The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-11-28

quick III completion, but in either OF these
cases sCch difficulties as may exist can
be successfully met with suitable organi-
zs..ion and efficient appliances
Labor Scarce There.
THE time required for constructing the
-..caiagua Canal will depend largely on
the promptness with which the requisite
force of laborers can be brought to Mica
rasua. housed and organized with the To-
ca,ions of heaviest work along the route
lake probably viii require the longest
time of any single feature of construc-
ton. 1t contains 100000 cubic yards of
earth and rock execration, or little less
than 10 per cent of the total work of all
classes included. With adequate force
and plant this commission estimates that
it can be completed in four years. This
indicates, under reasonable allowance for
ordinary delays, If force and plant
enough We're obtainable, to secure
practically concurrent execution of all
portions of work on the. route the COM
pletion of the entire work might be. exc
cuted within six years after Its being
started, exclusive of the two years esti-
mated for the period of preparation. The
force Of laborers needed. largely foreign
ers, SO as to adjust the execution of the
various portions of the work to sucn
definite program of close fitting parts
country involves unusual difficulties and
would prolong the time required for com.
pletion. The greatest single feature OF
ton in the Cuebra section, amounting
to about 100000 cubic yards of hard
clay, much of which is classed as soft
rock, nearly As per cent of all classes or
material to be removed.
Eight Years Required.
1t Is estimated that this cut can be
completed in eight years, with allowance
for ordinary delays but exclusive of
tyIN ,ario fnr ra in
unforeseen delays, and that the remain
der of the work can be finished within
the same period. The great concentra-
amount viii require smaller force of
laborers than on the Nicaragua route:
Hence the difficulties and delays involved
IN securing them will be cSrresp pom Migl
miles, while the total length of the
Panama route is 49.O9 miles. The length
harbors and entrances, is 7s.7s miles for
the Nicaragua route and 3641 miles for
the Panama route. The length OF sailing
line in Lake Nicaragua is 1921 l. miles miles
That portion of the Nicaragua route in
the canalized San Juan is 1887 miles. The
preceding physical features of the two
to l be done in the the construction Of water
ways along the two routes. The est1-
mated cost of constructing the canal on
the Nicaragua route is $45, 63O,1O4 more
than that Of completing the Panama
Canal. emitting the cost of acquiring the
latter property. This sum measures the
difference in the magnitude of the OBJ
struction of the two canals and covers
all physical considerations, such as the
greater or less height of dams, the great
er or less depth of cuts, the presence or
absence Of natural harbors, the presence
or absence of railroad, and the amount
of work remaining to be done. The esti,
mated annual cost of maintaining ana
operating the Nicaragua Canal is $3.50
charges for the Panama Canal.
Panama Route Shorter.
The Panama route would be 1s4.57 miles
ragua route. 1t would have less summit
elevation, fewer locks and 66.44 miles
less curvature. The estimated time for
a deep draft vessel to pass through is
about twelve hours for Panama and thir-
ty-three hours for Nicaragua. These Pc
RODS are practically the measure of the
relative advantages Of the two canals as
water ways connecting the two oceans,
but not entirely, because the risks to
vessels and the dangers of delay are
greater in a canal than in the open sea.
Except for the items Of risk and delays
canals need be taken into account only
as an element in the time required by
vessels to make their voyage between
the Nicaragua route Is the more advan-
tageous for all transisthmian commerce
except that originating or ending on the
west coast Of South America. For the
commerce in which the United States Is
most interested, that between our Pacific
ports and Atlantic ports, European and
american lei. the NiGaraguan route Is short
lists between our Atlantic ports and the
Orient. For our gulf ports the advan-
tage of the Nicaragua route is nearly
Atlantic. ports and the west coast Of
South America the Panama route is
shorter by about two days. Between
gulf ports and the west coast of South
America the saving is about one day.
The Nicaraguan route would be the more
favorable one for sailing vessels. because
OF the uncertain winds in the Bay of
terial matter. as sailing ships are rapid
ly being displaced by steamships. A
canal by the Panama route will be sim
the, two oceans. The route has been a
highway of commerce for more than 300
years and railroad has been in oper-
alton there for nearly fifty years; but
little. and the, natural features of the
country through which the route passes
are such that no considerable develop
ment is likely to. occur as result of the
construction and operation of canal.
In addition to it's use as means of COM
munication between the two oceans,
canal by the Nicaragua route would
bring Nicaragua and a large portion of
Costa Rica and other Central American
states into close and easy communication
with the United States and with Europe.
The intimate business relations that
would be established with the people Of
the United States during the period of
construction by the expenditure of vast
sums of money In these states and the
use Of American products and manufac-
lures would be likely to continue after
the completion of the work, to the bene-
fit of our manufacturing, agricultural
and other interests
Nicaragua the Healthier.
The Nicaragua route lies in a region
of sparse popula ton and not in a path
way Of much trade or movement of peo-
pie. Conditions productive of much sick
ness do not exist. On the other hand a
considerable population has long existed
on the Panama route and 1t lies on a
pathway of comparatively large trade.
along which currents of moving people
from infected places sometimes converge.
thus creating conditions favorable to
epidemics. Existing conditions Indicate
hygienic advantages, for the Nicaragua
route, although it Is probable that no
less effective sanitary measures must be
taken during construction in the one case
than in the other. The cost of constructs
ing canal by the Nicaragua route and
of completing the Panama Canal with
out including the cost of acquiring the