The Washington weekly post., 1900-12-11
floods SarsapariNa
WEEK IN CONGRESS
Tuesdays Session.


Canal Commission was submitted by tn
President to Congress. Its reeommenGa
lion is contained in the concluding para
graph, as follows:
In view of all the facts. and particu
larly in view OF all the difficulties of OBJ
tanning the necessary rights, privileges
and franchises on the Panama route, an
assuming that Nicaragua and Costa Rici
recognize the value of the canal TO them
selves and are prepared to grant conces
sions on terms which are reasonable ant
acceptable TO the United States, the com
mission is of the opinion that the mos
/ practicable and feasible route for an 18TH
mian canal to be under the control, man
| agement and ownership of the Unite,
States, is that known as the Niearagu,
route"
The commission estimates the cost o
this route at 500, $4,000 This estimate 4
much in excess of any heretofore made
and is due TO increased dimensions anC
other features not heretofore considered
The commission also estimates the cos
OF canal by the Panama route at sl42
5iZ,5i9 according to one route, or sl56. .S7S
( 25S according to anothc- route. As be
tween the Nicaragua and Panama route
/ the commission sums up a number of ad
vantages favorable TO the former.
| 1t states also that under the concession
given by the government OF Colombia tC
tie Panama Canal Company, that gov.
eminent is not free tc grant the neces-
sary rights to the United States except
upon conditions made by the company.
although the work OF the commission
Is not yet completed, many OF the field
partles stiil being out. yet it has beer
sufiicIently advanced TO make it practic-
aole TO present this preliminary report
giving the essential findings. A thorough
| investigation has been made not only OF
the Nicaragua and Panama routes, but OF
other possible routes, the commission
keeping IN mind the Industrial, CONNER
car ana military value of an inter-oceanic
edhal. and also the rights, privileges, and
franchises necessary to be secured for
the construction of d canal under the con,
trol, management, and ownership of the
Chlted tates. In all, 81 working parties
were organized and sent into the field
ilaklhs force of about 20 engineers and
asslsldhts, besides about 600 labOrerS
Dodtmeh' and other workmen EMPLOYED
IN the various countries, a total of mora
tilah aV. Meanwhile the members of the
commission personally conducted various
branches Of the work. One party wenr
20 drls, Where they examined the details
u tHe Fahama Canal project. now being
eAecuted Dy the French COMPANY.
Inc commission visited President Zelsva
ana other leading officials of Nicara s1,a
ana round them greatly interested I'm the
PiOJecL. Inc occupation of their terri
tory py the United States for canal mr.
poses uld not seem 10 be regarded as a
serious OBSTACLE, provided the sovereignty
Vi the republic was respected. AIone
tAe Pahama route the commission found
large force OF workmen engaged upon
the canal line. about 1900 In number. ae-
corclng TO the Panama Ccnpanv.
Inc canal mad been opened 10 some
extent at both ends. Immense quantities
OF machinery, implements, and tools were
found along the route. Much of this
property, the commission reports. is ill.,
adapted TO American methods of work
and all Of it is now thirteen TO twenty
years old, so that no value should be
given to the plant now on the Isthmus.
A visit was also made to President Iglesi-
as, OF Costa Rica,. and his cabinet and
a strong sentiment found to exist for an
American canal along the Nicaragu, ,
route Trips were also made along the
Darien route.
After going over TIE several routes.
the commission considered the dimensions
OF the canal TO be built. Having IN mind
the increasing size of ocean-going YES
sells, il was determined to fix unon /,
depth OF thirty-five feet at mean lotr
water, and a bottoTn width of 100 feet.
with some increase of dimensions at GER
tain points. These dimensions are Iarg-
er than those proposed for any previous
canal scheme. While they may seem e1-
cesSive to-day. the commission points ont
that the canal is not likely 20 be opened
within ten years. during which time tha
increase in maritime dimensions is likely
10 continue. A width of $50 feet will AL
low all but the very largest ships to mass
each other in the canal. while the locks
are of a dimension 10 permit even the
largest ships aioat to be maneuyered. The
size of locks is 74e feet length, 81 feet
width. in the clear, with depth of 35
feet
Taking up the Nicaragua route in de-
tail, the commission says that the routa
adopted follows essentially the lines laid
down by the Nicaragua Canal Commits
sion In its report of 1s1-ls99 II begins
near Greytown, on the Atlantic side fol-
lows the San Juan River, enters Lake
Nicaragua, and terminates at Rrito. on
the Pacific side The distance from ocean
20 ocean is about 1S6 miles. Plans are
given for the great harbors required at
Greytown and Brito The most difficult
engineering work is the dam across ths
San Juan River TO regulate the waters OF
the lake. The time required 10 build the
canal hinges almost entirely on the time
required for the construction CT this dam.
The commission says eight years would
probably be a reasonable estimate for the
time of building IL. At least two years
viii be consumed in preparatory work ana
opening a narbOr at Greytown, so that If
work on the dam should be commenced
Immediately thereafter, the time required
for completing the entire work will be
about ten years.
The estimate OF s.0a.540, 900 Is fog canal
suitable for navigation BY the largest
ships now in existence. If a single lock-
age system is provided. the cost will be
reduced slse7S.0oa. Narrowing the bot
tom one-third viii permit a further re-
duetion OF SIG ss9. coo This would bring
the estimated cost down to sis3.sl3.eV0
Concerning the Panama route. the com
mission says its natural attraction lies in
the combination OF very narrow isthmus
With a low summit. The width OF the
isthmus is less than thirty-five miles,
while the summit is barely 800 feet above
the mean tide. After detailed descrip-
don OF the entire route. the commission
gives the estimated cost Of completing the
Panama Canal route as 81. 80. 57s
This estimate is capable OF reduction 10
Sis. 81. Us, II single .ecks and a narrow
bottom are adopted. An alternative esti-
mate Is submitted, based on having the
AihaJuela dam built 10 impound the wa
ters Of ths upper chagres. This estimate
is sl5s, ,S7s, ,-5s. The commission reports thai