The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-02-13
The Panama Canal.


mission in favor of the Panama
route, this long-pending question
seems to be rapidly approaching
a solution. A brief review, there
fore, of the present status'of the
subject is opportune.
All the world knows of the mil.
lions upon millions of money that
have been expended upon the
Panama Canal, and also that the
IVORY rome represents but a smah
proportion of the expenditure.
The troubles it has encountered
are of the past, but it was per-
haps in them, and in the fact that
it was inextricably involved tinan-
cially, that the Nicaragua route
took shape as possibly alterna-
tive. This, however, is now all
changed. The United States
Isthmian Canal Commission re-
ported to the government that in
their Judgment the work already
done on the Panama Canal would
be worth, towards its completion,
$4,000, 200, and the Panama Ca
nal Company has agreed to accept
this sum, so that now the point
to decide is, which, all things con
sidered, is the best proposition
for the United States-the Pan.
anna or the Nicaragua.
Naturally, the first thing that
attracts attention is the differ
ence in length of the two routes,
that of the Panama being 40 miles
and that of the Nicaragua 1S4
miles, but it must be borne in
mind that the latter uses Lake
Z caragua for a distance of SO
miles, thus reducing the total
length of canal to be constructed
to 1875 miles. The estimated cost
of completing the Panama Canal
is S144, 233, 900, and of the Nicara-
S1S9, 9,864,0 900.
AS to harbors, all the advant-
ages appear to be with the Pana-
ma route, as it has good harbors
at both ends, while the Nicaragua
has practically none at present,
and when built it is admitted they
will be inferior to those of the
Panama line, but as an offset to
this it is urged that it will have a
fresh water harbor in Lake Mica
ragua.
The engineering difficulties to
/ be overcome do not seem to be so
very unequal, for while the Mica
ragua has nothing so formidable
as the Culebra cut and the Bohio
dam, it has a greater number of
smaller propositions of a like
character. In alignment, which
is a matter of great Importance in
a ship canal, for frequency of
curves and shortness of their ra-
dii both operate to retard pro
gress and to increase difficulties
of steering, the shortest radius
on the Panama line is $500 feet,
while on the Nicaragua curves of
1900 feet radius are common.
The number of locks is another
point to consider, and here we
find that the Panama has five and
the Nicaragua nine, and as these
have very material effect upon
the operating expenses, we find
upon turning to the estimates
that they are greatly in favor of
| the Panama route.
Among other subjects that
should be carefully considered
are climate and the possibilities
of local traffic on the canals. Re
| garding the former, statements
seem to agree that there is not
much difference, though winds
are more prevalent at Nicaragua;
and the latter, that they are bet.
ter by the Nicaragua route; but
this is a minor consideration.
Italso appears that concessions
amounting to a cost of some &c.
100000 will have to be secured
for the Nicaragua route, while
with the Panama all concessions
are included in the purchase
price.
tits reasoned, however, by some
that in spite of the shorter length
of the Panama rOute that the time