The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-05-17

rainfals in its history. On Aug. 81 last, j.
Crawford an American resident Of Managua,
the capital Of Nicaragua, and we'll known
contributor to scientific literature on Central
American themes, volcanoes and earthquakes
in particular. sent to the American Geologist
report on the phenolnenally heavy rainfall
of that region, stating that Lakes Nicaragua
and Mapagua during the winter rainy season
would probably be two feet higher even than
In 1s59-6l, the famous season of seismic con-
vulsion when the level OF these lakes was ten
feet higher than when taken by the isthman
canal commission in 1SaS-1900 AS result
of this condition. he feared volcanic disturb
ances before the wet season was over. "Fron
more than fifteen years of observations and
studies of volcanic masses in the tropical
Americas he writes. II have formed the.
opinion that the varying pressure of water in
and above the numerous assures is most fire.
quently the cause of volcanic activity. The
assures at the base of Momotonbo and the
other semi slumbering volcanoes in and around
the two lakes named were observable for hun
dreds of feet during a dry season, and formed
safety valves for the escape Of steam and
gases, but last fall We're becoming filled by
the pressure Of ,water in the lakes and Gays
surrounding their bases, thereby REFRESHING
the gases and producing a subterranean con-.
dition favorable to subsequent explosions.
Mr.. Crawford'a fears of Aug. 81 were in.
part COnurIneQ Dy LuS SdFuuQudkel VISltdLloAS
reported By him on March "a and Is last
throughout Nicaragua, which he at the latter
date considered preliminary to more serious
commissions to follow. Doubtless the earth
Quake disturbances reported last month IN
Guatemala and those of the past sixty days
in Nicaragua, on the western boundary OF
the Caribbean sea. are a complement to the
seismic explosions in the islands OF Martin
iuue and St. Vincent on the eastern boundary,
ana may have been Irectptated from a SINH
lar cause, the pressure of an extraordinary
volume of water resulting from an unusually
wet season of torrential storms il
AS regards the feasibility of the Nica-
raguan canal route, Professor Winchell
says that is a subject for the engineers
not care to EXPRESS an opinion upon an
engineering question. AS TO the Panama
route, he concurs in the view that 1t is
free from the immediate presence OF vol
canoes, but is not immune from earth
quake visitation.
s Sentiments of j. j. Hill.
James J. Hill, the presiding genius Of
three railway systems and the builder OF
some of the greatest merchant vessels
afloat, is exceedingly plain spoken on the
Nicaraguan question, as shown BY the
following interview with T he 10 r.
n a L. = $
."Eyeryone who has made any scientific in
vestigation of the subject knows that Mica
raugua is one of the most volcanic regions
of the earth and that earthquake disturbances
| await any great public works that can be
! erected there.
but what does your average congressman
care about that? What does he care about a
| volcano, If it is not located in his own con-
| gressional district?
| You may lay before him the history of
| all the forty or more volcanoes Of Central
! America, with a. century record OF earth
quakes brought down to the last sixty days,
and your congressman who is talking 18TH
milan canal in glowing rhetoric will ignore
! the scientific facts completely and vote to
spend $780, O00, 600 or 5000, o00, 600 Of the peo-
pies money right in the midst Of the erup-
lions. You may stand him before a belching
volcano and he would never see 1t, unless,
| say, it were right under him in his own
district. and then he would feel it, II he
couldn't see it.. 49,. :.
! Nicaragua is dangerous and unfit place
for any great works OF a. public character
and most of all for vast canal system built
Of concrete and masonry 10 which any earth.
| quake or volcanic disturbance would be
! fatal. ... :. Co.. ...}, -,
ct is a nasty, crooked route, anyway. curry.
ing and lodging about; among the volcanic
peaks; 1t is not a safe place to put any
big vessel" ~ s;aeyAzfts .<st,,...tc
| Raising his arm and shaking MS forenngel
with emphasis, the man who is having bull
in Connectieut the slargest freight vessels .o1
| the, ocean declared: q: u = *raft: = "a -
+ 81 would not risk one OF our vessels IL
that canal, if it is built, for $50, 900! No, no
| for 800, 000!. It is unsafe. We might &c
a big vessel in there lodged among the noun
i tains and never get it out - :
What Of the Panama route, Mr.. *Hill?'
the interviewer inquired. e.
That is better. The Panama route is no
troubled with volcanoes, they say. But wha
need have we of either? What use is
canal down in Central America going to b
to- the people of the great interior OF thi
country? OF what good will it be- to Chicago
or to st. Paul and Minneapolis, or to tn
Mississippi valley and the country lying be
tween the great lakes and either ocean?
.'The theory, Mr.. HILL ventured the news
paper man, lis that It will compel the rail
roads to cut down transcontinental, rates.
Theory exclaimed the transportatio
magnate with volcanic emphasis, sit was tn
theory that If we spent money enough on tn
Mississippi river we would do great thing
with the railroads. We are spending on thi