The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-08-04
A SAVING OF MILLIONS
Recent Discoveries in the Nicara.
guam Canal Problem.
1T WILL BE BUILT SOON
The Country Understands as Never Be-
fore the Necessity of Digging the
Big Ditch It May Take
Seven Years.

Chicago. Aug. 3.-Lyman e. Cooley.
the well-known civil engineer. after
a visit East and a conference in New
York with representatives of the Mari
time Canal company. owners of all the
rights and concessions along the pro-
posed route of the Nicaragua canal. be-
lieves the government of the United
States will construct the great water
way in preference to letting the con-
tract to separate companies or corpo-
rations. Mr.. Cooley says that on this
point the complexion of the Nicaraguan
canal matter has been changed percep-
tibly since last winter. when he with a
party of engineers looked over the
ground of the enterprise.
On being shown a dispatch from
Washington stating hat Admiral
Walker of the canal had re-
ceived a number of reports. indicating
that the cost would be much less than
heretofore estimated. Mr.. Cooley pre-
scented a list of recent discoveries.
which he believes are responsible for
Admiral Walkers opinions. The gist of
these are: Six miles of dredging in the
lower end of Lake Nicaragua: non-ex-
istence of rock in a Juan river to
Toro rapids; good foundation for i'm
mense dam at Ochoa: favorable condi-
tons for entertainments at San Francis
CO basin: new site for a dam at AN
Dor Grande. According to the estimate
of the ~formulator, a saving of several
million dollars is reported in these
items.
The expense incurred by the govern
ment in war and the rapidly developing
indications that the Nicaraguan canal
"a not only be constructed more
cheaply than at first imagined, but
ought to be built by Uncle Sam hini-
self, are conspiring, he intimated, to as
sure the waterway between the Allan
tic and Pacific within a few years.
President Mckinley" sale Mr..
Cooley. land many Of the leading mem
bers of congress now appreciate more
than ever before the supreme impor-
lance of the canal to our country. sem
ator Morgan said TO me not long ago
that the annexation OF Hawaii practi-
cally clears up the question of immed-
late necessity of the Nicaraguan ca
nal. 1t is a question, however, whether
or not congress will be able to pass the
proposed laws or take the proper action
at the short session In the fall to enable
the work to be begun at an early date.
THE construction OF the waterway
will not BE- a tremendous undertaking,
though ii may taxi seven years to
complete Ii. The Maritime ANAL COM
pany asks for 81, 500, 900 from the gov
eminent to r%elinquish all of its rights
and concessions.
THE company, ii is understood, will
take 81. 000. 900 in the stock of the new
ompany that the government might
form: another 81, 500. 900 from the gov
nme to validate its bonds. The
company bought out all the concessions
of the old N~icaraguan association.
which is said to have expended soma
thing like IS, 900, 900. IN Maritime Ca
nal company was then organized and K
has spent 50, 200, 900 in Nicaragua on the
canal but had TO quit work. The COM
pany is perfectly right when it says
that no private corporation could be
expected to take up the canal project,
now that congress has put its hand to
the matter, and when there is a strong
likelihood of the government building
the ditch.
1T is not definitely known that the
commission will be ready with it's Sc
port during the short session of cor
gress. A report may be submitted and
may cause a vast difference of views as
TO what course should be pursued. SEN
ator Morgan and all other canal advo-
Gates appreciate these things, but the
manifest broadening Of the scope Of
our national policy of late has i'm
pressed everyone so strongly that lone
can see any obstacle large enough to
prevent the construction of what will
be an invaluable holding and possession
of the United States in time of peace
and in time of war"