Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 80, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 June 1899 — NICARAGUA CANAL ESTIMATES. [ARTICLE]

NICARAGUA CANAL ESTIMATES.

State Department Gives Abstract of Commission’s Report. The State Department has made public an official abstract of the report of the Nicaraguan canal commission as presented by Admiral Walker, the head of the commission. It is understood to be the intention, of the President to submit the full report to Congress at the beginning of the next session. The report goes into minute details with respect to the- construction of the canal, and says after mature deliberation the commission, has adopted' and estimated for the route from Brito to Lake Nicaragua, called Childs’ route, and from the lake to Greytown, called Lull route. The line leaving Brito follows the left bank of the Rio Grande to near Bueno Retire, crosses the western divide to the valley of the Lajas, which it follows to Lake Nicaragua. Crossing the lake to the head of the San Juan river, it follows the upper river to near Boca San Carlos, thence, in excavation, by the left bank of the river to the San Juanillo, and across the Low country to- Greytown, passing to the northward of Lake Sillico. It requires but a single dam, with regulating works at both ends of the summit level. To determine the proper unit of prices for excavation the average of prices actually paid to contractors on the Chicago drainage canal wore taken. To these prices certain percentages were added for the difference im location, climate, etc. The commission believes that a canal can be built across the isthmus on this route for not exceeding $118,113,790.