The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1898-08-11
Government May Build
It on Account Of
Necessity.
COST LESS THAN ESTIMATED
Completion OF tho Waterway Within =
Few Years IL artime
Company's Concessions - Engineer
Cooley's Statement.

Chicago, Aug. 5.-Lyman E. Cooley
the well-known civil engineer, after ,
visit east and conference in New Yorl
with representatives Of the Maritime
Canal Company, owners Of the conces
sions along the proposed route of thu
Nicaragua canal, believes the govern
ment will construct the great waterwa,
in preference to letting the contract t,
separate corporations. Mr.. Cooley say
that on this point the complexion of thu
canal matter has been changed percep
tibly since last winter, when he, will
a party of engineers, looked over tn,
ground of the enterprise.
On being shown q dispatch from
Washington stating. that Admiral, Walk
or, of the canal commission, had re
ceived number Of reports indicating
that the cost would be much less thar
heretofore estimated, Mr.. Cooley pre-
sented list of recent discoveries. which
he believes are responsible for Admira
Walkers opinions. The gist of these
are:
Six miles of dredging in the lowe
end of Lake Nicaragua.
Non existence of rock in San Juar
river to Toro rapids.
Good foundation for an immense
dam at Ochoa.
Favorable conditions for embank-
ments at San Francisco basin.
New site for q dam at Tambol
Grande.
According to the estimate of thu
formulator. change of several million
dollars is reported in these items. TIL,
expense incurred by the government il
war and the rapidly developing indica
tions that the Nicaragua canal canno
only be constructed more cheaply thar
at first imagined, but ought to be bull
by Uncle Sam himself, are conspiring
he intimated to assure the waterway
between the Atlantic and Pacific within
a few years.
president Mckinley" said Mr.
Cooley, and many of the leading
members of congress, now appreciate
more than ever the supreme import
ance of the canal to our country. Sen
ator Morgan said to me not long ago
that annexation OF Hawaii practically
clears up the question of immediate
necessity for the Nicaragua canal. I
is a question, however, whether or no
congress will be able to pass the pro
posed laws or take the proper action al
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 tremendous undertaking,
though it may take seven years to com.
plete 1t.
1.-THE Maritime Canal Company asks
for $11, 500, 900 from the government
to relinquish all of its rights and con.
cessions. The company, it is under
stood, will take 100000 from the
government to validate its bonds. The
company bought out all the concessions
of the old Nicaragua Association. which
is said to have expended something
like Sc, 10000 The Maritime Canal
Company was then organized. and it
has spent $4,000, 5000 in Nicaragua on
the canal, but had to quit work. The
company is perfectly right vixen 1t says
that no private corporation could be
expected to take up the canal project
now, since congress has put its hand in
the matter. and when there is strong
likelihood of the government building
the ditch itself.
ut is not definitely known whether
the commission will be ready with its
report during the short session of con-
gress. A report may be submitted and
may cause vast difference OF views as
TO what course should be pursued.
Senator Morgan and other advocates
appreciate these things, but the mani
fest broadening of the scope OF our ma
tional policy Of late has impressed
every one so strongly that mono can
see any obstacle large enough to pre-
vent the construction Of what will be
an invaluable holding Of the United
States in time Of peace or wal. =