Bradford County telegraph. (Starke, Fla.) 1888-current, 1900-01-19
CANAL BILL REPORT
Hepburn Measure Recommended
to House By Committee.
CARRIES APPROPRIATION OF Sl4s,ssa,ess
Committee Acted Without Waiting to
Hear Report OF the Walker
Commission.

house committee on interstate and for
eign commerce ordered a favorable
report upon the Hepburn bill for the
construction of the Nicaraguan canal.
The bill is practically the same one
reported by this committee in the last
congress.
The committee made some changes
in the original bill, inserting a new
section, 3, and making verbal altera-
tions.
FULL TEXT OF BILL.
As finally agreed to, the bill is as
follows:
To provide for the construction of a
canal connecting the waters of the At
lantic and Pacific oceans.
Be it enacted, That the president of
the United States is hereby author
lied TO acquire from the states OF
Costa Rica and Nicaragua for and in
behalf of the United States control of
such territory now belonging to Costa
Rica and Nicaragua as may be desira-
BILE and necessary In which to excavate,
construct and defend a canal of such
depth and capacity as will be sufficient
for the movements of ships of the
greatest tonnage and draft now in
use, from q point near Georgetown,
on the Caribbean sea, via Lake Mica
ragua to Breto, on the Pacific ocean;
and such sums as may be necessary
to secure such control are hereby ap-
propriated ont of any money in the
treasury not otherwise appropriated.
Section 2-That after the president
has secured full control over the ter
ritory in the section referred to, 10
shall direct the secretary of war TO -
cavate aud construct canal waterway
from a point on the shore of he Ha-Ih-
bean sea near Greytown, hv way Of
Lake Nicaragua, to point Hta- S-eto
on the Pacific ocean. Such csGE! shall
be OF sufficient capacity anI dspth as
that it may be used hy vessels of Tie
largest tonnage and greatest dentn IT,
in use and shall be supplied vita al
necessary locks and o,hor appliances
to meet the necessities of vessels pass
ing from GTeytOwn TO Breto. aud Tho
secretary of war shall! also ocnst-Crt
: such safe aud comlGodiOus |sr'"Ss at
the termini OF said canal Snd sGCG for
! tificotions for defense sc will be re
quired for safety and rrotec,.r:, u said
canal Gnd har6olS.
Scction ,. That lie president shall
cause such surveys as may he Geces-
sarv for said canal and harbnrs and
IN the constructing OF .he sHrue.
Section 4. That in the excavation
and construction of caid canal, the
San Juan river and lake Nicaragua,
o. such parts OF each as may be made
available, shall Se used.
Section 5. That in any negotiations
with the other states of Costa Rica or
Nicaragua, the president may have,
the president is authorized to guaran-
! tee to said states the use of said canal
and harbors upon such terms as may
be agreed upon, for all vessels owned
by said states or cities thereof.
! Sec. 8. That the sum of $40, 900, 600,
! OF so much thereof rs may be necessa-
! ry, is hereby appropriated out of any
money in the treasury not otherwise
| appropriated for the completion Off
work herein authorized, said money!
! bc drawn from the treasury from time
to time as the same shall be needed,
Upon the warrants of the president,
based on estimates made and verified
by the chief engineer in charge Of the
work, and approved by the secretary
/ of war.