Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-25
UNHAPPY GREYTOWN.
There is Little Prospect Now That She
Will Ever Have a Good Harbor.

From the New York Sun
We have not heard how Greytown took
the news that the United States would not
build the Nicaragua canal, but it is not like
ly that any people more poignantly felt the
blow than the citizens of that place. They
had a splendid harbor once and expected,
through the building of the canal. that this
blessing would come to them again. Their
hopes however, were blasted; and Grey
town will continue to be merely a little port
that can be reached only by boats of very
small draught.
In January. 1890, the future City of
America" was soemnly founded on the
beach west of Greytown. The few struc-
lures that We're reared to mark the site are
doubtless still standing. Here was to be
the artificial harbor of the great inter-
oceanic canal which was to be directly con-
nected with the harbor of San Juan. This
harbor was to be greatly improved and it
was expected that the canal would have the
advantage OF two seaportS close together
But the City of America will never be
built. Without the canal there is no need
for it.
Years ago Greytown had a magnificent
port. 1t was well sheltered from the sea
and large ships sailed directly up to the
town. San Juan was a thriving place and
its commercial Importance promised to
gro" IRON year TO year. Inc vast BODY of
water coming down the San Juan river to
the sea constantly secured the channel into
the harbor and kept it open for large shin
ping. About thirty years ago. however. a
remarkable thing happened. There was an
unusually heavy flood in the San Juan and
1t had the effect to widen the entrance into
the Colorado branch of the delta streams
The water in the main river at San Juan
began to fall with great rapidity. The peo-
pie could not understand It, but they soon
learned the cause. The greater part of the
mood had turned out Of the main channel
and was racing down the Colorado. tearing
deepening the channel.
from that day to this most of the water
OF the San Juan has made its Way to the
sea through the Colorado branch. The slug
harbor has had the effect merely to choka
It with sediment and to build up a bar at
the harbor mouth. In the height OF the dry
season. when the river brings down a COM
from twelve to fifteen feet of water ON the
bar at the Colorado, while at Greytown the
outlet OF the river Is sometimes closed Alto
gether. No one had dreamed that such a
years the merchants OF Greytown were af
their wits end. They entertained the
project Of dredging out the channel again
ana bringing the river back to their town:
put little investigation showed that this
would be hercu1ean task and would cost
more money than 1t would take to move
the whole town to the Colorado, where BY
easily be made
1t happens that the mouth Of the Colorado
is In Costa RIGA. Now and then we hear of
the boundary dispute between Costa RIGA
and Nicaragua. There seems to be little
prospect that 1t will ever be settled and the
greatest bone of contention relates to the
outlet OF the noble San Juan, which was nm
d1sputabiy Nicaraguan river from foun-
tain head to the sea, till it suddenly took a
notion to pour most Of its waters into the
ocean just across the border In Costa RIGA.
So all the ships that go to Greytown have
TO lie on outside the harbor all ready to put
10 sea at moments notice II heavy
weather threatens. Many lives have heel,
lost while crossing this bar in small boats
between the steamers and the wooden
wharf OF Greytown. The citizens had the
utmost faith that the canal would be built
and that 1t would bring steamships and pros
perity TO their town. But the abandoned
harbor Is likely to remain almost useless |
and Bluefelds. farther north, will be the
chief Atlantic port Of Nicaragua.