The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-05-20

New York, May ia dispatch TO the
Tribune from Washington says:
1.-THE Nicaraguan canal commission,
Admiral Walker, Colonel Haines ard
Mr.. Haupt, are understood at last to
have settled the previous disagreement
which has so long delayed the report
of the commission and which Tor a
time threatened to make necessary the
appointment by the president of an
other commission under the authority
conferred by the last session OF con-
gress.
1.-THE compromise effected among the
commissioners results in their fixing
the cost of the proposed waterway,
which is pronounced entirely feasible,
at S125, 900, 900. 1t is believed the re-
port will be signed and delivered TO
the president Immediately Vn his re-
turn from Hot Springs to Washington.
1.-THE members of the commission had
agreed after the elaborate and thor
ough consideration they have given to
the subject, and believe that the last
objection to the beginning of the inter-
oceanic waterway has been swept aside
and that congress may be relied Upon
to promptly authorize the canaPS con-
struction. A modified route is recon-
mended.
Canal Is Feasible.
'In it's preliminary report the COM
mission declared its positive belief
that the canal across Nicaragua was
entirely feasible, but the Maritime
Canal company, which held the conces-
sion eXerted powerful influences. pre-
venting an agreement to modified
route. A majority of the commission,
Walker and Colonel Haines, favored
-l,,f -. lrx. he n rr1 70
adhered to dimensions considerable
greater than ever before proposed, both
in length of locks and in width, depth
and radius OF curvature of canal, in
order that large ocean steamers and
especially warships, could securely and
quickly make the trip over the divide.
This, they said, necessarily made cor
responding increase in the estimated
cost, in no way inconsistent with the
estimations made from former surveys,
which contemplated a much smaller
and cheaper canal.
More Desirable Route.
'It was the opinion of the commits
sion that of the two routes estimated,
the Lull route was the more desirable,
because it is easier of construction, IRE
sents no problems not well within good
engineering precedents and will be a
safer and more reliable canal when
completed. 1t also expressed convic-
ton that the dimensions and form of
construction preferred by the commits
sion were better than the cheaper form
with smaller dimensions, which would
undoubtedly call for extensive improve
ments within a short time after its
completion"
Rainy Season Interferes.
1t is understood that among those
under consideration for membership on
the new Isthmian canal commission as
engineers from civil life are Messrs.
Bogue of New York, formerly chief en-
gineer of the Union Pacific railroad;
Morrison of New York, a prominent
bridge engineer, and Noble of Chicago.
at present a member of the deep wa
terway commission
AS the rainy season is about to be-
gin on the isthmus. it is realized that
the commission cannot do much in the
way of active operations at present be-
yond making a trip over the Panama
route via the railroad, and perhaps
making some Investigations into the
merits of the different
ports that must form the termini of
the canal. In the early fall, however,
operations will be prosecuted with the
utmost vigor, and an attempt made to
carry out the directions of congress to
submit a report during the next ses-
sion.