The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-12-05
CANAL CONCLUSIONS
THE ISTHMIAN CONFUSION FAvORs
THE NICARACUA ROUTE.
MOST PRACTICABLE ROUTE.
CosTs MORN NAV rNNAuA ROUTE.
BtT VOTE wa AHtr1

Estimate Of thc Cost OF the Differ
cnt Proposed ,nnai.-Prestdent
Zelsya Grcau, Interested Ia the
Proi~ct-t tnitcd states TO Be var
Greater ncnented by the Canal
Than Europe-TcR NcLrs Needed to
BuiId Canal
Washington. Dec. l-rhe report ~ the
isthm.an canal Commission. submitted
hy the President 90 Congress to-day gives
a. che unanimous conclusion of that
body that the most practicable and fsas-
lble route for an Isthmlan canal. under
the control management and ownership
or Tho United states. is that known as
the Nicaragua route
! The commission estimates tho cost u
this route a Gpo $1,000 This estimate r.
much IN excess of any heretofore made.
ana Is due 90 increased dimensions ana
other features rot heretofore considered.
/ The commission also estimates the cost
Of ooJsl by the Panama route at yt2.-
I gi2an according 20 one route. OF gi66.-
J5s2s according TO another route. As
between the Nicaragua and Panama
route tho commission sums up a num-
bor of advantage favorable 20 the for
NOR. ~ states also that under tho conces-
sion given by tho government of colom-
I hia 20 the Panama Canal Company has
government is not free 90 grant the
/ necessary rights 20 she United states ex.
cept upon conditions made hy che com
pany. Along tho Nicaragua route Il was
found that the short section Of partially
constructed canal Is perhaps In as good
shape today as "a was when Tho work
was stopped The buildings. however.
are rotten and tho dredges. boats. etc.
arc worthless
visited President zclaya.
The commission visisied President To
laya and other leading officials of Niea-
ragua and found them greatly interested
1 IN the project. The occupation of their
territory by the United States for canal
/ purposes did not seem 20 be- regarded 90
a serious obstacle provided the sovcr-
eighty q the republic was respected.
/ Along the Panama route the commission
/ found a large force of workmen engages
upon the canal line. about 1000 IA num-
/ Der. according 90 the Panama company.
/ Tho canal had been opened 20 some ez-
| tent az both ends. No value should be
glven 70 tho plant now on the isthmus.
Costa Rics's President.
| A visit was also made 20 President Iele-
/ sias Of Costa Kica and his cabinet. aud
/ strong sentiment found To exist Tor an
/ American canal along the Nicaragua
\ route Trips were also made along the
/ Dsrfen route Tho commission having IN
I mind the Increasing size OF oocan-going
v9sseir. IL was determined 10 nx upon a
dorfh Of fhirfy-nve feet az mean low
| water and a bottom width % ia0 feet.
/ w.th some increase Of dimensions. az GER
/ tain points. These dimensions are larger
/ than those proposed Tor any previous ca
nal scheme. A width of 10 feet wiA al
I Tow al but the very largest ships 20 pass
| each other in the canal. while the locks
are OF a dimension 20 permit even the
I largest ships afoat % be maneuyered.
I The size o. locks e 7to feet length. ~
I feet width, iu.th clear. with a depth of
/ thirty-nve feet.
/ The Nicaragua Route.
The Nicaragua route adopted follows
essentially the lines laid down by ths
Nicaragua Canal Commission IN It's re-
I port 81 1897 1879. u begins near Grey
I town on the Atlantic side. follows the
/ San Juan river enters Lake Nicaragua
aud terminates at Brtto on the Pocinc
side The distance from ocean to ocean
Is about iS6 miles. Plans are given Tor
the great hsrbors required az Greytown
and Hrlto. The mos, difficult ensinesr-
inx work Is the dam across the San
/ Juan river to regulate the waters Of tho
lake on whose construction hinges large
ly the time required 10 build the canal.
The commission says eight years ~ouia
urobablv be a reasonable estimate for tho
time of building o.. At leaHt two years
will be consumed in preparatory work
and opening harbor az Greyt0Wn, 50
thar N work on the dam should be cosn-
rnonced Immediately thereafter the une
required FOR completing the entire woiE
will bo about ten years
Estimates Submitted.
The commission then submits tao fol-
lowing estimated cost o. g canal or che
I Nicaragua route.
Eastern division Ofom GfcS town
10 Bosa san Carlos damn ~ 3 No-''vp
Middle division (from Boca san
! Carlos dam 10 Las Lajhs..s.... z9'i-''0"
I western division 0rom Las La
jas 20 Britol -..+.-t-....s-.'..s. sie'''u''
r,,.t .............. .slso 7C7 90
I Fighty-nine miles Of railroads. $4,000
ro,., ....... ................ .uan7Oo
Engineering. police sanitation
aud general contingencies .....' SSt1.oV'
Axgr.gst. .......... .......... .ssoBlo@0
This estimate provides Tor double sys-
,efn Of locks. but a single lockage system
/ vould reduce the cost Sl9S1s.0o Narrow
ing the bottom onc-third VIII permit fur-
ther reduction OF SO 9i90n This would
\ bring the estimated cost down to SleS,si3'-
I 900
I Concerning the Panama route the COM
miaaon says its natural attraction lies
\ a. the combination % a very narrow 18th
m,tr with q low summit The estimated
/ ro.t OF construct ON totals Sis,eiSsib.
/ while the engineering. police. santaiion
I ara general contingencies swell the ag-
I rrer.tc to fif2.3i2.57s.
! Thfs estimate is capable OF reduction
| 90 tiis sgf .zis n single locks and a narrow
I bottom are adopted. An alternative es-
/ snate = submitted based on having the
\ Alhntueia dam built to impound the
I vratera Of the Upper chagres. This es-
I innate Is sisf.sISzss
/ The commission reports that the value
| 81 the French work already done Is csti-
/ mated a. SS3.s3i.te3.
IL Is estimated that the tonnage that
would use the canal win emount to T,oco-
/ on tons IN 1909
Canals Great Benefits.
The report says: As compared with
Europe. the United States viii derive
from the canal far greater BENEFITS. both