Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-01-23
Scientific American.

Scientific American.
caragua.-The first actual survey for
a CANAL at Nicaragua was made by an
American, Col. A. W. Childs. in 1850 TO
1852. The project as outlined by him has
been the basis for all subsequent loca-
tions; the route selected in his survey
differing indeed but very little from that
which is now recommended by the 18TH
milan canal commission. Childs recon-
mended summit level, in which was in
cluded Lake Nicaragua los feet above sea
level. this to be reached by twelve locks
on the eastern side and thirteen locks
on the western side. The canal was to
have a depth of u feet and bottom
width of so feet, and the total cost was
to be So, 53S. S19 Then followed survey
i'm 1872 under Commander K. p. Lull.
United States navy in which the lake
was TO be held at minimum summit level
of 101 feet, reached by eleven locks on the
western and by ten locks on the eastern
side of the summit. The depth of the
canal was to be SO feet and the cost was
estimated at $65, 722. 1877. Eleven years later
another survey was made. this time by
"A. G. Menocal civil engineer United
States navy, the object of the survey be-
ing the relocation of the Lull survey
with a view to cheapening the cost. The
principal changes consisted Of the crea-
ton of a summit level which extended
from a dam in the river west of Lake
Nicaragua to a dam some 60 miles down
the San Juan river from the lake. The
canal was to leave the San Juan Just
above this dam and be carried by snort
cut through the hills to the Caribbean
sea- The Maritime Canal company was
formed I'm 1889 to construct canal on
the lines of the Menoeal survey. The to-
tai estimate for this canal with &-foot
depth of water was $61 200, 600. After doing
more or less work the Maritime company
ceased operations in 1893 for lack of funds.
In 1895 congress appointed the Ludlow
commission to examine the report on the
Maritime Canal company's project. This
commission reported that the difficulties
of building the canal had been underesti-
mated; and they submitted an estimate
of their own which placed the cost OF COM
pletion at 1888 472. S93. At the same time
the board suggested more thorough eX-
animation of the locality. In response
to this recommendation the Admiral
Walker commission was appointed; ana
in due course it reported that the canal
would cost a maximum sum of $14O,OOO.OOO.
II was about this time that the govern
ment awoke tardily to the realization OF
the fact that the canal question was
wider one than that of Nicaragua alone
and a new board, known as the lsthmlan
canal commission. was appointed to IN
vestigate every possible route across the
isthmus and definitely determine wmch
was the best.
Panana.-It will be a surprise to many
who believe that American interests are
necessarily and exclusively identihed with
Nicaragua to know that the Panama
route was surveyed by Commander Lull
In 1875. that he recommended the con-
struction of a 26-foot canal with sum
nit level of 124 feet above mean toe lever,
and that this route was located very much
on the same route as that adopted by the
present isthmian canal commission. He
estimated the cost of this canal at s945ll,-
AGO. In 1879 an international congress met
i'm Paris and recommended the building
of sea level canal from Colon on the
Atlantic to Panama on the Pacific, the
work to be completed in twelve years az
a cost of $40, 000 600. Work was begun ia
1881 An enormous amount OF plant was
purchased $1,000 laborers were imported
and with the most incomplete data 10
work upon, the De Lesseps people rusned
into the most stupendous engineering I'M
dertaking of the age. Yellow fever. hoods.
incompetence. unparalleled fraud and DIS
honesty, coupled with the impossible ma
ture of the undertaking itself soon
brought about the inevitable disaster, and
in 1889 a receiver was appointed. VINO
found that securities to the amount OF
s435. 900. 900 had been issued and $246OOO.OOO
had been squandered. In 1894 new COM
pany was formed for the purpose of COM
pIeting the canal. They determined to
abandon the scheme for a tide-level canal
and, instead, adopted plan for canal