The Hillsboro argus., January 23, 1902, Image 4

CHAPTER I.
Below, a great broad stretch of ocean,
ralm death, slumbering placidly be
aeath the sun's hot rays; above, a sky of
palest a sure, flecked here and there by
dainty masses of soft, fleecy clouds; and.
far inland, a background of high hills,
clothed with a tender foliage, very baby
lesfdom. just bursting into the fuller life.
Toward the west the trees give way a
little, letting a road be seen, that like a
straight pale ribbon runs between the
greenery for the space of quite a mile or
so, and then reaches the small fishing Til
lage where the simple folk of Glowring
Deatley toil from one year's end to the
other, some in careless joy, some in cease
less labor, some, alas! in cruet weeping,
because of those "who will never com
back to the town."
Along the white road, that gleams
thirstily in the burning sunshine of this
hot midday in June, a carriage is crawl
ing with quite an aggravating slowness
an antiquated vehicle of a type now al
most unknown, bat which once beyond
doubt "cost money." The carriage, being
an open one, enables the people it
passes through the Tillage to see without
undue trouble that the occupants of it are
two girls; both very young, both singular
ly alike, though in distinctly different
styles.
"It is charming!" says the younger giri.
with a little quick motion of the hand
toward the aweeping bay, and the awak
ening trees, and the other glories of the
landscape. "All charming, far better
than I ever dared hope for; and yet my
mind misgives me. Vera."
She turns a brilliant glance on her sis
ter, full of terrible insinuations, and then
laughs a little. Thus animated, she is a
very pretty girl, half child, halt woman,
as fresh as the morning, and with eyes
like stars. She lifts one slender black
gloved hand, and placing it beneath her
Bister rhln tnmi hop far mnflr til hip
Such a beautiffl race! Very like the
riante one beside it, yet unlike, too. There
is a touch of sadness round the lovely
lips, a mournful curve; indeed, a thought
fulness too great for her years is stamped
on every feature. A tender, loving, yet
strong soul shines through the earnest
eyes, and when she smiles it is reluctant
ly, aa if smiles all her life bad been for
bidden to her.
"Oh! that reminds me," said Miss Dy
aart "I quite forgot to tell yon of it,
but the day before -we left Nice, Nell
Stewart said that this cousin yon speak
of. if he does exist at all, at all events
does not do it here."
"Which means r
"That either he won't, or can't, life
with his rather. Can't. Nell rather led
me to believe."
"Can't it is, yon may be sore," says the
younger girl, restlessly. "Fancy a father
whose son can't live with him! And yet,
after all, virtuous astonishment on that
score is rather ont or place with us. I
can imagine just such a father."
"Well, never mind that," says Miss Dy
sart, hastily.
"Yes. Very good; let us then go from
ire to uncle." says her sister with a lit
tle shrug. "Do you think we shall gain
much by the change? Thia old relative of
ours is, perhaps, as delightful as we could
wish him, and yet I wish father had not
left aa to his tender mercies." t ,
"Do not dwell on that," says Vera,
with nervous haste; "do not seek for
faults in the inevitable, lie is all that is
left as. lou know the sadden decision
arose ont of a letter received by father
irom uncle uregory about a year ago.
When father was was dying " She
pauses abruptly, and a tremor shakes her
last words.
The younger girl turns quickly to look
at ber. There is infinite love and com
passion in her glance, but perhaps a little
contempt, and certainly a little impa
tience.
"Do yon know," she saya, "it may seem
heartless positively coarse, if you will-
bat 1 do not think our father was a man
to excite respect, much less love or regret,
or "
"Oh! it is better not to speak like that."
Interrupts Misa Dysart in a low, shocked
tone. "Don't do it, darling. I know
what you mean, but "
"And I know that I shall never forgive
or forget the life be led you, says Grisel
da, with a certain angry excitement.
"Well, that is over!" says Miss Dysart,
witn a quick sign, heavily indrawn.
What was this vendetta, thia terrible
lifelong quarrel that was kept up be
tween turn and father with auch monoton
ua persistency?"
"That had to do with our grandfather's
will. Papa was the eldest sod, yet the
property , was left to Uncle Gregory; and
that for no reason at all. Naturally, papa
waa very angry about it, and accused
Gregory of using undue influence."
