 1t as near mathematically exact as
| possible, and not to give mere opinion of
| the various commissioners. Admiral
| Walker has already expressed the opinion
| before a congressional committee that the
cost would be within SIPS 600, and this Is
understood to be his opinion still. But the
report will state figure not based on
| opinion, but on the careful calculations OF
| the many experts who are now at work on
| every branch of the project. The only ele-
| ment of doubt will be in establishing the
| unit of cost for certain estimates as there
| may De u1IIereuCeS as 10 lnls unit, Uepeuu-
| Ing on conditions OF the soil, climate, etc.
| For instance, while the commissioners may
| fix with eXactness the total number Of
cubic feet Of excavation required In such
vast undertaking, 1t is not easy to fix
on 80 cents or any other sum as the unit
| for reckoning the whole or any consider
able part of the work. This will be done as
closely as possible under the circumstances,
and the indications are that the figures as
to cost will be exceptionally conclusive in
showing the utmost limit to which the gov
eminent could be put If the building of the
canal is begun.
Report VIII BE Unanimous.
The report, 1t is understood, Will be
unanimous, as the commissioners are
| agreed on all the essential features of cost,
| practicability, route, etc. the only differ
ences being those natural shades Of opinion
| as to the unit of cost on some of the
branches of the work.
The report will not refer to the political
questions involved, but Will confine itself
to the scientific and engineering problems
The political questions. 1t is recognized,
are for the state department and for con-
gress, and these will be working out about
the time the report is presented. They In
volve the question Of concessions and rights
granted by Nicaragua to the old Nicaragua
Canal company and quite recently to a
company of American capitalists; also the
question of the right of the United States
enterprise, without reference to private
concessions, as contemplated by what is
known as the Frelinghuysen treaty and
later advocated by Secretary Sherman; and
finally the complications growing out of
the disappearance of Nicaragua on No
vember as sovereign nation, and It's alb
sorption by the United States of Central
America.
VIII Avoid Political Questions.
AS stated. however, the commission will
not deal with these political questions and
will not make recommendations or discuss
conflicting private interests but will conf1ne
itself strictly to the project as an engineer
ing enterprise 1t is known to be the
private opinion of some of the members Of
the commission that the government, and
not private enterprise, is the only means
by which the canal can be constructed.
One of the most serious obstacles urged
against the canal as government project
has been the Clayton Bulwer treaty and
the right Of joint occupancy and control
! under 1t claimed by Great Britain. But
there Is a growing feeling that the senti-
ments developed between the two coun-
tries during the progress of the recent war
will go far to remove this obstacle, and
will probably pave the way for complete
understanding between the countries.