The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1901-11-29
CANAL Commission REPORT
Nicaragua Route Is the Best and
Cheapest
COST ABOUT STAG, 1854, O62.
By the Panama Route the Cost l. Esti-
stated at Sass, SOS, snd In Addition
the Canal Concession would Cost ths
vnitsd states sioD.tti,oo

The lnteroceanlc Canal Commits
sions report is In favor OF the Nicara-
qua route and It will be submitted to
Congress before the holidays. Here
" the report In full
The Investigations Of this commission
nave shown that the selection Of the
most feasible and practicable route" for
an iathmian canal must b. made b.t veer,
the Nicaragua and Ihnumn locations
Furthermore. the complete problem In
and hat WITH locks sss S Tse PAN os s rs,
none ~ feadble for sea level canal, al
t,hoyEh both ar entirely practicable aud
isasi,nle t9r canal With locks. The time
on the Panama route probably more
imam twice that needed to build canal
with locks, excludes II from favorable
confederation, aside from other serious
features Of IT, construction. II is the
conclusion Of tbs commission. therefore,
mat a plan Of canal with locks should
ne adopted. A comparison OF the prln-
clpal 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. tho Pana-
ma summit being about double tho height
Of that In Nicaragua. IT," ~
both Routes Require Costly Dams.
For more than half It's length the loca-
tlon OF each route on the Atlantic side
governed by the course Of river. the
now from whose Drainage basin is the
only source Of water supply FOR the pro-
posed canal; aud the summit levels. dif-
,erlng about twenty feet In elevation
Panama being the iowcr-nro formed by
lakes natural IN the one case and arti-
hclal In the other, requiring costly dams
snd water ways Tor their regulation and
Tor the lmpoundlnR ~ surplus waters to
reduce the effect OF Hoods and meet on
Grating demands during low water sea
sons; The Investigations made IN con-
nection with the regulations OF Lake
Nicaragua have demonstrated that the
lake auurda an ineNhauHtible water sup
bS tor me canal by that route. Tho In
tne Panama route, IN 70 form Lake Bohio
80 ~ 70 yield a water supply Tor n traffc
or 100000 tons. which can be- supple
menId when needed By an amount sum
traffic by means " the Aihniucia rcser-
volr. For all practical purposes this
may De considered an unlimited supply
Tor the Panama route SO far al the
practical operation OF a ship canal a.
concerned, therefore the wntcr eupply
idsaturca on both lines are satisfactory.
Tue dincultiea disclosed and likely to be
encountered In the construction OF the
dams are less at Conchudn, on the Mica
ragua line. than at Bohlo. on the pana-
ma route. Both dams, however. are
practicable. but the cost Of that at
chuda.
Commission Desires Perfect Structure.
A less expensive dam at Bohio has
been proposed. but through n portion OF
It's length Il would be underlaid by de-
post Of sand and gravel, pervlous to WA
ter. The aeepage might not prove dan
feronA, but the security OF the canal iH
directly dependent upon this dam. and
select the more parfsct airuGtura. even Al
a somewhat greater cost. Tho waiof-
Gus difficulties. yihe advantaFes in die
design ana conatructlon Of the dams are
Ia favor Of the Nicaragua route, The
sists OF the discharge OF water over tho
crest OF Weir, AS the lake level rises
under the INFLUENCE OF hoods IN the
the level OF Lake Nicaragua IL icss slm-
pie though perfectly practicable. II 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 nnd judgment OF the OPP
orator are essential elements 10 effective
regulation Of this lake. The regulation
OF Lake BOhlO IL 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 naviga-
tlon OF San Juan River and lake, but the
Nicarngunn Government II now building
town 10 Monkey Point about forty-nve
miles 60 the northward. where Il pro-
poses TO establish commercial port.
ed by the point goods and material for
canal purposes can readily be landed
and transported by rail TO Oreytown.
such piers are IN constant use on our
Pacific coast This railroad and port
would be Of great value during the Pc
rlod Of preparation and hnrbor construc-
tion. and should materially shorten that
period.
PaahmA Has Railroad In Operation.
A well equipped railroad Is In opera
ton along the entire length Of tho Pana-
ma route and existing conditions there
AFFORD immediate accommodation for
large force OF laborcrs. The Nicaragua
route has no natural harbor AZ either
end Al both the Atlantic and Pacific
terminal, however, satisfactory harbors
may be created by the removal or ma
terlai at low prices and by the construc-
ton OF protective works OF well estab-
liahed 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. Al Colon, tho Atlantic termin-
us OF the Panama route, servleeable
har lbo Observation-Disclosures for many years
but Is open to northerH, which few
times In each year are liable 70 damage
siderabie work must be done there 10
create a suitable harhor at the entrance
OF the canal. which can be easily entered
and viii give complete protection to ship
ping lying within
Excavation Work Compared.
The completion OF the harbors, Ra
planned for both routes, would Yield but
little advantage to either but the ball
ance OF advantages. including those OF
maintenance and operation, - probably
in favor OF the Panama route. The eX-
istence OF a harbor at each terminus OF
the Panama route and a line OF railroad
SSb IsS 10 , eommene S Work there after the
concessions are acquired, as soon as the
necessary plant can be collected ana put
IN place and the working force organized.
This period OF preparation IL estimated
at one year. In Nicaragua this period Il
estimated at two years, 40 as to include
also tho construction OF working harbOrs
and terminal and railroad facilities
The work OF excavation on the Mica
ragua route Is distributed Il Il heaviest
near Conchuda. at Tamborolto and In the
divide west OF the lake on tho Panama
route Il IL largely concentrated In the
Culebra and Emperndor cuts which are