The daily morning journal and courier., 1899-04-17
WORK0N THE PANAMA CANAL
-ANIyTERESTING LETTER FROM ED-
 YARD TRUMBULL WARD.
He Has Dedicated some Years of His Life in Actual Contact With This Greatest ofnII Modern Public Works The Present Plan of fConstruction.

The Present Plan of fConstruction.
 To the Editor of the Journal and Courier
 Now that the American people are aroused to the fact that the construc- tion of an inter-oceanic canal can nc longer be delayed and that there is a reasonable probability that work will be resumed at Nicaragua" some ac- count of what is being done at Pana- ma may be of interest to your readers coming from one who has dedicated some years of life in actual contact with this the greatest of all modern public works. Enough that is bad has been said of the Ancient company of the canal" but the fact remains that had the funds of that company been employed in work "in toto" it is likely that ships would now be passing from ocean to ocean. Not on the tide lev el plan" but by means of locks. As it is there is enough done to warrant the continuance of the enterprise with ev- cry prospect of success. The tide level canal was abandoned years ago and at the collapse of the original company, work was going on basis of canal of ten locks, many of them in an ad- vanced condition.
 Upon the suspension of work a liquidator was appointed and com- mission of engineers appointed and sent to the Isthmus (headed by the we'll known engineer, MT. c. Santeran who was at one time an ardent advocate of Nicaragua to examine and report upon the work done and to make g study of a project for converting the interior of the Isthmus into a vast artificial lake, access to which would be gained by a series of locks. This plan had pre- viously been suggested and rejected in the excitement over the tide level.
 While this examination was in pro- gress a company was being formed, and after a suspension of five years work was resumed by the "Compagnie Niouvelle du Canal de Panama" with a capital of a little more than 60,000, 900 francs or $12,O00O 900. A small sum it is true but it is probable that as the pro- gress made is so favorable that suffi- cient capital will be forthcoming for the termination of the canal.
 From the lavish expenditure of the old company lesson has been learned and most rigid system of economy prevails. The work projected was di- vided into four sections, viz:
 1st. The Culebra cut to be carried down as far as possible with the funds at command.
 2nd. The construction of an immense wharf at the Pacific terminus of the canal where the largest ships may dis charge cargo directly to the Panama railroad at all tides, thus avoiding the costly system of ljghterage at present in use. Ships not being able to come nearer than four miles to the present terminus of the railroad
 3rd. To make an exhaustive definite typographical survey of the Valleys of the Chagres river and tributaries in their relation to the proposed lake or lakes, and also a series of "borings" on proposed sites of all dams and locks to. determine the presence or absence of a rock foundation.
 4th. A survey for change of line of the Panama railroad required by the fact that by the creation of an artificial lake a very large proportion of the present roadway would be submerged and also the canal will twice cross the present line at Matachin and Cucara- cha Of these sections there have been completed the following: First, the wharf and port of the Boca as it is called. Third, the surveys of the Chagres, etc. Fourth the survey of new line for the railroad. The work on the great cut at the divide "Culebra'' has steadily progressed and the slopes to depth of about 16O feet more or less are giving no trouble even in the rainy season. The soft upper strata is pass through and the excavation is in an exceedingly hard clay requiring blast ing, occasional rock lodges are met with also.
 This is so cheering that this great ex- cavation which has been we'll called the "Gordian Knot" of the Canal will be- come in the near future an accomplish ed fact. After this nothing remains of a difficult nature. The dams locks. etc, although of gigantic proportion are mere mechanical details, one dam only presenting any difficulty. In short it is only question of money and hu- man life, for with the necessary i'm portation of skilled workmen, again will be witnessed the terrible mortality which existed from the inception of the work to its close 1889. Climatization in the tropics is a costly thing as the re- cent experience of the American army nus IOTclDly 1luSLIdletl, AIlu ut WHO can resist the conditions prevalent on the Isthmus of Panama for any length | of time is fortunate individual. And ! yet there are those who beyond having ! pn occasional attack of .'Perniciosa" (perncious fever) lasting four or five | days or less, enjoy very good health for 1 really the climate is delightful. The employees of the Canal company | have most comfortable houses, with | abundant water supply, and when taken | sick there is open to them the great hos pital of the company in Panama one of | the most unique of it's kind in the world and in charge of the Sisters of Charity" It also enjoys the distinction so to speak, of having drawn the fire of the American Press" as having cost more than million of dollars! But if it had cost five times that sum it were money well spent, and every day proves the wisdom of its projectors. Situated on lofty hill overlooking the city Of Panama, its many pavilions and wind ing roads can be seen from the railroad as the city Is approached from Colon, while from it's elevated site it is cooled by le fresh ocean pree1es, far above the ,,,,Siouc xyor,Ors which lie in tbp Va1nUS