The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-08-04
THE NICARAGUA CANAL.
The Construction of it May be a Gov
ernment Work.

Chicago, Aug. 3.-Lyman +. Conley,
the well-known civil engineer, believes
that the government of the United
states will construct the Nicaragua
Canal in preference to awarding the
contract to private companies or cor
porations. Mr.. Cooley says on that i'm
portant point the complexion of the
Nicaraguan Canal matter had been
changed perceptibly since last winter
when he, with a party of engineers
surveyed the ground
Being shown a despatch from Wash
ington saying that Admiral Walker, of
the canal commission, had received a
number of reports indicating that the
cost of the work is to be much less
than estimated, Mr.. Cooley gave a list
| of the recent discoveries which he be-
lieves are responsible for Admiral
Walkers opinions. They are as fol-
lows:
Six miles of dredging in the lower end
of Lake Nicaragua non-existence of
rock in San Juan river to Toro rapids
good foundation for immense dam at
Ochoa; favorable conditions for en-
bankments at San Francisco basin;
new site for dam at Tanbor Grande.
According to the estimate of the
formulator of the plans for the canal a
saving of several million dollars is rep
resented in those items.
The expenses incurred by the gov
ernment in war and the rapidly de-
veloping indications that the Nicara-
| guam Canal can be constructed more
cheaply than imagined and ought to be
built by the United States are combn-
ing, he intimates, to assure the water
way connection between the Atlantic
and the Pacific within a few years.
President Mckinley" added Mr..
Cooley, land many of the leading men,
bers of congress appreciate more than
| ever the supreme importance of the
canal to our country. Senator Morgan
said to me not long ago that the an
neXation of Hawaii practically clears
up the question of immediate necessity
| OF the Nicaraguan canal. 1t is a uues-
ton, however whether or not congress
Will be able to pass the proper law
| or take the proper action at the short
| session beginning in the fall to enable
| the work to he begun at an early date
| The construction of the waterway Is
not to be such tremendous under
| taking, though it may take seven years
| to complete it. The Maritime Canal
| company asks S11 500, 900 from the gov
| ernment to relinquish all rights and
| concessions. The company, it is un-
derstood, will take $7,000OOO in the
| stock of the new company that the
| government might form and 81, 500 OO(
| from the government to validate its
bonds. The company bought out all
| the concessions of the old Nicaragua
| association, which is said to have ex.
pended something like $4,000, 900. The
| Maritime Canal company was organiZ-
| ed and it has spent $1,000 900 in Nicar-
| aqua on the canal undertaking, but
| had to quit work. The company is
| perfectly right when it says that ne
| private corporation could be expected
| TO take up the canal project since con-
| gress has put its hand in the matter
and when there is strong likelihood
of the government building the ditch
| itself.
Those are some of the hindrances
In the way of an early opening of the
narrow strip of land between the two
| great oceans. Again, it is not known
| dehnitely that the commission will bC
| ready with its report during the short
session of congress. The report NAV
| be submitted and may cause a vast
| dlference of views as to what cNlrse
| should be pursued. Senator Morgan
ana all other canal advocates appre.
| ciate those things, but the manifest
| broadening of the scope of our nationa
| policy of late has impressed every one
so strongly that none can see any OBJ
stacle large enough to prevent the
| construction of what is to be an in
valuable holding and possession in the
| United States in time of peace and in
| time of war"