The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-07-06
Experts Say Lock Canal
Across .lsthmus. Is an
lmpossibility.
ZONE RAVAGED. BY
TERRIBLE DISEASES
Narrowing Conditions in Panama
Pointed Out BY One Of Engi-
neers Who Who Built Railway.
Grave Of Workman
for Every Cross
Tie on Road.
(From Our Regular correspondent.)

(From Our Regular CORRESPONDENT,
rs WASHINGTON y. c., July SIT is
said the members. of the Panama Canal
Commission have admitted privately of
course, that they are convinced thai
the construction OF a lock canal acrosa
the 1sthmus is an impossibility. The in
formation Is believed to be correct. It's
authoritative announcement would create
"a sensation, and would be fraught with
tremendous results. 1t Is not believed
( tilat iat the government would be willing to
undertake the elaormous task, involving
80 many years OF labor and the expendi-
ture ure OF so many millions of money. ~
digging sea level canal. II is bc,,eved
In some quarters that an annonncenen+
tnat only sea level canal is practicable
would cause the surrender Of thaT7 nro-a
oect to dig the canal across the Isthmus
ana possibly the adoption of the Nicara
guam route. 37 ''N''-f
~ pea leVel canal would not cost less
,nan ,1 SIX hundred million dollars. That
- me lowest estimate. Some of the es
inmates reach "a billion. AS a matter ~
ct 1act there Is nobody who knows how
much It would cost to dig sea level
canal, but that it would be, enormous
IS the testimony of every engineer who
mas examined the problem. There "a M
question that had Senator Morgan. whose
ilght 1or the adoption of the Nicar guam
route made him famous succeeded in
making the Congress take his view that
a 'ock canai could not be built through,
,nsn,as .'alus OF Panama. .ma. either the
-. .ler route would have been adopted
=. .ne government would not have under
taken the construction 81 an 1sthm,nn
/ canal. - r = t-s','iA'.1 : o.'A'i't
Conditions on,Isthrnus. v
z. gentleman Of fthis city. who was an
intimate friend OF one OF the enrinoers
VINO constructed the Panama Railway
olscussed sed IN an interesting manner -,
Gay the conditions which had to be- met
on the lsthmus and the obstacles which
completed. o'o "as
This engineer told me. ." said tho gan.
tleman referred to. "that It was. hiz har
est opinion that for every cross-t,e IN
.net road there was grave OF a work.
lngman who had succumbed to fever
Inc men who did the work ca me- fron,
europe and 1t finally became necessary "a
resort TO many schemes In order to in
duce Immigrants to face the climatic dan
gers, even though several dollars n day
was paid each laborer. REPRESENTATIVES
OF the construction company were kent
AT Castle Garden, and when a shiploaf1
VI { Immigrants came In the strangers
would pc pounced upon. and with offers
OF Dig wages ard easy hours were aoon
induced to board a vessel bound for IT, tta
1sthmus. The engineers estimated +ha
q "a porer would last thirty days. At tho
end OF that time he would be either dead
or on his way back to civilization. IN the
confident expectation OF soon round,ne
out his career by going to sleep In tia
family burying ground.
On one occasion a large party OF irish
Immigrants landed at Castle Garden. They
were fine looking fellows. and the agent
OF the railroad construction comnany
pounced on them at once. The party had
ieaaer' VINO was. quite willing to
take his companions where thew could
get several dollars a day In wases bmt
he declared he would have to 20 to chica 90
first to see his brother. whom he I'M not
seen for eight years The agent fold
him this was perfectly proper and on
tlrely satisfactory to the company thnr
tho vessel on which he would be- taken
to Panama would stop at Chicago ana
remain long enough for him to spend sev
eral hours with his long absent brother.
The 1rishman was satisfied with tho mr..
rangcment and took his mon aboard tho
steamer. In n few hours they were
bound for Panama. and the captain of
the vessel said the big leader was on
the lookout for the port OF Chicago md
his brother until the vessel dropped an
chor at the wharf in Panama harbor. In
less than two months he was dead"
Modern methods OF sanitation have i'm
proved conditions on the Isthmus but It
is believed that the rate at which for
eigners were dying OF yellow fever In
Panama had much to do with tho rcsIr.
nation OF Chief Engineer Wallace, Taken
all In all. the probability OF n shin canal
across the Isthmus OF Panama scarcelv
eyer anemed mora renaota thn., :. 4 ...,.-....,