"Just so, and of course there is a good
deal behind that you don't know. There
always is; nobody ever tells quite every
thing. And besides Oh! Oh, Vera!
Oh! what has happened?"
Griselda clutches in an agonized fashion
at the leather aide of the crazy old
chariot, . which has toppled over to the
left side and stands in a decidedly dissi
pated position. The ancient driver, pre
sumably asleep, had let the horses wan
der at their own sweet will, and they be
ing old and sleepy, too, the result was
that they had dragged two of the wheels
op on a steep bank and nearly capsized
the carriage.
"Oh, thank yon," saya Miss Dysart,
leaning forward and addressing with earn
est glance and heightened color the young
man who had risen descended, perhaps,
founds pleasanter and more orthodox
like a good angel from somewhere the
wood on their right, no doubt. A fishing
rod, lying on the road where he had flung
It when preparing for hia ignoble battle
with those poor old horses, proclaims the
fact that he has been whipping the stream
that gleams here and there brilliantly
through the interstices of the trees.
"Ob, no," says be, lifting his hat, "you
mustn't thank me. It was really nothing.
Poor brutes, I think they were asleep;
they It is hot, isn't it?" This last he
ays hastily, as if ashamed of his ani
madversion on the age of the sorry cattle
In question their horses, no doubt; and
there is something wonderfully charming
In the faint apologetic color that springs
into his cheeks. As he finishes speaking
be looks at Oriselda so hard that she feels
It incumbent on her to return his glance
and to suy something.
"We thought our last hour had come,'
she says, laughing softly, and looking at
him a little shyly, but so prettily. "But
for you, one cannot say where we should
he now."
She bows to him, and so does her sis
tor nnlte as arraeioiislv. and then the
hnrsM once more commence their snail
... . j; ki.n,iil. tl,,. ilii.t
road at the rate of three miles aa hour.
The little episode is over; the young man
settles his soft hat more firmly on his
head, picks up his rod. regards it anx
iously to see that no harm ha come to
it. and disappears once more into the
shelter of the cool wood.
Half an hour later they are at the en
trance gate of Greycourt, and practically
at their journey's end. Both girls, with
an involuntary movement, crane their
necks out of the carriage to get a first
glimpse at their future home, and then
turn a dismayed glance on each other.
Anything more dreary, more unfriendly,
yet withal grand in its desolation, could
hardly be seen.
"Uow dark it is." says Griselda, a
nervous thrill running throush her, as
they move onward beneath the shade of
the mighty trees that clasp their arms
between her and the glorious sky thus
blotting it out.
A sudden turn brings them within view
of the house. A beautiful old house ap
parently, of red brick, toned by age to a
duller shade, with many gables, and over
grown in parts by trailing ivy, the leaves
of which now glisten brightly in the even
ing sunshine.
The coachman, scrambling to the
ground, bids them in a surly tone to
alight. He ia tired and cross, no doubt,
by the unusual work of the day. And
presently they find themselves on the
threshold of the open hall door, hardly
knowing what to do next. The shambling
figure of a man about seventy, appeared
presently from some dusky doorway, he
waves to them to enter the room, and
shutting the door again behind them with
a sharp haste, leaves them alone with
their new relative, Uregory Dysart.
CHAPTER II.
Vera, going quickly forward, moves to
ward an armchair at the upper end or
the room in which a figure is aeated. She
sees an old man, shrunken, enfeebled,
with a face that is positively ghastly, be
cause of its excessive pallor; a living
corpse, save for two eyes that burn and
gleam and glitter with an almost devilish
brilliancy.
"So you've come," he saya, without
making any attempt to rise from his
chair. "Shut that door, will yon? What
a rile draught! And don't stand ataring
like that, it makes me nervous."
His voice is cold, clear, freezing. It
seems to the tired girls standing before
him as if a breath of icy air had suddenly
fallen into the hot and stifling room.
Vera, I presume," says Mr. Dysart.
holding ont his lithe white hand to permit
her to press it. "And yon are Griselda?
I need not ask what lunatic chose your
names, as I was well acquainted with
your mother many years ago."
"I feel that I must think yon at once.
Uncle Gregory, for your kindness to ua,"
says Miss Dysart, gravely, still standing.
