The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-12-05
CANAL REPORT
IN THE SENATE
Nicaragua Route is Favored by
the Commission.
THE COST OF WATERWAY
MINORITY THINKS PANAMA
ROUTE MORE FEASIBLE.
THE COST OF WATERWAY
III AsHINGTON, Dec. 4.-The report

III ASHINGTON, Dec. 4-The report
w Of the isthmian canal commits
sion was sent to congress today.
The commission, as anticipated several
weeks ago, favors the Nicaragua route,
and makes an estimate Of S1S9 So, 062
as the total cost of construction of the
canal through Nicaragua. The esti-
mated cost Of the Panama route is $144,-
1885, 1858. but the report says, it would
cost S1O9,141, 900 to obtain the Panama
concession. The commission values
the work done at $40. 000. Co.,
The report says the Panama route
is feasible as a sea level canal, while
the Nicaragua route must be by locks,
but Lake Nicaragua viii furnish an
inexhaustible supply o. water for the
canal The Nicaragua route has no
natural harbOrs at either end, but sat
isfactOry harbOrs may be constructed.
BarbOrs already exist at each end Of
the Panama route, but cousiderab bic
work must be done at the entrance Of
the harbor on the Atlantic side.
! With adequate force and plant the
commission estimate that the Nicar-
aqua canal can be completed in six
| years. exclusive of two years for prep
ara ton. Ten years is estimated to COM
plete the Panama canal. The total
/ length of the Nicaragua route is 1886
miles and the Panama route 1900
miles The estimated cost of operating
and maintaining the Nicaragua canal
annually is 81 $50 900 greater than that
of the Panama canal. The estimated
! time for a deep draught vessel to pass
. ha &c frr~n va
hours, and through the Nicaragua canal
+ thirty-three hours.
Advantage of Nicaragua Route.
{ The Nicaragua route, the report
I says. is more advantageous for COM
/ merce. save that originating on the
/ west coast of South America. For the
suif ports the advantage is two days,
and for most of the ports on the At
( lantic and Pacific one day. The Mic
aragua route is said to be better for
/ sailing vessels. on account of favOring
! winds. HygeniC conditions also favor
/ Nicaragua
/ The commission says the United
| States should acquire control of a strip
/ of territory ten miles wide from sea
! to sea, through which to build the
/ canal The consent of Nicaragua and
/ Costa Rica must be obtained TO con-
/ struct the canal but the report says
/ this can easily be secured. The con-
/ cessions granted by the Colombian
! government to the Panama Canal COM
pany have many years to run, and
/ new concessions cannot be granted the
United States. The report concludes
as follows:
After considering all the facts de-
veloped by the Investigations made
/ by the commission the actual situation
/ as 10 now stands, and having in view
I the terms offered by the new Panama
( Canal company, this commission is OF
! the opinion that the most practicable
and feasible route for an isthmian
canal TO be under the control. man
/ agement Fnd ownership of the United
! States is that known as the Nicaragua
/ route
Report of Minority.
George 5. Morrison. a member of
/ the commission, submits a minority
+ report favoring the Panama route. He
/ says the estimates for the Nicaraguan
canal do not make sufficient provisions
/ for unknown conditions and contin-
/ gencies. No consideration he says,
{ has been given to accidental interrupt
/ ton Of traffic by Nicaragua. which, he
| thinks, would not be so likely to occur
at Panama
He believes that better conditions
and terms can be arranged through
! the acquisition of the Panama Canal
! company's rights than by any nego-
tiations with Nicaragua and Costa
Rica. The government. after securing
goutinupd on Pace -