Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-01-11
PANAMA AND NICARAGUA CANALS

The same influence which prompted
the construction of the Panama rail
way led to the establishment of a tran
sit route across Nicaragua, partly
by water and partly by stage road,
and surveys for ship canal along this
route were made by the transit COM
pany, and afterwards, by the United
States government, under Commander
Lull. Later the Maritime Canal com
pany modified the plans, extended
the surveys, and began construction
on a Ship canal Financial Difficult
ties, however, stopped the work be-
fore it was fairly under way, and agitd-
ton was carried on for some years
to induce the United States govern
ment to finance the project.
In 1895 Congress provided for a
board of engineers to ascertain the
feasibility, permanence, and cost of
the canal, and appropriated the sum of
100000 for the purpose. Col. Will
liam Ludlow of the army; Civil En-
ginecr NJ. r. Endicott of the navy, and
Mr.. Alfred Noble, were appointed by
President Cleveland to constitute it.
Considering the time and funds at
their disposal this board made a very
thorough examination of the route.
They reported that while the canal
ras feasible the information possessed
by the company was entirely made
uuatc to serve as a basis on which TO
make final estimates of cost, or even
determine approximate plans. They
recommend. therefore, that an appru-
priatiOn of S35OO0O be made for FUR
Their surveys and investigation. Ac-
cordingly, a commission was appoint
ed by President Mckinley, consisting
of Rear-Admiral J. G.. Walker. Col.
Peter c. Hams, and Lewis NJ. Haupt,
for further survey and examination of
the canal route.
This commission inaugurated thor
ough surveys, which demonstrated the
impracticablity of certain features OF
the company's plans. In 1899, be.
fore the commissions work was COM
pleted. Congress provided for increas-
ing it, and Appropriated funds for thor
ough examination, survey and compari-
son of all the possible routes for an
interoceaniC canal across the isthmus.
The engineering portion OF the com
mission was reinforced by Colonel
O. II. Ernest, Alfred Noble, George ;.
Morrison, and William II. Burr Prof.
Emory X. Johnson and Hon. Samuel
Pasco were appointed as experts on
the commercial ard political aspects
of the problem, respectively. EN-
ploratiOns were made of the lower
isthmus. east and south of Panama,
which added largely to the Topographic
information there, but failed to reveal
any favorable canal route; so that the
problem was finally narrowed down to
comparison of the Panama ana Nj
caragua routes.
1,b, r,uta oJpptad ny the \iGaTaEu9
canal commission in 1899 starts near
Grevtown. on the Caribbean runs in
general southwesterly direction
across the swamps and lowlands,
north of Lake Silico, along San
Juanillo. through two locks, reaching
the left bank of the San Juan river
above the head of the San JuaniliO.
about twenty miles from GreytoWn.
Ii then follows near the left bank OF
the river but not in it, to point about
mile above the mouth of Rio san
Carlos A high dam near this point
will raise the waters of the San Juan
to the level of Lake Nicaragua, and
the canal will enter the basin through
two locks and follow the course of the
river for the most part to Lake Nj
caragua. Several cut-offs on the nat
ural course of the river will be made.
| Above Castillo a large amount Of
dredging will have to be done TO Sc
cure the required depth, and this Will
| be continued far out into Lake Near
aqua. West Of the lake the line run $
! by way of the valley of Las Laias. cuts
! through the divide. and follows TN"
| Rio Grande valley through four lock,
| to the Pacific, where a harbor is TO be
| constructed. The total length Is
about 1870 miles, of which % miles are
in deep water in Lake Nicaragua
| leaving l3l miles of canal proper. 1t
is to have ten locks. The level OF
Lake Nicaragua, and of all the canal
between Boca San Carlos and Bueno
Retro. the eXtremities of the summit
level. are to be controlled between the
limits of 104 to 10 feet above sea
level. Twenty per cent of the sur
plus water will he discharged through
the canal into the Rio Grande, and
thence into the Pacific, and the re-
maing so per cent into the Caribbean
by way of the Rio San Juan.
The Panama canal follows the line
originally adopted by the old company
from Colon to Panama, is about AZ
miles long from deep water to deep
water. and is to have four locks on
each side on the project recommended
with summit level at 9S feet. There
is to be a large storage reservoir con
structed at Alhajuela on the upper
Chagres, II miles from the canal line
and a large aqueduct is to convey feed
water from the reservoir to the sum
nit level. Surplus waters are to Ue
stored until safely discharged.-GA Ar
thur p Davis in the January Forum