"Ay, ay. Yoo acknowledge that," aays
he, quickly. "I have been your beat
friend, after all, eh?"
i "You have given ns a home," continues
Miss Dysart, in tones that tremble a lit
tle. "But for you "
"Tea, yes go -on." He thrusts out his
old miserly face aa if athirst for further
words. "But for me you would both
have been cast upon the world's highway,
to live or die as chsnce dictated. To me,
to me yoa are indebted for everything.
You owe me much. Each day you lire
you shall owe me more. I have befriend
ed you; I have been the means of saviug
you'from starvation."
If so corpse-like a face could show signs
of excitement it shows it now, as he seeks
to prove by word and gesture that he is
their benefactor to an unlimited extent.
The hateful emotion he betrays raises in
Griselda's breast feelings of repugnance
and disgust.
"I have consented to adopt you," he
goes on presently, his cold voice now cut
ting like a knife. "But do not expect
much from me. It is well to come to a
proper understanding at the start, and
so save future argument. Honesty has
made me poor. You have been. I bear,
accustomed to lead a useless, luxurious
existence. Your fa;her all his life kept up
a most extravagant menage, and, dying,
left you paupers."' He almost hisses out
the last cruel word.
Griselda starts to her feet.
"The honesty of whirh yon boast is not
everything," she says, in s burning tone.
"Let me remind you that courtesy, too.
has its claims upou you."
"Hah! The word pauper is impleading,
it seems," says he, unmoved. "Before we
quit this point, however, oue last word.
You are beneath my roof; I shall expect
you to conform to my rules. I see no one.
I permit no one to enter my doors save
my son. I will not hare people spying
out the nakedness of the land, and specu
lating over what they are pleased to call
my eccentricities. Tbey will bare me
rich, but I am poor, poor, I tell you. Al
ways remember that.
Griselda's features hariug settled them
selves into a rather alarming expression,
Miss Dysart hurriedly breaks into the
conversation.
If you will permit us," she says, faint
ly, "we should like to go to our rooms, to
rest a little. It has been a long journey."
Her uncle turns and touches the bell
near him, and immediately, so immedi
ately as to suggest the idea that she has
been applying her ear to the keyhole, a
woman enters.
"You are singularly prompt,
with a lowering glance and a sneer. "This
is Mrs. Uruncn, turning to tera, my
housekeeper. She will see to your wants.
Grunch, take these young ladies away.
My nerves," with a shudder, "are all un
strung to the last pitch."
Thus unceremoniously dismissed, Miss
Dysart follows the housekeeper from the
room, Griselda baring preceded ber.
Through the huge dark ball and up the
wide, moldy staircase they follow their
guide, noting as they do so the decay
that marks everything around.
She flings wide a door for the girls to
enter, and then abruptly departs without
offering them word or glance. They are
thankful to be thus left alone, end in
voluntarily stand still and gaze at each
other. Vera is very pale, and her breath
is coming rather fitfully from between her
parted Hps.
"He looks dying," she says, at last,
speaking with a heavy sigh, and going
nearer to Griselda, as if unconsciously
seeking a closer companionship. "Did yon
ever see such a face? Don't you think
he is dying?"
"Who can tell?" says Griselda. I
might think it, perhaps, but for bis eyes.
They" she shudders "they look as if
they couldn't die. What '.erribie eyes
tbey are! and what a vile old man alto
gether! Good heavens! how did he dare
so to insult us! I told you, Vert" with
rising excitement "I warned yoa that
our coming here would be only for evil."
A moiueut later a knock cornea to the
door.
"Will you be pleased to come dowa
stairs or to have your tea here?" de
mands the harsh voice of the housekeep
er from the threshold.
"Here" i on Vera'a lips, but Griselda,
the bold, circumvents her.
"Down stairs," she saya, coldly, "when
we get some hot water, and when you
send a maid to help ua to unpack our
trunks."
"There are no maid In this house,"
replies Mrs. Grunch, sullenly. "You must
either attend to each other or let me help
you." '
"No maids!" saya Griselda.
"None," briefly.
"And my room? Oh ia thia mine, ot
Misa Dysart'?"
"Roth yours and Misa Dysart'a: sorry
if it ain't big enough," with a derisiv
glance round the huge, bare chamber.
