Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1901-11-29
CANAL COMMISSION REPORT
Nicaragua Route Is the Best and
Cheapest.
COST ABOUT Sl89, 864,O62.
Py the Panama Route tho Cost Is Esti-
mated at s253,374.S5s. and In Addition
the Canal Concession Would Cost the
United States SIO9.I4I,OOO.


The Interoceanie Canal Commits
sion's report is in favor of the Nicara-
qua route and it will be submitted to
Congress before the holidays. Here
is the report in full:
The Investigations of this commission
have shown that the selection of the
most feasible and practicable route for
an isthmian canal must be made between
the Nicaragua and Panama locations.
Furthermore. the complete problem in
wolves both the sea level plan of canal
and that with locks. The Panama route
alone is feasible for a sea level canal. al
though both are entirely practicable and
feasible for canal with locks. The time
required to complete sea level canal
on the Panama route. probably more
than twice that needed to build canal
with locks excludes it from favorable
consideration, aside from other serious
features of its construction. 1t is the
conclusion of this commission, therefore.
that plan of canal with locks should
be adopted. comparison of the prin-
cipal physical features. both natural and
artificial of the two routes reveals
some points of similarity. Both routes
cross the continental divide less than ten
miles from the Pacific Ocean, the Pana-
ma summit being about double the height
of that in Nicaragua.
Both Routes Require Costly Dams.
For more than half its length the loca-
ton of each route on the Atlantic side
is governed by the course of a river the
flow from whose drainage basin is the
only source of water supply for the pro-
posed canal; and the summit levels, diff
fering about twenty feet in elevation
Panama being the lower-are formed by
lakes, natural in the one case and arti-
fetal in the other, requiring costly dams
and water ways for their regulation and
for the impounding of surplus waters to
reduce the effect of floods and meet Op-
Grating demands during low water sea-
sons. The Investigations made in con-
nection with the regulations of Lake
Nicaragua have demonstrated that the
lake affords an ineXhaustible water sup
ply for the canal by that route. The in
itial proposition, on the other hand. for
the Panama route. is TO form Lake Bohio
10 yield water supply for traffic
of 100000 tons, which can be supple
mented when needed by an amount sufh-
Gent for more than four times that
traffic by means of the Alhajuela reser-
Noir. For all practical purposes this
may be considered an unlimited supply
Cor the Panama route. So far as the
practical operation of ship canal is
concerned, therefore. the water supply
features on both lines are satisfactory
The difficulties disclosed and likely to be
encountered in the construction of the
dams are less at COnchuda. on the Mica
rasua line than III Bohio, on the Pana-
ma route. Both dams. however. are
practicable. but the cost of that at
i2ohl % is one-half more than that at Con-
chuda.
Commission Desires Perfect Structure.
y less extensive dam at Bohio has
been pTrsp used. but through a portion or
sts leI.>th it would be underldid by de-
post Gf sand and gravel rerviOus TO wa
Ter. The seep"';' might not grove dan
eerous. but Inc security of the canal is
directly dependent upon this dam, and
the policy of the commission has been to
select the more perfect structure, even at
6 somewhat greater cost The water
ways at both locations present no seri-
Gus difficulties. The advantages in the
design and construction of the dams are
In favor of the Nicaragua route. The
system of regulation at Lake Bohio con-
sists of the discharge of water over the
crest of weir. as the lake level rises
under the influence of floods i'm the
Chargers River: The plan OF regulating
the level of Lake Nicaragua is less SIM
pie. though perfectly practicable. 1t in
wolves the operation of movable gates at
such times and To such extent as the
rainfall on the lake basin may require.
The experience and judgment of the OPP
orator are essential elements TO effective
regulation of this lake. The regulation
of Lake Bohio * automatic. The only
means of transportation now found on
the Nicaragua route are the narrow
gauge SilicO Lake Railroad. about six
miles in length. and the limited naViSa-
tiOn Of San Juan River and lake; but the
Nicaraguan Government is now building
a railroad along the beach from Grey
town to Monkey Point. about forty-fiVe
miles TO the northward, where ii pro-
poses to establish a commercial port.
BY means Of a pier in the area protect
ed by the pOink goods and material for
canal purposes can readily be landed
and transported by rail TO Greytown.
Such piers are in constant use on our
Pacific coast. This railroad and port
would be of great value during the pc
Rod OF preparation and harbor cOnstruc-
md Oh m IN "a shorten
period
Panama Has Railroad i'm Operation.
A well equipped railroad is in opera
ton along the entire length Of the Pana-
ma route, and existing conditions there
afford immediate accommodation for
large force of laborers. The Nicaragua
route has no natural harbor at either
end. At both the Atlantic and Pacific
terminal. however satisfactory harbOrS
may be created by the removal of ma
terial at low prices and by the conStruc
tion of protective works of wei. estab-
lished design. An excellent roadstead.
protected by islands. already exists at
Panama, and no work need be done there
for either harbOr construction or main
tenance At Colon. the Atlantic termn-
US Of the Panama route, a serviceable
harbOr already exists. 1t has afforded
harbOr accommodations for many years.
but is open TO nCrthers. which few
times in each year are liable to damage
ships or force them to put TO sea. Con-
create a suitable harbor at the entrance
Of the canal. which can he easily entered
and will give complete protection TO ship
ping lying within
Excavation Work Compared.
The completion of the harbors. as
planned for both routes. would yield but
little advantage to either. but the bal
ance OF advantages. including those Of
maintenance and operation. is probably
in favor of the Panama route. The eX-
istence of "a hdrbOr at each terminus of
the Panama route and line of railroad
across the isthmus will make ii practi-
cable to commence work there. after the
concessions are acquired, as soon as the
necessary plant can be collected and put
in place and the working force organized
This period Of preparation is estimated
at one year. Ia Nicaragua this period is
estimated at two years, so rs to include
also the construction of working harbOrs
and terminal and railroad facilities.
The work of excavation on the Mica
ragua route is distributed, it is heaviest
near Conchuda. at Tamberoito and in the
divide west of the lake. On the Panama
route il is largely concentrated In the
Culebra and EmpeTador cuts which are