The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-19

the line of the canal. even in the densest
parts of the jungles there are acres and
acres OF 1t that was Unloaded from the cars
and left to stand idle and neglected no at
tempt having been made 10 preserve II be-
yond coating the exposed bearing parts
with white lead.
This material includes drainage pipe Of
the largest diameter ever rolled. the piles of
which cover acres in the vicinity of Colon;
hundreds of locomotives, Belgian type;
pumps and all their appliances portable
and stationary engines; hosting derricks;
tripods and all the accessories for cable
ways; steam shOvels and other monster eX-
cars; huls and machinery for dredges and
scows; in short, more than generous sup
ply OF everything necessary and superfuous
device that the mind OF a gang of grafters.
bent on realizing commissions on contracts
placed at exorbitant prices. could think 20
purchase
ADVANTAGES WE SECURE.
This neutrality-suspicious. of it is less than
fifteen years old-is far from being avail
able, even after its renovation. Much of II
will be found obsolete in the light Of the re-
cent gigantic strides made in mechanical
devices Great quantities of it will, how
ever. be eagerly sought by the contractors
who will do the actual canal work. for por-
tions of it can certainly be used to almost
as good advantage as could newer and more
modern tools. The locomotives, for in
stance, need only oYerhauling 10 be made
serviceable, although they are antiquated
in style and of a foreign pattern. The
dumping cars too need only TO be pulled
out of the tangle of reeds and vines in
which they are now imbedded to be turned
TO seryiceable account. Out of the masses
of dredging machinery now on the ground
efficient dredges may be constructed by as
senbling unimpaired and servtceable parts.
The portable and stationary engines are
ready for use, and the portable hosting
derricks require little save new cars for
platforms.
From this it follows that besides the saw
ing in time the United States will realize
from the completion Of one-nfth OF the re-
CURED work there will be marked saving
in the cash outlay resulting from our abil-
ity TO turn available parts of this immense
stock Of machinery over the contractors,
thereby enabling them to hasten execution
Of their contract. These are advantages
possessed by the Panama route that in
fluenced the Walker Commission to prefer
this route over any other after the New
Panama Company consented 10 part with
tempting to show in any detail the superb
ority of Panama over Nicaragua a canal
route. My purpose is merely TO present
conditions here, where the work is well on
the way and much material on the ground.
These conditions are i'm themselves a
mighty argument in Panama's favor, for
surely il is simpler and will be quicker for
to complete a work already one-flfth
done than it would be for us to begin at
the very beginning. as we should have to
do at Nicaragua. with the enterprise here
In It's present state, American ingenuity
energy. honesty and determination can
complete the canal and open it to commerce
In shorter time than 1t took the French
or should the work involve an outlay equal
TO the French pilfering, we shall prove
| ourselves a sorry lot OF canal builders
MERRILL a LEAGUE.