Waterbury Democrat., 1900-12-04
NICARAGUA ROUTE.
ISthmian Canal Commission
 Recommends 1t.
PAPER PRESENTED TO-DAY.
The Estimated Cost is $20O, ,54O, ,OOO- Larger by Great Deal Than Any Heretofore Made.

Heretofore Made. Washington, Dec 1.-The report of | the lsthmlan canal commission, sub | mitted by the president to congress to- day, gives as the unanimous conclusion | of that body that the most practical ble and feasible route for an isthmian 1 canal, under the control, management | and ownership of the United States is | that known as the Nicaragua route.'
 The commission estimates the cost Of this route at S2OO,o4O,0OO. This es- tImate is much in excess of any here tofOre made and is due to increased l dimensions and other features not heretofore considered. The commis- sion also estimates the cost of q canal by the Panama route at $142. .342,5 ,579, according to one route, or $156,31S,25 according to another route. As be- tween the Nicaragua and Panama route the commission sums up q num- Der of advantages favorable to the former. It states also that under the concessions given by the Panama gov ernmens to the Panama Canal com pany that government is not liable to grant the necessary rights to the Unit ed States except upon conditions made by the company. The report is q doc ument of about 1I.O00 words. almost as long as the presidents message. Al though the work of the commission is not yet completed, many of the field parties still being out yet. it has been sufficiently advanced to make it prac- ticable to present this preliminary re- port giving the essential findings. A thorough investigation has been made not only of the Nicaragua and Pana- ma route, but of other possible routes. 1-.D i,,.l 11n industrial. commercial and military value of an inter-oceanic canal, and also the rights. privileges and fran chises necessary to be secured for the construction of a canal under the con- trol. management and ownership of the United States. In all thirty one working parties were organized ana sent into the field. making fierce or about 220 engineers and assistants, be- sides about 600 laborers. bOatmen and other workmen employed in the varl- ous countries. q total of more than So0. Meanwhile the members of the com mission personally conducted various branches of the work. One party went to Paris. where they examined the de- tails of the Panama canal project now being executed by the French com pany.
 A cabled description is given of the trip over the several routes. Along the Nicarag qua route, it was found thai th9. short section of partially construct- cd canal is perhaps in as good shape to-day as it was when the work was stopped. The buildings. however, are all rotten and the dredgers, boats, etc, are worthless. The commission visit ed President Zelaya and other leaQlng officials of Nicara gHa and found them greatly interested in the project. The occupation of their territory by the United States for canal purposes dld not seem to he regarded as serious obstacle. provided the sovereignty or the republic was respected.
 Along the Panama route the con- mission found large force of work men engaged upon the canal line, about 1000 in number, according to the Panama company. The canal had been opened to some extent at Dotn ends Immense quantities of mach1n- cry implements and tools were found along the route. Much of this prop erty. the commission reports. is still adapted to American methods of work and all of it is now from 13 to 2O years old so that no value should be given to the plant now on the isthmus. A visit was also made to President Jslesias of Costa Rica and his cabinet, ana q SIfOnS to CNiot for an American canal along the Nica- raugua route. Trips were also made along the Darien route.
 After going over the several routes the commission considered the dimen- sions of the canal to be built. Having in mind the increasing size of ocean going vessels. it was determined to fix upon q depth of 8 feet at mean low water and bottom width of 150 feet with some increase of dimensions al certain points. These dimensions are larger than those proposed for any previous canal scheme While they may seem excessive to-day the com mission points out that the canal is no likely to be opened within ten years during which time the increase il maritime dimensions is likely 10 con tinue. A width of 150 feet will allow all but the very largest ships to pas: each other in the canal while the lock. are of dimension to permit even tht largest ships afloat to be maneuyred The size of the locks is I40 feet length 94 feet width, in the clear with deptl of -35 feet
 Taking up the Nicaragua route il detail, the commission says that tn route adopted follows essentially tn lines laid down by the Nicaragu: canal commission in it's report 0 1S97-1S99. It begins near Greytowl on the Atlantic side, fOllOWSi the Sal Juan river, enters Lake Nicaragua an, terminates at Brito on the Pacific side The distance from ocean to ocean i about 1S6 miles. Plans are given fo the great harbors required at Grey town and Brito. The most difficult en gineering work is the dam across tn San Juan river to regulate the water of the lake. The time required t build the canal hinges almost entirel on the time required for the conStrue tion of this dam. The commission say eight years would probably be
 reasonable estimate for the time o building it. At least two years will b consumed in preparatory work an opening harbOr at Greytown, so tha if work on the dam should be con menced immediately thereafter, th time required for completing the entir work will be about ten years.
 The commission then submits tl following estimated cost of a canal o the Nicaragua route:
 Eastern division (from Grey town Boca San Carlos dam), $S2, ,662 000-