Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1898-01-26
ABOUT THE big CANAL.
Nicaragua Commission Gives Some Interest
ing Data.
EXPENSE OF CANAL CONSTRUCTION
Estimate that the Cost VIII Not be Any
thing Like ms Great as ut First
Figured Out.

New York, Jan. 26.-The Herald cor
respondent with the Nicaraguan Canal
commission advises under date OF Man
aqua, January is, the canal company
cablod to Washington two days ago:
The canal of Nicaragua is practicable
for less than three quarters the orr
ginal estimate. -Four and n half or siS
and a half years are required to buil1
1t. -Four thousand, eight hundred la.
borers are needed to commence work
These should be divided into four
groups-2,200 between Rio San Juan. and
Castillo. 1880 between Corinto and
Momomtomba, and 800 in Managua
This number of men should be doubled
within six months. This was received
by the commission in reply: "A com
pany in Ohio and New York has been
duly formed to engage men from
Puerto Barrios. Jamaica, Belize and
Nicaragua
The Heralds correspondent adds
that each of the thirteen engineers with
the commission represents big syn.
dictate each one fighting to get the con
tract. but the Ohio and New York
millionaires have secured it.
The Chicago contractors and engi-
neers are satisfied with the facilities
for work in the western division. These
are beyond their expectations. The
party leaves for lchoa on January %.
The Washington correspondent of the
Herald says that the above cabegram
is interpreted there to mean that the
Maritime Canal company, ANTICIPATING
n favorable report from the Walker
commission as to the feasibility of thu
project and of subsequent favorable
tnI Ia HAtN Tna.4r lasaa D 1na
ground prepared to begin the work
at once, according to the
terms of its concession from the Near
aguan government the canal was to
have been completed next fall. other
wise the concession would be forfeited
unless the company had expended n
large sum of money in the prosecution
OF the work. In fact, 1t is the conten-
tion of the Nicaraguan government
that the concession has already been
forfeited but this contention is not ac-
cepted by either the company or the
administration. The preliminary report
which the commission Will make Will
be submitted to Congress with n view
to getting favorable action without de-
lay upon the bill giving governmental
support to the project. 1t has been
anticipated that the report would be
favorable both as regards the FEAST
bility and cost of the canal. The esti-
mate made by Civil Engineer A. G.
Monocal for the company In 1895 for
the construction of canal following
the Tola basin line puts the cost of
work at s66, 4C6.sS0 and n second esti-
mate. the canal to follow low level
line, fixed the cost at SOS, 500, $50.
The Ludlow commission estimated
that a canal built along the low level
line would cost 1888, 472, S93
II the Walker commission estimated
that the cost would be three-fourths of
Mr.. Monocal's original estimate, $685.
4GG,SsO, then it fixes the figure at s49,.
S55.160.
Experts, especially the friends of the
members of the Ludlow commission
say the estimate made by the Walker
commission Is extremely low, beinf
sion.