The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-01-17
t with men who had quit De Lesseps'

condition than when they commenced and
wanted to continue on the work.
During the building of the first nine
mile of the Panama railroad many lives
were lost.
! Except for the Gains at Panama ana
the winds at Nicaragua, the conditions
were very similar
las the clearing for the right of wav
was extended in Nicaragua, the winds
seemed to blow stronger and stronger
| through the opening in the forest. The
men suffered little from the heat. Their
work was fairly efficient and the urit
labor cost was no more than in the
United States.
For the eastern end of the Nicaragua
| Canal there would be an abundance of
labor from Jamaica and the West Indies,
| and for the western end an abundance
| from the Central American States.
| Il have 10 doubt whatever that within
a year alter commencing work on the
western end of the canal, a contractor
who understands the conditions could
| have 10000 men from the Central Ameri-
can States on the work at reasonable
wages, and that without great expense
or trouble.
| "At Panama 1 believe the labor ques-
ton will be most serious from every
point of view.
| so much as to health
las to the engineering features.
| All commissioners except the last one
1 have reported strongly in favor of Nj
caragua. The last commission did not re-
port strongly in favor of Panama 1t did
not even recommend it at quite the price
now proposed to be paid. 1t reported that
| there We're no special engineering diff
ficulties in Nicaragua
| cat Panama, on the contrary, no one
knows yet how to put in the foundations
of the Chagres dam. No one can foretell
whether the artificial lake will hold
enough water for unusually dry seasons,
nor how fast the lake will silt up. We
know that many of our western artificial
irrigation lakes silt up rapidly and be-
come useless.
| In Nicaragua there is a beautiful great
lake with a hundred stream running into
it and only one running out, which the
canal will utilize.
'"The canal route uses the lake for
seventy miles. For sixty miles of that
distance vessels can go at full speed.
They can do the same on some stretches
| Of the river, where even now, without
any dam, the river is so feet deep and
| / 900 feet wide, and without too great ex-
pense nearly the whole of the river part
can be so Strengthened that vessels can
go at good speed in it. This improve
ment could be made gradually from year
| to year while the canal is in USE The
actual canal part in Nicaragua is shorter
than in Panama.
"On the Nicaragua route there is deep
water close to both ends of the canal.
cat Panama a canal without a lock
need not be thought of. 1t can never be
physical possibility because OF the high
tides At least a tidal lock would be
required and as many vessels can go
| through eight locks in a year as can go
| through one.
panama Bay is funnel-shaped like the
Bay of Fundy. The incoming waters are
compressed until the average rise and
| fall is about 10 feet.
sat the Pacific end of the Nicaragua
Canal the tide is only or 8 feet high.
"a syndicate of experienced and re
sponsible contractors was ready tot make
| lump sum bid within the estimate, to
such syndicate will ever made a bid to
| build a canal at Panama. There are too
many difficulties and uncertainties there.
Responsible men value their own and
| their employees lives too highly to take
such extraordinary risks. The head OF
| the American concern which did the most
and best work for the De Lesseps Compa-
| ny lost his life by fever on the Panama
Isthmus De Lesseps himself would never
spend even one night on shore.
For the thousands of French engineers
who came there the Isthmus was simply
u graveyard and all that notwithstand-
! ing the fact that the French company
| srent many millions for sanitary arrange
ments. They are as good sanitary engin.
GERS as the American, but they could not
bring in pure air to displace the stag.
nant air.
Neither can Americans.
THE result of my experience is that
would undertake a contract on any part
| of the Nicaragua Canal, but / would not
touch work at Panama at any price.
Much of Nicaragua is pleasant and
productive, and a great international city
would grow up on the western shore of
the lake.
THE State of Panama is mostly bar
rem waste of swamps and mountains.
1T would be a pity now to choose the
worse route for the canal on account of
| temporary political or financial circum-
stances.
81 am sure that the great majority of
all who have studied the two routes
carefully, consider the Nicaragua route
1.-THE better beyond any question.
''Of course the arguments in favor OF
| the shorter line via Nicaragua and the
inability to use sailing vessels via Pana
ma are we'll known.
Is it not better, if we wish canal
any time soon, to demand that Mr.. Roose.
Welt dig the canal via Nicaragua, as di
rectcd to do by Congress upon failure TIC
make treaty with Colombia?
l am writing, however, in the knowl-
edge of the fact that enough Democratic
Senators will vote with the Republican
to ratify the treaty. l believe every on