The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1898-11-07
AS TOTHECOST
Report OF the Nicaraguan Canal
Commission Will Soon Be
Completed.
1t Will Deal Entirely With the
Practicability and Expense
of the Work.
No Difference of Opinion as to
the Former and Little as to
the Latter.
Believed the Estimates of Cost
Will Be Not Far From
S125,OOO,OOO.

| WASHINGTON, Nov. 1.-THE Nicara-
guam canal commission appointed by
the president under an act of congress
directing complete inquiry into this
project, with particular reference to it's
practicability and cost, has about COM
pleted its work, and the present pros
pect is that the report would be handed
to Secretary Hayin about month. The
commission has taken a building on Fif-
teenth street, formerly used as the Ger
man legation and under the direction of
Admiral Walker, chairman. a force of
36 computors, draughtsmen, engineers,
ETC., are at work on the report. and the
mass of technical matter which will ac-
company it, making in all the most
elaborate presentation of the sub
ject ever attempted. The commission
is laboring, however. to avoid pro-
lixity, and to concentrate the
salient features of this great project.
leaving the statistics and details to fol-
low in supplements. This promises to
give report which will be Ineligible
by its conciseness and yet sufficiently
comprehensive to meet the requirements
of such large problem. The commits
sion has gone about its work feeling
that 1t was likely to furnish the basis
for the final action of this government
on the building of the canal.
| The conclusion reached by the COM
mission will not be announced until the
report is submitted. 1t is known. how
ever. that on the two salient features
practicability and cost-the commission
win report first that the project of a
canal joining the Atlantic and Pacific
by what is commonly known as the
Nicaragua route. is entirely FEAST
bic and practicable. presenting
no engineering problems which
cannot be met: and. second.
that the cost can be presented with a
fair degree of mathematical exactness.
allowing for excavation. construction
and all other items. The report will
give this cost in figures. but the amount
is not yet known even to the commits
sioners, as it will depend upon the care
full computations now being made. The
purpose is to make it as near mathemat-
ically correct as possible. and not to give
mere opinion of the various commits
sioners. Admiral Walker has already
expressed the opinion before congress
sional committee that the cost would be
within 1925. 100000. and this is under
stood to be his opinion still. But the
report will state figure not based on
opinion, but on careful calculations of
the many experts who are now at work
on every branch Of the project.
The Clayton. Bulwer Treaty.
1t is known to be the private opinion
of some of the members of the commits
sion that the government and not pri-
vate enterprise is the only means by
which the canal can be constructed
One Of the most serious obstacles urged
against the canal as a government pro-
ject is the Clayton-Bulwer treaty and
the right Of Joint occupancy and control
under it claimed by Great Britain.
But there is growing feeling that the
sentiments developed between the two
countries during the progress of the re-
cent war. will go far to remove this OBJ
stacle and will probably pave the way
for complete understanding between
the countries.
L