"You mean, we are to have but one
room between ns?"
"Just that. miss. Neither more nor
less. And good enough, too, for those
as "
"I,eave the room," say Griselda. with
-a sudden, sharp intonation, so unexpect
ed, so withering, that the woman, after
a surprised stare, turns and withdraws.
CHAPTER III.
A few days later the girla are sitting
in the garden. It ia a beautiful day.
Even through the eternal shadows that
encompass the garden, and past the thick
yew hedge, the but beam ot the sun are
stealing. "
"A day for gods and goddesses," cries)
Griselda, springing suddenly to her feet,
aud flinging tar from her on the green
sward the musty volume she had purloin
ed from the mustier library about an hour
ago.
"Perhaps I'll never come back. The
spirit of adventure ia full upon me, and
who knows what demous inhabit that un
known wood? So, fare thee well, aweet,
my love! and when you see me, expect
me." She presses a sentimental kiss up
on her sister's brow, averring that a
"brow" ia the only applicable part of her
tor auch a solemn occasion, and runs
lightly down toward the hedge. -
She runs through one of the openings
in the hedge, crosses the graveled path,
and. mounting the parapet, looks over to
examine the other aide of the wall on
which she stands, after which she com
mences her descent. One little foot she
slips into a convenient hole in it, and then
the other into a hole lower down, and so
on and on, until the aix feet ot wall are
conquered and she reaches terra firms,
and finds nothing between her and the
desired cool of the lovely woods.
With a merry heart ahe plnngea Into
the dark, sweetly scented home of the
giant trees, with a green, soft pathway
under her toot, and, though ahe know It
not, her world before her.
It ia an entrancing hoar. She has stop
ped short in the middle ot a broad, green
space encompassed by high hills, though
with an openiug toward toe west, when
this uncomfortable conviction grows clear
to her that she is lost. She is not of the
nervous order, however, and keeping
good heart looks hopefully around her.
Far away over there, in the diatanco,
atands a figure lightly lined against thi
massive trunk of a sycamore, that most
unmistakably declare itself to be a man.
Hia back is turned to her, and he ia bend
ing over something, and, so far aa ahe can
judge thus remote from him, his clothing
i considerably the worse for wear. A
gamekeeper, perhaps, or a well, some
thing or other of that sort. At all events
the sight ia welcome as toe early dew.
(To be continued.!
TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILROAD.
It Kan Tbroogh a Fertile. Valley mad
Beautiful Country.
Somehow I had formed the Idea that
Siberia waa, In the main, a mountain
ous, broken, barren and even sterile
country, covered with forest which
oirfuiou, I am Inclined to think, la some
what generally entertained In the west.
Nothing could be further from the fact.
Of all the surprise met with in my
somewhat extensive travels, Siberia is
the greatest As a whole, It contains,
perhaps, the largest continuous area
of level lands on the globe. Excepting
spurs of the great Altai range of
mountains fringing Its southern bor
der, and cutting occasionally toftome
distance northward into Sioerui the
entire western half of the country Is
exceptionally level, almost to flatness.
It would not lie far from the fact to
say that for 2,000 miles east of the
Ural mountains, and extending to the
Arctic sea, Siberia ia almost as level
as toe ocean. In over 1,000 miles I do
not believe the grade of the railroad
varied 300 feet, and in many places it
-is as straight as an arrow, without the
slightest curve, for forty or fifty miles.
Indeed, there is one stretch of perfectly
straight road for 110 versts, or nearly
eighty miles.
Along the whole line there Is the
moKt luxurious growth of grass I bave
wen in any country. There are many
rarlutlps, some like the native blue
mem of the- West, and one variety that
In apiienrnnce seemed closely allied to
the Kentucky blue grass. Judging
from the superb couditlon of the anl
malti tlmt graze upon them, they must
all bo of the most nutritious nature; it
is, therefore, not only one of the finest,
but by far the largest grazing region
in existence. If fully utilized, I believe
Siberia could furnish the beef supply
for the world.
Although the winters In Siberia are
very coid, they are not especially king
or trying. While the extreme tempera
ture during winter may reach a point
10 to 15 degrees lower than in Ohio or
generally in latitude 40 degrees in the
h. .... i,Cnlted States, still, as the air la very
ne says,n , .
uiy auti luciu aic iui uiu wiuua, i
hare no doubt the winter season can
oe passed without especial discomfort.
