Year: 1879

length, which, as the line was rum there would
be ls.7oo feet of tunneling and dam 80 feet high at
It's moush--ail which may be greatly modified on
final location.


..FifA-The Panama route has GOOD harbors at each
END, which require but little deepening and protect
ing to make them perfectly commodious and secure.
The Nicaragua route has no harbor on the Atlantic
sioe. and only an open roadstead on the Pacific.


StaM-Ater being constructed there would be
but AZ miles of canal to be maintained on the
Panama route against IsI miles on the Nicaragua
route; or more precisely deducting that part OF the
Lake Nicaragua line which is in deep water the conf
parson VIII stand AZ miles for Panama against l3l
miles for Nicaragua which is consideration of tho
frst Importance as the expense Of maintenance s
will be about IN proportion to the length OF the
spectlve canals


Sl30,044450."


.But it is said that the Panama routo ia the most
insalubrious Is 1t SOP


"a great deal of misconception on this question
grown out Of the early experience of emigra-
ton to California by way OF Chagres. and the tenn
porary settlement at that place, which was really
very unhealthy spot. also from the many exaggerated
stories of the number OF lives lost in the construc
tion of the Panama Railroad do not suppose there
is much difference in the climate of Asinwal and
Greytown between the valleys of the Chagres aud
San Juan ASers Certainly there would be less cx-
posurc OF the worknen to the climate from twenty
six miles of the Chagres River than from 10S miles
of the San Juan"


"How about the rainy season?"


"rhe rainfall is very heavy at Aspinwall. and





Ammen. in his address to the Paris Congress, com.
pares the rainfall in the interior of Nicaragua for
year-evidenty dry year-with that of Aspin-
wall on the coast for series of years. Had he COM
pared the rainfall ut the two coast towns, Aspinwall
and Greytown. he would probably nave founj tho
difference in favor OF the former. More ranfalls at
Aspinwall than in the interior of the Isthmus of
Panama, much more than at the city of Panama on
the Pacific. and doubtless more falls in the interior
of the Isthmus OF Panama than in the interior Of tho
Isthmus of Nicaragua. but not usually the great
difference that was described by Admiral Ammen
bOt
have their rainy seasons. and both are subject to
malaria diseases. On the whole then. Is 1t not clear
that the decision OF the Paris Congress in of
the Panama route. III preference to the Nicaragua
route, was correct?'


"This decision. in order to become effective.
quires the consent of the Panama Railroad Com
pany, to be sure Article of the contract between
this company and the Columbian government pro-
vides that while the said privilege continues in
force the government shall not have the power Of
undertaking for itself nor permitting any person to
undertake, without the concurrence and consent of
said company. the opening working OF any
maritime canal which may unite the two oceans
across the said Isthinus of Panama to the west Of
the line of Cape Tiburon on the Atlantic, and
ans that the rsh which RS Is
conceded to the company to give its con-
sent does not extend to its opposing the
construction of canal across the Isthmus OF Pam
Except on the actual route OF the railroad it.
self. but only to its exactng an equitable price for
such privilege, and as ndemnifcation for the dam
ages which the railroad company may suffer by the
rivalry or competition OF the canal And article
j OF the Wyse-SulRar contract Tor the construc
tion of the canal provides as ws-'Should the
of the canal to be constructed from to
to the west and north OF the ideal direct
line which joins Cape Tiburon to the point called
Garachine, the grantees shall amicably
range with the Panama Railroad COMPANY
or pay it an indemnity, which shall be
regulated according to the conditions laid down by
tine law, &C., relating to the construction OF liuo
OF railroad from one ocean to the other by way Of
the Isthmus Of Panama. Hence the Panama Rail-
road Company must be settled with before Mr..
Lesseps will have the right to turn up the first SOD
by which he proposes to inaugurate the construc-
ton OF the canal in December next. The canal
not be built between Navy and Panama bays, except
at great expense. without infringing upon not only
Railroad at certain points. The line that was run
over that route tor canal by Mr.. MenocA!.
under the direction of Commander Lull, was
evidently with view to avoid the line
Of the railroad. and hence it encounters much moro
difficult gro und than that by the railroad,
and the expense of constructing canal ON that line
will be much greater than on line run without ref
to the rights of the railroad company taking
the best line to be found on the route, with the
derstanding that the railroad must be invaded ut
certain points and must be paid for in full by the
canal company, which Is the most economical way
of dealing with this matter. For the railroad Will be
useless after the canal Is completed and in operation,
and the difference III the cost of constructing the
canal on the two lines will more than pay tor it"


