Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1899-01-26
The Nicaraguan Canal.

We ale not opposed to canal across
the Isthmus of Darien, but our STUN
ling block has been to decide whether
the government had not better take
hold of the Panama canal and finish
it, than build the Nicarauguan canal.
The Panama canal is only about 40
miles long and 20 miles or more are
graded and ready for use, whilst the
Nicaraugan canal is not less than 1863
miles by any survey, and the Childs
and Lull surveys make it 1874 and ISL
respectively. True about Sc miles OF
this is across lake Nicaragua, leaving
from 100 to 40 miles of actual canal
to build. When the Chllds survey was
made in 1850 there was an excellent
harbor at Greytown on the Atlantic
side, and transit company was dong
rather a thriving business across the
Isthmus between that point and San
Juan Del Sur Oh the Pacific. Now,
there is nc harbor at all at Greytown,
the San Juan river having carried
down sand and clay, making delta
stretching out miles from Greytown
into the Caribbean sea, and utterly
destroying the harbor. The canal
company which has been pushing this
project and which has property it
would like to unload On the govern
ment, tried to make harbor at Grey
town, and spent several hundred thou
sand dollars there, ceasing operations
and abandoning the project in 1898.
Their work has since practically dis
appeared, the volcanic sands carried
down by the torrential floods of that
country are lacking in specific gravi-
ty and moves about with every wave
and pour over every obstacle and into
every possible crevice. No estimate
under $4,000 600 has ever been made
for harbor at Greytown, and many
eminent engineers say it is impossible.
Then comes long dreary line of canal
cutting through hill and lagoon up to
lake Nicaragua. No man can estimate
the cost of this stupendous work. 1t
cannot be less than from 80 to 95 miles
and possibly as much as ITO. as the
San Juan river is not navigable, but
will only furnish the water for the
canal, so it must be cut the whole way.
Locks will have to be used both On the
Atlantic and Pacific sides. and will
greatly delay navigation. The canal
will be in a volcanic country, and it is
by no means certain earthquakes will
not destroy the masonry. From the
lake to the Pacific ocean is said to be
only twelve miles, but the country falls
with great rapidity. 1t would be bet
ter if the distance were greater, as the
fall could be overcome with more ease.
There is no harbor On the Pacific side,
but one can possibly be made there and
maintained. But as We say this is a
stupendous undertaking. One hundred
and fifteen millions is the first appro-
ever completed it will cost double that
amount. We further venture that |
there will be many Investigations,
some Credit Mobiliers, some suicides,
and cases of Imprisonment of those
who were in high feather when they |
first became interested in the project,
and nobody of course will presume
that it will pay anything on the invest
ment. 1t will be constant drain on
Che treasury. Yet it looks as if it
would be undertaken, though it will
be many years before any ship will
pass through it. A railroad must first
be built along the line and that will
be very expensive. All in all it seems
like a useless waste of the people
money with the Panama so much
shorter and partially completed. Sena-
tor Tillman calls it steal, and we
greatly incline to his view