The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-03-29
LIVE TOPICS ABOUT TOWN.

LIVE IUfHho Adult 1UW N.
In all probability the advantages Of
new route for al isthmian canal viii be
presented to Congress soon after it con
venes in DECEMBER It is known as the
San Bias and Mandenga route and be
gins about thirty miles east of Panama.
and crosses the isthmus at its narrow
est point. The great feature of the route
however. is the seven miles of ship tun-
mel which it IS proposed 10 construct.
cutting directly through the base o@the
mountain range The tunnel would be
I50 feet high and 125 feet wide. and per
haps of larger Dimensions. Romyn Hitch
cock. of New I ork. who was formerly
connected with the National Museum. is
interested IT. the scheme. and has inves-
tieated the surveys. and the reports of
the engineers. He is at the Riggs
| and spoke enthusiastically on the pros
/ poets of the new route this morning
The promoters of the snip tunnel route
are making preparations to bring it be
/ fore Congress" he said, and / think
! that when canal legislation comes up
again, they viii have something to say
/ At present the company is but a small
! one. The business name is the American
/ Isthmus Ship Canal Company. and it was
| incorporated in New Jersey. The scheme
started with Joseph Kelley, Of New
York, the well-known banker. His hob
] by was inter-Cceanic communication by
/ the way Of the Isthmus of Darien, and
| he sent down to the isthmus a number of
surveying parties, seven in all, [ believe
| The ship-tunneI idea deve. rl.od IS the
result or one of these expeditions The
| route was surveyed in 1863. by a Scotch
| engineer, Angus AIacDousal. the greater
part of the ii -IG work being done by
! Charles A Sweet, IF New York, in whose
handwriting all the field notes are
The canal viii be at sea level, and
I the saving Of locks and the expense OF
operating them VIII be one thlnS TO OH
Set any additional first cost that may be
( counted against the tunnel as compared
with other canals. If the mountain Is
/ found to be Of stone as is expected, the
! driving of the tunnel viii be very SIM
/ pie and easy. and will present few en-
! giaesriug difficulties Many shafts VIII
/ he sunk from the top of the mountain
/ ana The work of making the big bore
/ viii be carried on in many places at once
I For the rest. the San Bias route presents
/ no difficulties. There are good harborS
{ at both ends. there are no rag streams 70
I control. ard every thing Is smooth sailing
Urtii the mountain IS reached. The range
: lifts abruptly from the plain and an the
Z whole distance from the water u the
. base Of the mountain where the tunnel
! begins. there is 4 rise only of 100 feet
/ There is really nothing 50 tremend-
/ Gus about driving q tunnel $50 feet high
! IT becomes practically open cut work.
! after the bore has first been made. ana
ought 10 he perfectly feasible. a large
( number OF peoDla have falth IN II, ana
/ fine engineers have approved Of the plan.
Il was the ,sItness to n real bit of
/ human comfy yesterday as l passed
through Philadelphia said Albert Fitz-
/ boone. Of New York al the Ebbitt today
1t Is not often hat things in real life
are ike the funny stories you read, but
/ think thai this little inclGeE: was We
had Just started out Of the Broad Street
Depot. and lde train Tas moving very
/ slowly. when woman dashed Trough
the gate. made motions With ler UNI
brella as il she wanted the train stopped
| The cars were moving slowly, and she
might have boarded one easily, but she
did not She ran on toward the head Of
the train where the smoking car was.
stIu waving her umbrella BY the time
she arrived at the steps Of the smoker,
she had aroused considerable excitement.
and no little laughter Everybody :
head was pokei out Of the window, and
the engineer. seeing something wrong
stoned tn. train As II. came 10 stand
. still Il man jumped from the smoking car
. Steus ana the woman Immediately threw
/ herself into his arms They kissed each
4
+ himself away. c 'mbed into the tram while
she stood -ld CTl 81 Then the train WAS
allowed Il =. Ocee,- / suppose that IL was
{ 4 sad sight. really, but that q PennSylva-
! MIA express SHOULD be stopped TO let two
{ people hug and kiss each other once more
seemed. at the tine, highly ridiculous
The District painter has been around
[ with his pot end has given such lamp
posts as needed it n fresh coat Of SHIN
10 lean against anything. without having
first investigated the condition OF the ex-
! terror with eye and finger Corner IOung-
/ ers need beware Of that which they rest
their lacks against, for they are likely
| 10 take part away with them upon their
clothes The District painter has attempt
ed carefully TO LaDeI all Iampposts upon
| which he has exercised mis- art. and many
bear little signs Wet Paint strung
somewhere aIoit out Of sight But the
wind has been blowing FOR several days.
and the white We. paint" signs are TO be
found OF streets where there are no lamp
posts.
The energy of your Commissioners in
the direction Of keeping this city bright
and sh ming is, Of course, commendabie. -
said Edward T Jameson. OF Albany. at
the Riggs this morning. as he passed
his lieht spring OvercoaI over the clerk 5
desk with an order to have it sent To
! the cleaners. but with a large green grid
iron on the back Of my newly purchased
/ OEercOat, / do not feel quite 50 kindly
( toward them as I might They might
have postponed the time for painting their
/ lamppOstS until ] got out Of town am
TOO much Of a ScOtchman to be able TO
resist the inclination to- lean against a
( lamppOSt. and any other kind of "A post
7 and l lose about one garment Of some
kind each year because of the habit"
PERSONALS 100 YEARS OLD.