The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-09-26
THE PANAMA CANAL ROUTE
Is Said to Be Far Superior to the Mic
araguan.

New York, Sept. 26.-R. G. Ward who
was for long time engineer and mas
ter of the Panama railroad and who is
greatly interested in the success of the
PanaIna canal, arrived in this civ on
the steamer Finance from Colon vester-
DAY. He discussed the interoceanic
canal scheme at length at his hons
here. 4O414e
Mr.. Wards interest in the canal is
ne says, only the result of his having
sLuoied the different routes by living on
the lsthmus. He is connected with no
company. All his Sympathies are with
the Panama company, however. and
the route, he thinks, must eventually
be accepted
Mr.. Wards idea is that anv canal
might be built in ten years, giving a
rough guess, at a cost of 500 900 600
Such a cost would allow the sharehold-
ers a goou pront and the canal, he says,
must surely be success.
- The engineer prefers the Panama
route against the Nicaragua route he
cause Of the natural advantages of the
former.
The Panama canal" said Mr.. Ward.
is but forty-five miles long and has
natural and accessible deep water ports
at both ends. If built with the lock
system 1t Will have rock foundation on
which the locks may be constructed
Whlle the maximum level of the canal
Will be cut down to less than 100 feet
should funds be obtainable to warrant
cut to the sea level On the other hand
the Nicaragua route, which is $50 miles
long, has neither the natural nor ac-
cessible ports at either end and must
necessarily be built on the lock system
with a maximum level exceeding a
hundred feet. 1t is without rock foun-
dalton for most of its locks and for
some of its enormous DAMS upon the
stability of which the feasibility of
construction is largely conditioned
My familiarity with the topography
OF the isthmuS of Panama. said Mr.
Ward, leads me to call attention to the
possibility and in my Judgment the en-
tire practicabiHty of cutting a sea level
canal across the isthmus of Panama,
having only one lock and that lock for
the purpose of regulating the difference
in the rise and fall of the tides between
the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. In my
judgment the practical ility of cutting
such a canal across the isthmus of
Panama is one of it's chief advantages.
1t will, of course, cost more, but it will
be worth immeasurab bly, more than a
lock system canal and will be subject
to fewer liabilities.
I'm any event I believe it is to the
interest of the American people and the
duty of the American government to
investigate in most thorough, careful
and intelligent manner the advantages
and disadvantages of the Panama and
Nicaraguan routes; and I am entirely
willing to stand the consequences of
any criticisms which may result from
my having thus expressed myself as
convinced of the superior advantages
possessed by the isthmus of Panama
over the isthmus of Nicaragua as a
route for an interoceanic canal.
1.-THE question is not so much which
canal can best be built as which canal
when built will best subserve the pur-
poses for which it will have been con-
structed. And I believe that the Amer
lean government should as the Ameri-
can people Will, investigate carefully
before deciding definitely between the
two routes"