The San Francisco call., 1901-11-24
CONGRESS
To PROVIDE
FOR CANAL
Will Vote an Appropria-
ton Sufficient for
Construction.
Stretch Of Twenty-Eight Miles
Of Great Ditch to Cost
Million a Mile.
Facts and Figures Of the Engineering
Features Of the Grand Scheme by
Which the Atlantic and Pa
cifc Are to Be Joined.
Special Dispatch to The Call


CALL BUREAU, 14O6 G STREET, N.
W., WASHINGTON, Nov. z3.--Details Of
the grand scheme under which the United
States will build the Nicaragua canal are
rapidly becoming known since the 18th
mian Canal Commission has completed
its report and Senators and others have
been taken into the confidence OF mem
bers of the million dollar board.
The Call is able to-day to present facts
and figures of the engineering features.
Unless a legislative miracle happens Con-
gress will this winter vote to construct
the canal at cost of 1S9,OO0,OOO. This
will include two great harbors-one at
Greytown, on the Atlantic or Caribbean
end of the canal, and the other at BritO,
at the Pacific end-for a canal Of eight
locks and one enormous dam at Con-
chuda, on the San Juan River, several
miles above the mouth of the Carlos
River.
Wide Entrance Provided.
Greytown harbor and the entrance to
the canal will cost s., ,196,S6O, and the Brito
harbor and entrance N,5O9. 40. As the
canal is to have a depth Of thirty-fve
/
entrance should have the same. 1t is
proposed to have the harbOrs at either
end of the canal protected by jetties $500
feet long. These jetties will be construct
ed Of loose stone and will be six feet
above water. The entrance will be 500
feet wide and of thirty-fve feet depth
Much more dredging will be necessary
at Greytown than at BritO- The sand
movement at Brito will be less than at
Greytown and the cost of maintenance
will r Ear less. Within the harbors
there De a turning basin Of 1900 feet.
A ss cad must be built for about 100
M -. This railroad will cost, it is esti-
mated. $4,000 a mile, and it's total cost
will be 81, SIS 900. This is understood to be
exclusive of equipment. A branch of
this road will also have to be run from
the main line to the proposed great Con-
chuda dam.
Dam to Regulate Flow.
This dam is to regulate the flow Of the
San Juan River in wet and dry seasons,
| and this is to be done Sby means OF great
gates and slutces. A force will have 10
be constantly on watch for floods and be
ready at minutes notice to put the ma
| chinerv in operation which will let the
surnlus water out or keep the needed
water impounded This dam, including
| sluices and machinery, is to cost not to
| exceed S4O17, $50. There is also to be an
auxiliary wasteway, including sluices and
| approach channels to the dam. which will
cost s2,O45,S ,S22-
Lock No. l, including excavation, will
cost s5,71s,6S Then follows stretch Of
about twenty-eight miles, costing about
81. 900, 600 per mile.
Leaving the river at this point OF de-
parture from the lake, the course will
next be across Lake Nicaragua for fifty
| and a half miles. Nine miles beyond the
lake the plans of the commission bring
the canal to lock No. s. Here very ex-
tensive work has to BE- done. The exca-
walton becomes very heavy as the divide
bevond the lake is climbed, and it has
been found necessary TO construct enor-
nous receiving basins to intercept the
Rio Grande, Las Lajas and Chocolate
rivers. The total cost of the expenditure
at this point will be more than S24,5Oo,O 900.
The Drop to the Pacific
The canal is now very near the Pacific
side and the drop now begins. To loch
No. is only distance Of about mile.
The excavation and lock will cost about
81. 500 900. To lock No the distance IS
less than two miles. and the work will
swell the cost s7OOO,OOc more. The next
rapid step down the Pacific slope is to
lock No. and the last two miles and a
half, which will cost the Government
nearly s6,OO0,OO0. This lock will bring ship
ping within mile and quarter of Brtto
and into salt water, practically to the end
of the canal.
The length OF the canal will be 1886
miles. There are several deep cuts on the
canal Near the Conehuda dam the depth
will be at one point more than 200 feet
The cut at Tamborcito twenty-slx miles
from Greytown, is to be the deepest OF
ALL The canal will Rave a system OF
double locks. so that IN case one is disa-
bled or closed for repairs OF renewal the
other can take care of the traffic and
commerce will not be Interrupted.