The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-11-23
w. G. Christian

, the track OF the railroad affords foot
passage across the isthmus. This jungle
is broken by spaces covered with water,
! The very appearance OF which provol1es
a shiver In the breast OF the beholder.
| Green, its surface notified with sli1lsy,
| dartiDg creatures. stagnant. repulsive,
with reptiles Of loathsome character sun
| ming on the higher spots, one glance at
i the sight tells the history Of the fate
of the Worlmen who tried to dig the ca
nal
The country is one grand insect nursery
Everything Is named FOR an insect or
! reptile. Cockroaches attain q size and
ferocity that is wonderful. 1t is neces
sary to protect the hands and feet dur
ing s.cep to prevent these creatures eat
ing off the nails to the quick. All other
varieties flourish, and their nocturnal
visits render the life of the visitor
burden.
1T took four days TO walk across the
~ miles of the isthmus. In that journey
[ became thoroughly familiar with the
country and with the proposed route of
the canal and the work that had been
done on 1t by the French company.
II was entertained at Colon by Colonel
Alfred G. Rives, the eminent engineer and
Colonel Rives was regarded as one Of
the greatest members OF his profession
that the United States ever produced. and
be had been employed by the French
government TO look after the canal work.
| also met there a son OF Captain Berk-
ley, Of this city. He was conductCsr on
the Panama railroad. Many other Amer
leans were there at that time, and ! SUP
pose there are even more now. 1t was
he idea of Colonel Rives to use the
Chagres river to fiji system of locks
across the isthmus and thus obviate the
difficulty Of cutting down the Cnebra
mountains, but the people in charge did
not undertake to carry out his plans
Advantage of Nicaragua.
"In my opinion. there is no question
as to the superiority of the Nicaragua
route over the Panama route. 1t is inf
nitely preferable. That part Of Nicara-
qua is a healthy land, where coffee plan
| tations are numerous and whore the PEG
pie can live In health and security. Where
The Panama canal viii be / have already
tried to tell you; it is perfect death
trap.
AT Colon the buzzards are so thick
they interfere with the people. They
walk sedately along the streets with tho
passors. they sit on the fences, they perch
on the roofs of the houses. and they are
in evidence wherever the eye turns. Peo-
pie are buried there twenty in a grave,
and ii is a common practice for the fam
fly of a deceased person to rent coffin
and take the dead one to tAe cemetery
in it. and when the funeral is concluded
10 return the coffin to the undertaken.
Panama is better than Colon in some
respects 1t is pleasauter there when
The breenes blow, and it is perhaps
a little healthier At both places all
the stores close at i O'Clock In the morn
ing and remain c.osed until in the af-
ternoon, while the inhabitants take their
seSta. No work is ever done in the
middle OF the day. and il it is at all damp
there is none done during the entire day.
TO return to the immediate subject
Of the canal, l will say that parts of it
that are already completed could be made
ready for use IN a short time and ~th
little expense What is done was done
in a mastery manner. There IS nothing
4hoddy about it; it is standard con-
struetion in every respect But IL VIII
require at the lowest estimate 100000.
600 tc reduce Cu.ebra 70 the level Of the
sea and cut a passage through its base.
l am not ~ engineer, but it is apparent
10 any sane observer that an enor-
nous amount of money win be required
10 complete the task 50 disastrously un-
dertaIen by France.
"And | want to say that there was
never such Belshazzars feast seen in
the world as Went on at the isthmus dur
ing the time work was being carried on
there. 1t passes human belief why
ono could scarcely walk ua0n the coast