Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1904-06-09
THE PANAMA CANAL.
Mollie Fsnnell.

N@~~sN @NFsse<ess
While the mind and thots Of the
general public are being directed te
the Orient, by the clash OF arms now
In progress there, the statesmen and
diplomats OF our own country are car
ryiDg into effect business project
which win rank among the great
wonders 0f the world, and lie It's tinal
result win afford advantage and con-
venience for either peace or war as
occasion may require.
The Panama Canal, which is des-
tined to unite two oceans and afford
passage for the largest OF sea going
vessels, has passed from period OF
speculation to the period OF realiza-
tion. Having settled all international
difficulties growing out OF acquiring
the canal route, our government Is
pushing the work to completion, ex-
pecting that the time required will
be about ten years, The Panama
Canal is not altogether o modern idea.
AS early as the fifteenth century ex-
plorers and spectators saw the adj
vantage 10 be gained by this isthmian
waterway, and some went SO far as TO
make complete survey OF the route
in the year 1880. In 1920 the project
was brought TO the attention OF Philip
III. OF Spain, who put temporary end
TO the affair by declaring TO the hope
ful promoters that the Almighty had
created an isthmus instead of q canal,
and it should so remain. From this
time the idea OF a canal lay dormant
for two and half centuries, until
Ferdinand de Lesseps OF France took
1t up and organized stock company
with capital of s266, ZOO, 900, estimate
ing the cost OF a sea level canal at
el6O, 00O, 900, and the time required for
its completion at eight years. Be
cause or the tremendous extravaganza
OF the ofiicials and employees OF this
company, 1t failed, both In it's pur-
pose and In its finances, in 1891, with
less than two-fifths of the work done. 1
The best and most expensive machin-
cry to be procured tn any land was
purchased by this company, and after
being distributed along the right OF |
way, 1t was left TO be ruined by. the
elements. Costly hotels, magnificent
residences and extensive hospitals are
all falling into ruin and becoming
guide posts OF De Lesseps' idle dream /
and Frances nightmare and delefium.
In 1894 the French courts authoriz-
ed new company TO be termed, aud
put into its possession the equipment \
and route belonging TO the De Lesseps'
From that time small \
force OF men has heen at work, but
the canal was allowed TO I'LL mp and In !
many places became almost obliterat-
ed. At this time our government
stepped In and for go, OOO, 900 bought I
the rights and title te the canal, the (
Panama railway and other properties /
in which France had invested. The /
cost OF completion is estimated at $50,
O00, 900 in addition to which our gov: I
eminent is to pay to the Republic of 1
Panama an annual rental of 1850, 900,
in seven years from the
ratification OF the treaty.
The canal will sever the Isthmus of |
Panama at its narrowest width, having
q linear length of forty three miles bys
land with an extension or three miles
into the Pacific. The cost Of the work
is estimated, according to the sections
tFaversed. the greatest cost being Ia thatE
parts known ~ the Culebra lKoota' bray
cut. covering . distance of some nine
miles and representing about oae-fourkh /
of the entire cost of the canal. Thek
direction taken by the canal is norsh-
west and southeast. The first fifteenf
miles Of the canal will be constructed AZ /
sea level. the next twenty-five miles
win have q maximum elevation Of SIXTY |
five and half feet above sea level which /
is reached by . system of locks placed At
Bohio and Pardo Miguel. Another mile !
and q half Is to be operated b. another
system Of locks, after which The way lis \
clear 10 the Bay Of Panama and the
Pacific. The water supply for operat
INK The locks and canal will be obtained \
from af immense reservoir constructed |
some eight miles northeast of the canal
right-of way BY damming the river
Chagres. This reservoir viii cover an
area of 5000 acres, will cost three and . |
half millions and an attempt with be |
made 70 complete il in i've years. At
the Atlantic end Of the canal lies the |
city Of Colon with ! population Of |
5000, seventy per cent Of whom are
negroes. At the Pacific end lies the
city Of Panama with Il. 900 inhabitants.
Neither Of these cities has good harbors.
The Colon harbor Is exposed 70 strong,