t , v
10 Conservative *
THE NICARAGUA CANAL.
For seventy-five years the people of
America have boeii agitating the question
of an intor-oceauic canal , at frequent
periods. Each successive Congress since
1825 has spent more or less time in pre
paring bills , arranging treaties or direct
ing commissions for the investigation of
the subject. A singular infatuation
seems to have taken firm hold on the
nation , demanding a shorter route for
vessels between Atlantic and Pacific
ports. Prior to the completion of the
first railway across the continent there
was good reason for desiring this canal ,
for by clipper ships around Capo Horn ,
or a horseback ride across the plains
meant six months' loss of time , and
neither route had much the advantage
as a pleasure excursion.
Thirty-five years ago I was in the em
ploy of the Central American Transit
Company as a civil engineer , seeking a
route for a railway first , and proposed
canal for the future. The M. O. Rob
erts Steamship Line was at that time
carrying many passengers between New
York and San Francisco , connecting
with the Isthmian Transit Route at
Greyton on the Caribbean Sea and San
Juan del Sur on the Pacific. Light-
draft steamers which could ascend the
several rapids of the San Juan river
were employed on the eastern end of
the route. A lake steamer carried pas
sengers across Lake Nicaragua , lauding
them at Virgin Bay. From here over
a do/on miles of very rough , muddy and
steep mountainous trail the trip was
made by mules , many of them without
saddles. Rude ox-carts , the wheels cut
from a log , transported the baggage. A
week was required in the passage across
the Isthmus , and often the steamers on
the Pacific were delayed , lengthening
the time materially.
The Nlcaraguun Route.
Running transit lines over this West
ern mountain region through dense
jungles , thorny thickets and almost im
penetrable forests with numerous rep
tiles , noxious insects , continuous rains
in rainy season , left indelible impres
sions of the country during more than a
third of a century. Lake Nicaragua is
a beautiful sheet of water which has
always attracted the attention of those
seeking a canal route , but to east and to
west lies a rocky and mountainous re
gion of great extent , which will bafile
the skill of the best engineers in con
necting this placid lake with the two
oceans.
On the Caribbean Sea coast is a large
extent of swampy lands , miasmatic and
very dangerous to the health of those
who remain long in its influence. At
Gray town the San Juan river has poured
its tropic floods and carried silt forming
bars which effectually preclude vessels
from approaching the shore or entering
the river. Only at enormous cost can a
harbor be made and the same courses
which formed the bars must continue
the filling of the channel , for the tropic
rains will always bring down the earth
from the highlands and a continuous
expense of dredging will bo required.
A IJfo For Every Cross-Tic.
The death rate was terriflc while the
Panama Railway was under construc
tion. The threadbare story of a human
life sacrificed to each cross-tie laid in
the road was emphatically true.
The river steamers , drawing only
twelve inches when light for the pur
pose of passing over several rapids ,
transferred their freight by temporary
railway at Castillo Rapids , thirty-eight
miles east of Lake Nicaragua. Here the
river falls thirty feet in a quarter of a
mile. There are several rocky rapids in
San Juan river , and it will require enor
mous outlays of money and great labor
to construct a canal with locks and
dams.
It was currently reported in the coun
try that in 1849 , during the rush to the
gold fields of California , when heavily
loaded steamers , with emigrants and
their kits , reached these numerous cas
cades , where the water was only a footer
or so in depth , the men would all jump
overboard and walk up stream , along
side the boat , which , thus lightened ,
could pass over the shoals. On reaching
deep water , they would again get on
board and ride to the next shallow place.
In the hot , tropical sun their clothes
would soon dry , and no harm came of
the frequent wettings. The difficulties
on the Pacific side are only less formid
able because the distance is not so groat.
The Question of Dereii.se.
The race of the Oregon at the begin
ning of the Spanish war seemed to de
cide in the minds of the whole people
that this canal must be speedily com
pleted ; but it is by no means likely that
ever again will there be a similar combi
nation of circumstances demanding the
use of the canal. In case of war with
any European nation , we would require
a strong navy on each coast a squadron
on the Atlantic and another on the Pa
cific. The use of the canal would be the
first controverted point , and its protec
tion and defense become a drain on our
resourses greater that the entire defense
of the Pacific coast. The maintenance
of the canal after its construction must
far outweigh any possible benefits.
Various schemes have been devised by
capitalists for constructing this canal ,
but , invariably , the United States Gov
ernment is asked practically to build it
and give those men the proceeds. No
private capital will ever develop this
project without great aid from the Gov
ernment , since it is well known that it
will not bo sufficiently remunerative.
Estimates Vary.
The estimates made as to the cost of
construction vary as greatly as the
number of engineers that have pro
nounced on the cost , saying from $60-
000,000 , by Mr. Monacal , to $140,000,000 ,
by Gen. Hains. Admiral "Walker's esti
mate was $115,000,000.
There are so many problems which
enter into the computations as to cost , a
distant tropical locality , streams bearing
vast quantity of silt , a country always
in revolution , etc. , that any estimation
of expenditure must be largely guess
work. This is seen by the numerous
calculations made by eminent engineers ,
no two of whom agree within several
millions of dollars. Before its com
pletion there is no doubt that somebody
or people will have parted with $300,000-
000 , with a never-ending expense for
maintenance. The Panama scheme has
already sunk such incredible sums that
those in charge would gladly unload on
this people and yet scarce a beginning
has been made.
A Few Questions.
Of what possible benefit could the
canal be to any citizen of Indiana or the
interior Middle States ? A few mer
chants in the Atlantic cities and some on
the Pacific would reap a benefit at the
expense of the entire Nation. It would
not facilitate the movement of a single
pound of freight to or from Indiana or
the Middle States. It would not benefit
a farmer , since his productions go in
other directions , nor yet a manufacturer
who must ship his goods to one seaboard
before they would be benefited. Im
provements constantly going on in rail
way equipments with better tracks , ere
this canal could be completed , will de
crease the freight rates on long hauls
and enable them to compete with ocean
traffic. In case of a war , our railways
are entirely within our control , which
could not be the case with the canal.
JOHN P. BUOWN.
Counersville , Indiana.
BOND SUBSCRIPTIONS.
NEBRASKA CITY , NEB. , May 6th , 1886.
To the signers of the Guaranteed
Bond given to J. Sterling Morton as
Trustee for Donors to Trans-Missouri
Packing & Provision Company.
DEAII Sius : I herewith submit to you
a statement of the amount subscribed to
the Trans-Missouri Packing and Pro
vision Company ; the amount collected
by the treasurer ; the amount still un
paid and the balance due me as Trustee :
AMOUNTS SUBSCRIBED/
J. Sterling Morton , - - $250
Neb. City National Bank , - "
D. W. Simpson , - - "
H. H. Bartliug , - "
F. W. Rottman , - - "
H. F. Cady , "
Merchants National Bank , - '
Thos. Morton , - - "
O. B. Biokel & Son , - - "
R. Lorton & Co. ' - - 200
Sohmiukes & Reiber ,