"The reporters at the Paris Congress mentioned q
modified plan of Lieutenant Wyse for canal by the
Panama route as having been adopted by the Con-
gress. what was that %


"rhat seemed to refer to plan Of low summit
level and few ocks--something between his frat
proposed sea level plan and Mr.. MenocaI's plan for
summit 124 feet above mean tide level. The only
feasible plan for obtaining lower summit level s
to cross the Chagres River by means OF aqdeduct
ut lower point than that selected by MIR. Menocal.
By crossing the river at Barbacoas, where the rail-
road crosses it, which is miles below Mr. Men,
oca's proposed crossing, the summit level nay bo
reduced to leo feet above mean tide level. At Mar
mia, four miles below Mr.. Menocals proposed cross
ing, summit level my be Obtained of lU7 feet, or
1U7 63 .eet above tide level which s the height
given tor Lake Nicaragua; and this per
haps. is all the modification that should DO
attempted. OF course it is desii able much
lockase as possible. Asummt level of 1O7 feet above
mean tide level would save seventeen feet on each
side over NJ. Menocals summit of ia feet-thirty-
tour feet in ALL but at increased cost Of
sisoo0.00O. 1t is. therefore. matter for serious
consideration


Wouldn't tunnel be neededy'


"No tunnel will be required on this route
with the reduced summit. tunnel OF half u milo
more in length could adopted but through
cut will be cheaper. Assuming the summit level at
1U7 feet above tide level. ten lift locks will be
required each side of 10 70 feet lift each. aud
tide lock in Panama Bay. making twenty-one locks
in all"


where could the necessary stone be procured?"


"1he line of the Panama Railroad Is wanting in
hard building stone which also will be wanting in
the construction OF the canal. large quarry at
Bujio Soldado. fifteen and one-half miles from
Aspinwall, has supplied the greater part of tho
building stone used on the railroad. 1t is sandstone,
soft. butsound, and be quarred large sizes 1t
has been used In large way the railroad in the
construction OF bridge abutments and piers drains,
wharves and other works, and. after twenty years
exposure shows no signs of deterioration There is
another quarry at San Pablo near the middle of the





in the abutments and piers OF the large bridge over
the Chagres River, at Barbacoas, and for other
works, but it has not proved durable tho
stone from the Bujio Soldado quarry. Near Paraiso
station, on the Pacific SLOPE nine miles from Panama.
is quarry of hard trap rock--columnar basalt-whch
has furnished material for balasting that portion
OF the railroad, also backing tor masonry of drains
and bridges. On account OF its columnar formation
1t does not afford large stone. but better material
could be desired for concrete. for which purpose 1t
will no doubt play important psrt in the masonry
of the canal. Limestone. suitable for dimension
stone, is to be found in quantity up the Chagres
River just above the mouth of the proposed feeder,
and above that are found various grades OF lime
stone and marble that by the feeder
at an early period all the material of this kind that
may be required can be readily procured


MOST DIFFICULT PROBLEM.


"One or the most difficult questions for solution
connected with the construction of the canal Is that
OF procuring aborers suitable to the climate and the
work. is II noty'


"Unqucstionably it is Europeans break
down there OF the white race Canadians and those
from high northern latitude stand the climate best.
The disastrous experience of the Panama Railroad