The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-06-04
Editor Of The Times Dispatch:

A Sea-Level Canal.
Editor Of The Times DispAtcll:
Sir,-As to whether the great lsthlnian
Gannl sllall be. u lock or n sea. level cana
cnnnos SEQ how there can be any oil,
ference of opinion among thoughtful ana ana
a an IN men who consider Wnni ,,rs
rs to the ships which are to pass through
When 7. think Of the progress IL the size
onty. years and the great advantage That
the Increase III size has given to the large
SHIP oyer the small one, IT seems ~ i IL
canal across tho isthrnus That. would be
less than $50 feet Wide in It's entire lcng n
and with from, four to six passing points
ana S0 es n9s 81 Less hd th" ME e set IaS
each It Is manifest that the oceai-going
ships OF the future Will be. from COO ,o
q fest lE9ng With from e 9ra 70 So 70
$4,000 tons displacement, and be able, to !,
about 9ne.hals the eoa used IN tie present 5 "a,
large ships. Hlley will be able. to carry 1pr
SO much less thnn the small ships nov y
used, that the latter will be driven from
the ocean, aud but few except the ocean .
goers Will care to go through tho cannl
Now It is not reasonable that any canal !
lock cnn DO made and successfully WORKED
that would readily allow such large sli Ds
10 any, ordinary lock would, be to hnndicnp
the building Of any large shlLs tnat w9u ~.
canal to Frisco IN eight Or ten days, an
roads the monopoly OF traffic for all tine
to st yoY ere e EonH yE 70 o"So va
the G' DO Of Of great rent benefit 10 the world
ut large.
on the great principal that no machine
IS stronger than Its weakest PONY, ~ ,t ~
Mr.. y p. shonts recently ut Atlanta has e.
said that they have, decided on ~, ~ =
foot Lowell look canal. Such EGanut1 is
clearly In the interest Of railroads, as u
Is certain that none Of the great ships
of the next five or. ten years can POSSIBLY
can carry cheaply.
The construction Of q seq, level ca a';,
through q swamp country liko INC ISL ~,
mus Of can He euS,
canal there will be an endless amount OF OF
rock work, the material OF when W9u y,
likely haze to be carried there, ana u, 4 u
the sen level there would DO none at a.
nothing but mud and earth cutting from
sea to son. The sen level could DO brought
into use when ut Is to 20 feet dcpth while
widened Without throwing away nearly all
the work that may have been done upon
= Inc SEQ level SEOulu nc utuctt atoot ~
meaning from 30 to % feet depth. winch
would be fairly sufficient,
Mr.. Shonts's statement that q nrgc ship
could BIO put through lock G nul mucn.
sooner than It could through u sea leV Vt.
Is clearly sadly of, for when Il large snip
entered the latter canal she would ma ke
no stop whatever. and would come out
on the Pacific terminus IN about three
the canal traction towing plan was
proncr one. ~ II
the great statetof New York has re-
Gently expended millions Of money ~ &c, en- =,
pose. for ocean steamers cant 70 through ,as.a
1t now, How much better It would nave
been for Michigan Illinois ark,,New YORK
canal and had lines Of big ships leaving
Chicago for Europe direct, without trans
shipment of cargo,
Guilty OF securing the labor to dig the sea
level canal that I desire to make the sug-
gestIon that theglahor can be had mere ~. N
America II Congress would would, maze M e. re-, rs
States for about % per cent Of their co m
vlc.s It would produce about 10 ooo or ~ G.o
laborers, and such force. WORKING ,l,, !, IN
day, would complete, sea level canal IL
Roose trso wo xs hT IS ost a
e to a it bn en on openg day.
hog and holnlny" and fair rations OF
whiskcy and tobacc
These luborers should be web treated
every way, and rewarded by Communication
OF service. Men who had from seven a 20
Years OF service, be liberated and re-
turned home and give 500 each TO- besin
life anew Congress should pass q law 70
twenty-five million dollars should be the
full cost of the labor bill for sea lever
canal. u I. . 4, \
There Is ever so much more that COW!
! hesitate to trespass on your space ana
patience elias. b IAChlCGt Z.
Manchester Va, May III, 1896.