The Washington times., 1902-02-07
SENATOR SCOTT FOR
The DARIEN ROUTE
Urges Investigation of San
Bias Canal Scheme.
CLAIMS MANY ADVANTAGES
Declares He Has No Wish to Obstruct
LeEisiation-Mr. Morgan Objects to
Delaying Action on the Resolution
Mr.. ScOtt's Reasons.

The Darien, or San Bias, interoceanic
canal route was before the Senate yester-
day, with Mr.. Scott of West Virginia as
introduced providing for a board to in
yestigate the route, and made a lengthy
argument in its favor.
1t is not necessary, Mr.. Scott said, to
urge the building of an interoceanic canal.
as both political parties, the commercial
world. and nearly every citizen of the
United States agrees that such a canal
should be constructed.
But. he argued. where it should
be located, upon what route the large
sum. of money necessary to dig it should
be expended, on a work that must last
for generations, meet every present and
future demand of commerce. and be
monument to the engineering skill and
commercial sagacity of this country. is
still an open question, and must remain
debatable until the merits of every avail
able route had been examined by COM
petent judges.
MIR. Scott's Efforts.
He has endeavored conscfentiously, he
said, to inform himself of the advantages
and disadvantages of the many lines ad
vocated by as many engineers. and this
study of the question has led him to be-
lieve that the San Bias, or Mandingo Bay.
route, as it is sometimes called, is the
only one that would meet every require
ment Of a nearly perfect inland water
way to connect the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans.
He stated that every report he has read
commends the harbors at either end of
this route the river along its line, and
the country through which it passes. but
because it involves the driving of a iun-
mel five miles long through the granite
of a mountain range wide enough and
sufficiently high to admit the passage of
a modern steam or sailing ship some en-
gineers, and especially those in the serv-
ice of the Government have pronounced
1t impracticable, without stating why the
construction Of the tunnel which 1t in
wolves is an insurmountable engineering
difficulty, but solely because of its pos
sible cost estimated on out date prices
for such work.
His Reasons Summed Up.
Mr.. Scott entered into the subject in an
exhaustive manner. He sums up his rea-
| sons for favoring the San Bias route as
follows: Its healthy location; its short
ness; its magnificent harbors. requiring
| little If any dredging to keep them open;
| total absence of locks, possibility OF
| working gangs of men night and day in
| the wet and dry, nothing sheltering them
| from the heat and rain.
Mr.. Scott stated his belief that as a
business proposition and with no intent to
delay canal legislation his resolution
should be agreed to.
Mr.. Morgan Objects.
At the close of Mr.. Scott's remarks at
o'clock he asked that the resolution be
allowed to remain on the table.
Mr. Morgan of Alabama. chairman of the
Isthmian Canal Committee. objected, and
moved that the resolution be referred to
that committee. He stated that General
SorreiI, the promoter of the San Bias
| route, has appeared before that commit
tee, and that subcommittee has been
appointed to investigate the matter. The
question of all the routes are tied to-
gether, and should be passed upon by the
Isthmian Canal Committee, he said.