Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1901-11-29

practically one AS a rule. distributed
work affords a greater number of avail
able points of attack, contributing
quicker completion. but in either of these
cases such difficulties as may exist can
be successfully met with suitable organi-
cation and efficient appliances.
Labor Scarce There.
The time required for constructing the
Nicaragua Canal Will depend largely on
the prOmptncSS with which the requisite
force OF labOrers can be brought To Mica
ragua. housed and organized with the To-
cations of heaviest work along the route.
The cut through the divide west of the
lake probably will require the longest
time of any single feature OF construc
ton. 1t contains II. 100000 cubic yards OF
earth and rock execration. or little less
than 10 per cent of the total work OF all
classes included With adequate force
and plant this commission estimates that
it can be completed in four years. This
indicates. under reasonable allowance for
ordinary delays. If force and plant
enough We're obtainable. 10 secure a
practically concurrent execution of all
portions Of work on the route the COM
pletiOn of the entire work might be exc
cuted within six years after its being
started. exclusive of the two years eSti-
mated for the period OF preparation. The
securing and organizing Of the great
force of labOrers needed, largely foreign
ers. as to adjust the execution OF the
various portions of the work TO Such
definite program of close fitting parts
in practically appropriated tropical
country involves unusual difficulties and
would prolong the time required for COM
pletion. The greatest single feature or
work on the Panama route is the eXcava-
ton in the Cu,ebra section. amounting
to about 43cJ9,OO0 cubic yards OF hard
clay, much of which is cassed as soft
rock. nearly 45 per cent of all classes of
material TO be removed.
Eight Yeats Required.
no
completed in eight years. with allowance
for ordinary delays but exclusive OF
two-year period for preparation ana Tor
unforeseen delays. and that the remain
der of the work can be finished within
the same period. The great concentra-
ton of work on this route and its less
amount will require smaller force OF
laborers than on the Nicaragua route.
Hence the difficulties and delays involved
in securing them will be correspondingly
diminished. The total length of the Mica
ragua route from sea To sea, is lS5;O6
miles while the total length OF the
Panama route is 1909 miles. The length
in standard canal section, and on the
harbOrs and entrances. Is a. - miles Tor
the Nicaragua route ana DBL miles ior
the Panama route. The length of sailing
line in Lake Nicaragua is 70.51 miles.
while that in Lake Eohio is 12.6S miles.
That portion of the Nicaragua route in
the canalized San Juan is 39.3i miles. The
preceding physical features of the two
lines measure the magnitude of the work
to be done in the construction of water
ways along the two routes. The esti-
mated cost of constructing the canal on
the Nicaragua route is Si5.630. 6H more
than that of completing the Panama
Canal, emitting the cost of acquiring the
latter property. This sum measures the
difference I'M the magnitude of the OBJ
stacIes to be overcome in the actual con-
struction of the two canals and covers
all physical considerations, such as the
greater or less height of dams the great
h..
absence of natural harbors. the presence
or absence OF a railroad. and the amount
of work remaining to be done. The esti-
mated annual cost of maintaining and
go greater than the corresponding
charges for the Panama Canal.
Panama Route shorter.
The Panama route would be l3i.5' miles
shorter from sea To sea. than the Mica
ragua route. 1t would have less summit
elevation. fewer locks .ama Gil. miles
less curvature. The Estimated time, for
4 deep dr@se; vessel co pass through is
about twelve hours for Panama ana thir-
ty-three hours for Nicaragua. These pc
RODS are practically the Measure OF the
relative advantages of t'te two canals as
water ways connecting the TWO oceans
but not entirely. because the risks 10
vessels and the dangers of delay are
greater in a canal than in the open sea.
Except for the items of risk and DELAYS
the time required To pass through the
canals need he taken into account only
as an element in the time required by
vessels TO make their voyage between
terminal ports. Compared or this basis.
the Nicaragua route IL the more adNan-
taceouS for all tranSiSthmian commerce
except that originating or ending on the
west coast of South America. For the
commerce in which the United states is
most interested, that between our Paclnc
ports and Atlantic ports. European and
q
err by one day. The same advantage eX-
lists between our Atlantic ports and the
Orient. For our gulf ports the advan-
tage of the Nicaragua route IL nearly
two DAYS For commerce between North
Atlantic ports and the west coast CT
South America the Panama route is
shorter by about two days. Between
gulf ports and the west coast of South
America the saving is about one day.
The Nicaraguan route would be the more
favorable one for sailin; NrSsels. because
of the uncertain winds in the Bay oi
Panama This is not, however. ma
terial matter as sailing ships are rapid
ly being displaced ny steamships. y
canal by the Panama route will be sim
ply a means of communication u" tween
the two oceans. The route has been
highway of commerce for more than $40
years and railroad has been in oper-
alton there for arly Fifty years; but
this has affected industrial changes but
little. and the natural features OF the
country through which the route paSS'
are such that TO considerable develop
ment is likely to occur as result of the
construction and operation of "A canal
In addition To its use as 4 means OF com
municatiOn between the two oceans. a
canal by the Nicaragua route would
bring Nicaragua and large portion of
Costa Rica and other Central American
states into close and easy communication
with the United States and with Europe
The intimate business relations that
would be established with the people of
the United States during the period OF
construction by the expenditure of vast
of money in these states and the
lures would b. likely to continue after
the completion of the work. to the bene-
fit of our manufacturing. agricultural
and other interests
Nicaragua the Healthier.
The Nicaragua route lies in region
of sparse population and not in a path
WAY of much trade or movement of peO-
pie. Conditions productive of much sick
ness do not exist. On the other hand. u
considerable population has long existed
on the Panama route and il lies on a
pathway of comparatively large trade.
along which currents OF moving people
from infected places sometimes converge
thus creating conditions favorable to
epidemicS Existing conditions indicate
hygienic advantages for the Nicaragua
route although IL is probable that no
less effective sanitary measures must be
taken during construction i'm the one case
than IN the otner. Inc cost OF construct
ing "A canal by the Nicaragua route and
of completing the Panama Canal with
out including the cost of acquiring the
concessions from the different govern
mentS is estimated as follows
Nicaragua .... SIS9. S64 ,O62
Panama. ........... -. I44.233,35S
For "a proper comparison there must
be added To the latter the cost of acquir-
ing the rights and property of the New
s.
sion has estimate the value of these
in tn. proiaat accommodated nv Il at