The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-01-22

THE ISTHMlAN CANAL.
A Synopsis Of Its History and
Physical Commercial Aspects.
Observation-Disclosures

So"AuSt@sos hSpSStSs
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To the average newspaper reader. the
literature on the Nicaragua canal 1,
rather voluminous for the quantity of In.
formation that It carries and he very nat
| urally thinks of 1t as a continued stor,
without synopsis OF the foregoing chap
ters. While reviewing this enterprise now
In contemplation by the government of the
United States and which can be charac-
terized as nothing short OF formidable, /,
will be the purpose OF this article TO set
out the salient points in nrief as sort OF
base for mental operations rather than to
discuss the subject cxhaustivcly from any
particular point of view.
In the first place public opinion seems
just now to have set its stamp OF approval
on the Nicaragua or 1sthmian canal
scheme, which heretofore has apparently
lacked that solidity and wholesome assnr-
ance OF ultimate success which is the sine
qua non Of any great undertaking. The
fiasco at Panama, whore dollars alike with
human lives were wantonly wasted, and
the subsequent impotence at Nicaragua.
where there were no dollars to waste, had
almost forced the belief that the scheme
was chimerical and Its success as elusive
as the alchemist's gold. But recent events,
not the least of which was the Oregon's
long trip, have brought about u reaction,
and public opinion Is again at the extreme
OF oscillation. Everybody is taking u
hand in the discussion, and while many
learned arguments pro and con based on
pure hypothesis are being advanced, much
information as we'll as transformation Is
being disseminated, and the reader yainly
asks where he is "at.''
The canal scheme had its birth with the
discovery of the isthmus, for scarcely had
Nunez de Balboa planted the flag of Cas-
tile In sight Of the great Southern ocean,
claiming the discovery for Spein. when
Angel Saavedra conceived .le plan of cut
ting the isthmus at Darien and making the
dream Of Columbus reality 1t was not
for Spain to pluck all of the honors which
the new country was destined 70 give, and
generations OF engineers have lived and
died, a hundred plans have pte en- proposed
and abandoned, and now, after 400 years.
the charmed backbone OF the continent
remains as rigid and obdurale dis when
man flrst proposed to sever Il. i.mong the
SUCCESSORS of Saavedra may be mentioned
Galisteo, sent out by Carlos II in 1881;
Won Humboldt in 1904, Baron Thierry In
1925 Governor De Witt Clinton in 1925,
Lloyd and Fallmere in 1880. who were re-
sponsible for the fallacions statement that
there was difference of three meters in
the levels of the two oceans; Napoleon
Garella was sent OUT in 1SA8, and Louis
Napoleon, who during his captivity lad
prepared plans, in lS47 proposed route
lip the San Juan river and across Lakes
Nicaragua and Managua with the western
a tan ut RaaIatn The KnllyL
an American. projected ,he San Bias route,
and in 1851 SO o. w. chiids made u ccm-
survey for Cornelius Wander
bilt. who then had concession for op-
Grating a line of boats on the river AMI
lake OF Nicaragua, completing the trans
continental route by transporting his. pas
sengers in stage from Virgen bay on the
lake, to San Juan del Sur On The Pacific,
A distance of twelve miles. In Virgen Is
now but memory; warehouses and stores
are the abode OF bats, and trees have
sprung up in the midst of a once splendid
roadway which led to the
deal harbor Of San Juan. Nicaragua as q
route for the canal continued In favor,
and In 1874 Grant sent out an expedition,
which reported In favor Of Nicaragua, and
treaty was prepared, ont
his tailed of ratification under Cleveland
IN 1886. The famous Panama canal con
cession was obtained by Wyse In 1878 from
the Colombian government and by is
terms the work was TO be finished In
.welye years. but in 1885 the scheme coli
apscd and the imprisonment of its head,
count De Lesseps. is history.
The Panama canal as proposed was TO be
"A kilometers, or about 40 miles in length,
aud nine meters In depth. and originally
was intended to be sea level canal. but
he Culebra cut. which developed sliding
mountain, caused its alteration TO leck
~ yc ho rxro v,Ye ~ . no
cessation OF work In 1883 II was computed
hat IS. 900 cubic meters Of earth had
pecn removed, more than the total csti-
mated excavation at Nicaragua. and the
work is only about Dne-fhird complete.
ThIs cost nominally the sum Of S240 000, 600
md actually about ss5e,e06. 900. Fraud
ma vice and corruption werc rife. Steam
roes. worthless cucltolds we're given enar-
nous salaries. and 1t was the duty OF
hose In charge at the iEthmue TO keep the
yily old count from seeing anything save
through the bottom Of wine glass,
Before the collapse at Panama, and In
apparent anticipation Of Il. A. q Meaocal,
. Cuban by birth. and an officer In thu
United States navy, secured q concession
q 1887 from the government OF Nicaragua
or the building OF an interoceanic ca Il al
,erv much along the lines proposed bfi
Vanderbilt. The Maritime Canal company
4 Nicaragua was organized, with their
,rfncipal Offices in New York. and their
books thrown open 10 the |
,ablic. The puolir Was wary, however.
nd English capital which they 50 much |
(. nected did not rush into Corporation
rhicb. according 10 the terms Of its char |
ar could have no foreign directors. and |
ftcr brief struggle. having spsnt par |
q ~ 81 0of 900 IN surveys. dredging II por- |
TX ~ the hsrhor OF Greyt3wn and ia I
'1iidIug few miles OF railway. the Mica
aqua Canal Construction company whith /
orether 10 1891. ana have since tcen en- I
ssvoripe 10 secure the aid Of congress- IN /
heir undertaking These efforts have 80