The herald., 1898-06-23
The Childs Project, 1862

Ny otd5C W OdI udli 0Cl oul q oAAaii nav
ural harbor on the Pacific coast about eight
miles southeast Of Brito. The river trans
portation proved troublesome and uncertain
at low stages, and the Transit company
sought means to better these conditions and
to continue the water route across the
narrow neck Of land that separates the
lake and the Pacific with the object of Sc
curing continuous depth of seventeen feet.
Childs found the ordinary high level Of
Lake Nicaragua to be 10S feet above mean
sea level; this difference Of elevation was
to be overcome by fourteen locks on each
side. The locks were to be $50 by 60 by II
feet. The bottom width of the canal so feet,
increased to 80 feet at turnouts and of exca-
waited channels in river and lake $50 feet
The total length of the proposed naviga-
ton was 1914 miles. The total estimated
cost of the project, including Is per cent
for contingencies, was $S1, 53S ,319, based on
the supposition that on the average the ex-
pense for construction would be about
double the cost Of similar work in the state
of New York.
The Lull Project, 1879
In 1872 United States expedition was
fitted out for the discrimination of the
Chids route. The final report of the ex-
ploration, including location and estimates
for canal, were made under date of De-
cember 1, 1873, by Commander Lull, U. s. N,
with whom was associated as chief engineer
MIR. A. G. Menoca, subsequently chief en-
gineer of the canal company.
The Lull company contemplated canal
of 26 feet depth. 1t lowered Childs' summit
level to 1O7 feet. To overcome this elevation
eleven locks were projected on the Pacific
side and ten locks on the Atlantic side. The
locks were to be 400 by,7V by)26 feet, the bot
tom width of the so, 60 and 70 feet in different
sections, and of excavated river channel 50
feet. The total length of navigation from
Brto to Greytown was 1S1A miles. The to-
tai estlma. ed cost, including an item of ST.
$1,000 for the restoration of Greytown har-
Dor, destroyed since Colonel Childs exam
ined it, and including rs per cent for con-
tingencies, was $65, 722,147. The instrumental
work of the Lull survey was not adapted
to much more than preliminary location
the levels were not checked, and for about
forty miles of San Juan river only gradi-
enter was use- In place of transit and level
The unit prices used in computing the cost
were apparently based on the supposltion
that they would not exceed those for similar
work in the United States.
The Menocal Project, 1885
In 1885 Mr.. Menocal, under government d.
rection, made partial discrimination and
location. The project was for a depth OF
20 leet ana IN some places ~ ieet. Inc sum-
mt levei IN the iake was 10 De raised 10 an
eieVa'ioil u iAo ieet apove the mean sea
ieVei ana the ascent from the racine 10 the
iaAe " pe accomplished ny iour LOCKS FRO
ceeoins eastward from Inc lake the ooio
measure was proposeo 10 Gam the oan Juan
river at ocnoa Win oam Sixty rect ABOVE
water surface ana mus practlcally extend
the lake Navigation oy slxty-nine miles, "A
compete cnange OF line was proJected from
Ocnoa 10 Ireytown' accomplishing a con-
siderable saving OF distance between Genoa
anu 1reytown tnere were 10 De tnree locks
-. AZ ~ ~ ~
~. 49, $500. ,on 49,.
~, 80, ~, IT,. ,or O.. ,eo 80.
M. 49,, ,o~.. 49,. -. =. CS....~
1eo ..,,,sa M 1870. 800 - aes.o".'
s.s, U. $50. o. ~. - .ne
.,,,aoa,.s .'..s co. noe ~ wa
"as '''''
Maritiine oanaA ComPany's TroJect
Under the direction of the company, en-
cheering examination of the country was
conducted from 1887 to 1880. The resulting
project as set forth in the final report on To-
cation by the chief engineer under date OF
January, 1890, and further elaborated in a
paper prepared for the Chicago water con-
gress of 1893, Is substantially that of 1885
with some notifications and the important