The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-02-18
CURIOUS HISTORY
OF PANAMA CANAL
The Big Project First Proposed Nearly
400 Years Ago.
AND PHILIP OF SPAIN OBJECTED
Active Operations Begun in 1881.
About s2OO,OOO,OOO Already Ex-
pended, and sIOO,OOO,OOO More
Will BE Needed Before the Giant
Task Is Completed-.The Railroad.

Josiah B. Bowditch, in the Providence
Journal
The idea of connecting the waters of
the Atlantic and Pacific by a canal
across the Isthnnus of Darien or Pana-
ma Is not new one. Darien was one
of the earliest Spanish settlements on
the main land. In 1913 the conquista-
0Or Balboa, governor of Darien, crossed
the isthmus with 290 men, and on the
2ith of September first caught sight of
the vast Pacific sea. AS the two oceans
were less than 30 miles apart at the
narrowest part of the Isthmus, the
idea of cutting a canal across was
natural. AS early as 1920 the pro-
ject was discussed by Angel Saa-
vedra. A half century later two
Flemish engineers surveyed a route for
a canal but Philip Ii for political rea-
sons forbade discussion of the subject
on pain of death. After time it came
to be believed that the height Of the
Andes made such an enterprise impos-
sible.
In 1926, however, a line for such
canal was traced between Panama on
the Pacific and Portohello on the AT
lantic. In 1929 Messrs. Lloyd and Fall
mark. two English civil engineers, con-
Quoted series of dwellings for the Co.
lombian government, and ascertained
that a break of several miles in the
great mountain chain made the canal
project a feasible one. Afterwards, be-
tween 1913 and 1874, repeated surveys
were made by French, English and
American engineers.
The discovery of gold in California
hurried up matters. The tide of travel
across the Isthmus could not wait for
TIE realization of the canal project, and
the Panama railroad was built in 1855.
with American money, while this Coun-
try entered into an agreement with the
Colombian government to protect the
line from external or internal interfer-
ence.
DE LESSEPS.
In 1879 an Interoceanic Caral con-
gress met in Paris, under the auspices
of Ferdinand de Lesseps, the famous
builder of the Suez canal, and ap-
proved of n route nearly parallel 10 the
Panama railroad. A French company
was formed by De Lesseps in 1880, and
having obtained a favorable franchise
from Colombia, commenced operations
in 1881. The idea of this American
canal being controlled by France was
decidedly distasteful to the American
people. Mr.. Blaine. then secretary of
stated. busted off the Monroe doctrine,
and proceeded to defy all creation. in
cluding Chile, but subsided when the
latter threatened to send a war vessel
or two to attack San Francisco. The
Panama company meanwhile looked
after it's interests in this country, and,
by the liberal subsdization (as has
been charged) of certain influential
American journals-notably in New
York-succeeded in manufacturing an
interest, of limited dimensions, favor
able to this French enterprise.
AS long as the money lasted digging
proceeded vigorously. Up to June 80,
1886, 772,545,412 francs, or nearly $780,
900 900, had been expended, and the
funds were practically exhausted. 1t
was found, after a careful examination
by expert engineers, that nearly as
much more would be required to COM
plete the canal, and that even then the
locks would not be at the sea level. An
attempt to raise a new loan of 600, ,000,-
900 francs in 1888 failed, and the COM
pany went into liquidation. Operations
were suspended after March Is, 1889.
April 4, 1898, the liquidator of the
company SeCuTeu pIOlOHSdllOn OF tne
canal concessions from the Colombian
government for 10 years on condition
that the new company to be formed
SHOULD resume work before Nov. /, 1894,
and should pay over to the government
1900, 900 francs in money or stocks. The
new French company was incorporated
in October. 1894, and work was resumed
PRO forma."
PRESENT STATUS.
The new company has a capital of 65,-
900, 900 francs (nearly $4,000, ,000), five
millions of which have been given to
the Colombian government, while twen-
ty millions Is to be paid to the liquida-
tion (old company )for the acquisition
of the Panama railroad in case the
completion of the canal is found i'm
practicable.
AS soon as half of the capital, 3d.
500, 900 francs, has been expended,
commission of engineers, chosen half
by the new company and half by the
liquidation, will examine the work done
and decide upon the practicability of