Evening star., 1898-12-31
Varying Figures on the Niearaguan
Canal Project.
4 WIDE RANGE OF MILLIONS
Outline OF the Lu| Survey Of
1872.
A Nj TIER OF LEV S

That Congress will eventually declare IA
vorably for the construction of a canal
across the isthmus from the caribbean sea
to the Pacific appears to be well settled in
the public mind. 1t is equally clear that
while the majority of those appointed from
time TO time to inquire into the feasibility
of such scheme have reported it as
tirely practical, there is wide difference
both as to the most accessible route, and
especially as to what would be the total
cost of the undertaking. With the Walker
commission 1T may be said there seems to
be individually a wide diversity of opinion.
The preliminary report as sent to the Sec
retary of State Thursday is in the nature
of compromise, to be placed before the
Senate, as called for, summary of the
commissions work. 1t has been under
stood for some time that there are senators
who, while heartily favoring a canal. are
not willing, with only such information
they now haye before them to approve
project involving outlay of more than
S12o, 900, 900.
The preliminary report, as published in
The Star Thursday, happily for the Sena
tor holding to this view, places the cost
of high-level canal at S124, 900 600 and a
low-level scheme, through longer and
more circuitous route, at s123 Oo0, 900. diff
ference of 81 ,O000U8 on the estimated cost
of two projects of sich magnitude would in
dicate a very thorough comprehension and
a close calculation of details. AS the esti-
mate for the loweraevel route is made by
comparison with the cost of a similar UNDER
taking in the United States, rather than
from experimental, computation, it would
seem that the larger estimate offers ground
more nearly correct upon which to base
senatorial discussion.
Individual Estimates.
1t has been known for some time that
Drof bac hold
what a canal ought to cost down to s9O,-
100000, which is nearer to the Maritime
Company's estimate of s75,OOO,OOO, while
that of Admiral Walker though much
higher, is within the s125, ,O0OO 600 limit Gen.
HafneS, the senior engineer, the other
hand places the cost in the neif ifhborhood
of $50 100000 In the articles which ap-
peared in The Star December 20 and 2S the
estimate from a careful study of the de-
tails partially presented in those articles
placed the cost at about $135, 900, 600, an es-
innate which will, it is thought be borne
out by the full text of the commissions
final full report. 1t may be said that the
assistant engineers coincide, practically
unanimously. with Gen. Haines that the
cost will be about 20 per cent over the esti-
mate given out in the preliminary report
recently published.
AS matter of fact, what is said to be a
very conservative estimate was on Monday
or Tuesday last promulgated and sent to the
missions offices in this city. A good deal
of Importance may undoubtedly be attach
ed to this document, it was dated De-
cember "A, 1898, and was entitled "A Final
Estimate of Cost of Nicaragua Canal"
This, of course, covers the high-level route
which cuts through the East Divide
range as observed in the accompanying
diagram, no practical computation of the
cost in detail of the other route having
ever been given or made.
The Lull Route.
The lower level survey was made under
government patronage in 1872 by Command
er Lull, U. S. N, and contemplated a canal
26 feet deep. Eleven locks (as against three
in the present commissions survey were
projected from Greytown harbor to the lake
with lifts of 10i2 feet.
The level at Ochoa down by this route
would be 107 feet, while that of the commits
siorers' report will call for, assuming that
their own survey is recommended no feet
| a difference of only three feet. The locks
were to be 400 by 20 by 26 feet the canal
80 to y feet wide, varying in different sec
tlons. That survey provided for the con-
Structlon of four dams along the San Juan
the upper at Castillo, the lower below
the mouth Of the San Carlos river To pro
tect the dam at Ochoa from the overflow
of San Carlos it was proposed to turn the
bed from above its mouth to some point
| along and into the San Juan river below
| the dam. The entire length of Lull route
WOulu De lSl miles, UndI OF the lSitS
missions about ITO miles. The entire esti-
mate by the lower level route was put IN
the Lull report at $65, I22, 147. 1t is inter-
esting to know that every survey made in
creases largely the full estimated cost
Itemfzed Cost.
The itemized cost by the Walker COM
mission as recently furnished the assistant
engineers is as follows:
Eastern section, from Caribbean sea to I'm.
per level of Lake Nicaragua:
Masonry in jetties, 36S,0O0 cubic
yards, at S2.29 per cubic yard $50 700
Masonry in piers ia interior har-
Dor, 49,. 600 cubic yards, at 81 % 416 500
Earth excavation in, harbor
100000 cubic yards at % cents
p. per cubic yard ;,ss 100000
yards, at $50 per cubic yard. 2142, 600
Excavation of earth from harbor
to upper level, 32,000O00 cubic
yards yards, at A cents, 14osO, 600
cubic yards, at $1.20 per cubic
yard .:.....;;...:. e.. IS 6oo, 600
Excavation, dacitei rock, $4,000
cubic yards, at $1.}S per cubic
yard ...,....-.....r......... 51SOOO
Upper level section, containing Lake Mica
ragua, with seventy-four miles of free navi-
cation:
Excavation earth, 81 ,sod.,0oO cubic
yards at CSC. per Gu. y.......... $40 6S4 900
Excavation rock, 222I,p00 cubic
yards at 97c: per Gu. yd........ 3,1so 100
Western section:
Excavation earth, 81 ,342, 600 cubic
yards at 3Sc. per Gu. yd. II 91O OOo
Excavation rock, 461, 500 cubic
yards at 81 II per Gu. yd. - b16 900
Dredging in Brito Harbor 7OOO-
900 Gu. yds. at 1sc. per Gu. yd.. 100000
I Locks.
Three ks on eastern section. $780, 900
| One lock On upper section. .... 9 400 600
Two locks on western section. $500, 600
Ochoa dam. m........................... 6,432 900
Railroad double track ........... 5000 900
Right of way through Costa Rica 64OOOO
Submerged lands. s.....,.............. 112, 600
Sanitary and police organization 100000
Contingent expenses, including
engineering expenses, tempo
rary works. etc................. 3oooo,oo
Grand total. SIPS 7O5 400
| 1t is not difficult to see why this estimated
aggregate of nearly $129 900. 900, closely
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