Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1900-03-29
THE lSTHMIAN CANAL
Gen. Hams Talks About the Com
missioners' Report.
SURVEYORS ARE EXAMINING ROUTES
Commissioner Noble Also speaks About the
Canal and the Proposed Routss-The
Representation Of the Panama
Canal People.

New YORK, Marcn 22.-Be1Ore MS
departure for Baltimore Gen. Hams
said: 'The present commissioners
report will not only decide upon a
practicable route for an isthmian ca
nal, but will demonstrate conclu-
sively that the route selected is the
most feasible one tnat could have
been chosen. We have at present
about 800 surveyors in the field, un-
der the charge of competent engi-
neers. They are going with the
greatest care over the Nicaragua
route, the Panama route and all the
other routes suggested by any of the
former surveyors. Besides this we
have number of exploring parties
out, in the hope of discovering sites
that have been hitherto overlooked.
Our object is to do the work with
such thoroughness that our results
cannot possibly be questioned at any
future time. We have the reports of
all previous surveys, but we shall
cover every mile Of ground through
which we think it possible for the
canal to be run. The country is
varied and the work of the surveyors
is difficult and progresses slowly, es-
pecially in the section about Darien.
"For this reason 1t is impossible
to set even an approximate date for
presenting our formal report to the
state department. Unless congress es-
pecially requires one we shall submit
no preliminary report. Until our
work is done, therefore, it is improper
for any member of the commission
to speak in regard to the merit of the
several routes proposed. Our report,
we hope, will settle the whole ques-
tion of an isthmian canal, once for
ALL"
Commissioner Noble was asked
about a number of reports in regard
to details of the two routes, the Pan
anna and the Nicaragua. One was that
the commission had found that the
famous Ochod dam, which the last
Nicaragua commission selected after
long controversy, the size Of the
structure as planned requiring a
solid foundation, was on the map on
place where the foundations would
be over quicksand.
ut won't be possible to build the
DAM" said Commissioner Noble, when
told that the Washington report had
indicated that it would be. "There Is
quicksand there. We found sand
deeper down than it was thought to
exist There are number of good To-
cations for the Ochod, or the San
Carlos dam in the neighborhood."
He was asked if the commission had
found the representations of the Pan
ANA canal people, who were in Wash
ington before the commission left,
to be true. 81 think they
have the number of men employed
that they said they had" he replied.
ut is fact, too, that may have done
the dredging and are cutting down
the hill. Things are much as they say.
The present Panama Canal company
has been spending the money it has
mainly in making narrow, deep cut
through the great divide that they
have to get through to reach the other
coast. The work is being well done
In regard to the Chagres river, we
have found that the Panama people
have feasible way to manage that
although everybody laughed at them
when they said they could dam it,
we have surveying party at this
point now making the necessary sur.
vey on their plans"