The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-01-19
$40, 900. 900 FOR CANAL.

The House Committee on Interstate and
Foreign Commerce on Saturday night
| ordered favorable report upon the Hep
| burn bill for the construction of the
Nicaragua Canal.
The bill is practically the same one re-
| ported by this committee in the last Con
gress. All the members except Mr.
Fletcher, of Minnesota, voted to report
the bill favorably. The latter said his
silence was merely Il reservation of his
right to support or oppose it after further
consideration. As finally agreed to the
bill is as follows:
To provide for the construction of a
canal connecting the waters of the Allan
tic and Pacific oceans.
Be it enacted, etc, That the President
of the United States be, and is hereby
authorized to acquire from the states of
Costa RIGA and Nicarag qua for and in be-
half of the United States control of such
portion of territory now belonging to
Costa Rica and Nicaragua as may be de-
Sirable and necessary on which to eXcavat
construct and defend canal of such
depth and capacity as will be sufficient
for the movement of ships of the greatest
tonnage and draft now in use from a
point near Greytown, on the Caribbean
sea, via Lake Nicaragua, to Breto, on the
Pacific ocean, and such sums as may be
necessary to secure such control are here
by appropriated out of any money in the
Treasury not otherwise appropriated.
Section ,. That when the President has
secured full control over the territory in
section l referred to he shall direct the
Secretary of War t. eNcavatp and con
struct a canal and waterway from point
on the shore of the Caribbean sea, near
Graytown, by way of Lake Nicaragua, to
point nea~ Breto, on the Pacific ocean
Such canal shall be of sufficient capacity
and depth as that it may be used by vessels
of the largest tonnage and greatest depth
now in use, and shall be supplied with all
necessary locks and other appliances TO
meet the necessities of vessels passing
from Greytown to BretO; and the Secre-
tary of War shall also construct such safe
and commodious harbors at the telmimi
of said canal, and such fortiticatinns for
defense, as will be required for safety and
protection of said canal and harbors.
Sec. ;. That the President shall cause
such surveys as may be necessary for
said canal and harbors and in the con-
structlng of the same.
Sec. t. That in the excavation and con
stIuction of said canal the San Juan river
and Lake Nicaragua, or such parts of
each as may be available, shall be used.
Sec. ). That in any negotiations with
the states of Costa Rica or Nicaragua the
President may have he is authorized to
guarantee to said states the use of said
canal and harbors, upon such terms as
may be agreed upon, for all vessels own.
ed by said states or by citizens thereof.
Sec. &. That the sum Of $4,000, 900, or
SO much thereof as may be necessary, is
hereby appropriated out of any money
in the Treasury not otherwise appropriate
ed for the completion Of the work herein
authorized, said money to be drawn from
the Treasury from time to time, as the same
shall be needed, upon warrants of the Presi-
dent, based on estimates made and veriti-
ed by the chief engineer in charge of the
work and approved by the Secretary OF