Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-12-24
OF LAS VEGAS, N. N

Az most people are aware, the
chief promoter Of this project was
Ferdinand De Lesseps. whose great
success Ia completing the canal
through the Isthmus Of Suez. joining
the Mediterranean and the Red sea. Ia
Today n 81 the wonders Of modern
engineering In this line. Carried
away by his In the east, W
yenturcd To tackle the Panama ques
tion, and In the year 1878 obtained
from the existing government 81 co
iombia q concession To commence
work This concession. or rather III
transfer, Ii more or less the conces
sion upon which the American cana
treaty, known ms the Hay.Varilla con
yention Is now being put through, mol
with Colombia. but with the republic
OF Panama, which has lately thrown
or The yoke IL Colombia and formed
It'll separate government, which Is nov
being recognized by The whole civil
lied world.
De Lessepss Work.
1t was not. however, until The scar
1879 that ar inter- atlol.al congress ,ie
cided that Parama was feasible. Phi
or 10 this tiaia an American engineer
had obtained 4 previous concession
this was purchased BY De Lcsaeps ana
his associates. who Immediately set
to work 70 raise funds to start their
enterprise, but II was not until the
year 1880 that enough money was
raised 10 start the surveying and lay,
ing out Of the work preparatory 70
actual moving OF earth.
The plans al originally designed
showed that at q cost Of approximate.
" $4,000. 900 a canal " feet wide at
the bottom and % TO 80 feet In depth
of water could be constructed within
eight Of nine years.
This was TO have been a sea level
canal, but in the year 1887 or 1855
Il was changed 10 a system OF locks
and Val 50 being constructed when
the Lesseps company played out as
regards finances. and In 1889 the com,
pany was dissolved BY the French
government.
The Failure.
This financial crisis was, Ii was az.
terward proved. brought about BIZ Nh
exposure Of the biggest boodling scan
dnl that has ever been presented ID
the world, III which some Of the great
est statesmen and financicrs Of the
republic 81 France figured.
u was mol, however. until the year
1892 that Lesseps and bis son, together
with many other prominent men. we're
arrested and imprisoned, and curly ii
the following year they were tried and
found guilty of s~Windling and practic.
INK fraud and were sentenced 10 IN,
rious terms Of imprisonment and the
pay ment d various fines Hut Ferdl.
nand Lcsseps died of i paralytic stroke
before his sentence wa given out,
and Il Is generally believed that the
elder Lcsscps was merely tho tool 81
others.
Most Of The money thar was actually
spent was paid ont Or The construc.
tton 81 fine buildings for the accommo.
dation u the French engineers and
high officials engaged III the work No
attention WAS paid 70 sanitary matters.
consequently the laborera died BY
thousands, neglected and unpaid
Nearly $500. 900 900 was squandcred
on the work of Lesseps before Tile
French government interfered. The
whole work and plant were afterward
valued by 4 commission composed Of
French and foreign engineers III 500.
900 QUO, and 4 new Panama canal com.
pany was organized and given an
amended concession. and work was
again started and has been carried
on ~ ''fts and starts, up ii The pres.
eni time, but IL remained for some
foreign government q take tho matter
N hand and complete The work. and
that government Will undoubtedly be-
the United States Of America.
vlsit 10 the lsthmus.
4 d N 1889 that / first crossed
the isthmus Via The canal route, All
hi time Lcsseps was just closing ZIP
business, leaving millions Of dollars
worth % dredges. tughoats. scows. IN.
gines and cars. miles Of track. etc,
90 look after itself.
Notwithstanding that over thirteen
years have elapsed since then, there
r. n certain amount Of rolling stock,
fConetudsd ~ pan. roue