When winter sets In, which it does
suddenly, and usually about the 1st of
November, It continues steadily
through about five months, when there
is as sudden a breakup, ushering in
permanently pleasant warm weather.
By those who have the experience, I am
Iniormed that the winters are far more
agreeable than in other countries,
where the temperature is higher and
more violent changes occur. The rain
fall In summer is seasonable and
abundant
It Is easy to see what a magical
transformation must take place In this
great region, even if slowly, nnder the
Influence of an extended railway sys
tem. It Is all the more easily Imagined
by one who has already seen In bis own
country an object lesson of a similar
character. I doubt if the Russians
fully realize to what an extent their
great enterprise Is going to modify
their economic, and, perhaps, social
conditions.
If people didn't ' have hobbles tha
world would soon cease to revolva
CONTEST OF (MLS
Result Means Much to the Pan
ama Company.
A WATERWAY FRUIT.
My Eid ia Lou at Many Mlllica to
the Old ShJp-Caaal Coicera.
Nicaragua Project Most in Favor
There la Not Much iHaerene In Coat
and to the Ordinary Obaerver the
Natural Advantage Seem to Ho
About Equal-PaaMge Mora Quickly
Made by Panama Koute-tireat la
land Sea In Nicaragua.
The world la Interested in a fight ot
canals, with the center ot atteutiou di
rected to Ceutral America, tlmt vexa
tious narrow atrip of laud connecting
the great American continent. For tho
first time in eleven years the Congress
of the United State la arranging tor
the construction ot the ls.tlunl.in water
passage, with forces rouged In two fac
tiousone holding out for the compt-
tlou of the Panama cau.it. begun so
long ago by the Frenchman, l'el.es
seps, ami the other advocating the con
struction of au cutlrely now passage
through Nicaragua.
With the new llay-Pauucefote treaty
with F.uglaud ratified, it will be neces
sary to consummate negotiations with
the Ceutral American States, through
which, or along the border of which.
the chosen route extends. It lias beeu
malutaliiod that a atrip of land ten
miles lu width along the canal should
be bought, but the constitutions of tlio
Central American States forbhtdln
such sale, the ouly way remaining ,a
to acquire nominal control ot tha laud
by treaty. We would then have the
right U) police the strip or do anything
else we pleased with It. It la a fact
that sovereignty ot the atrip la not
needed. Control Is all that la neves
nary.
While the proposed caunl la to be
neutral, the United States will have
the right to close It against an enemy
In 'time of war, the fact that we guar
antee neutrality not operating against
the establishment of fortification If we
see tit By a principle ot International
law, all treatlea are abrogated with
the country with which we are at war,
The new treaty which replace tlio
Clayton-Bulwer treaty with England
provide that the United State shall
do all the work of building the canal,
assume the responsibility of safeguard
Ing It and regulate its use by all tin
tlons on terms of equality without tho
guarantee of Interference of any other
country. It to this lust clause which
gives us the right to fortiry the inunl.
Probably this will never be done, as
the most effective way to control tlio
canal In time of war Is by means of
the navy. It Is held that if we control
both approaches of the caual, as we
shall do. It will be all we need.
The first effect of the canal will be
to shorten the time from New York to
San Francisco from sixty to sixteen
days, thus bringing about a great in
crease In water freight, with a propor-
VO!t LOUIS COHKA.
Klcarsguau Mlnliter to trie United SUuei.
tionate lessening of rates. Further
more, It will bring the ocean shipping
Industry Into dose competition with
the transcontinental railways, thus re
ducing rates all around. Even now it
Is cheaper to ship imperishable goods
by water. Loads of freight dally come
Into New York from points west of the
Allegbenles to go out In the coasting
vessels around Cape Horn and up tho
other side to San Francisco,
Another result will be nn Increase In
the volume of trade. There will be
enough for both vessels and railroads.
Still another and very important effect
will be noted In the Central American
Ktates. The completion of tiie canal
will draw American capital Into these
countries, which have hitherto been al
most constantly at war among tbctn
nelves. A demand for protection will
dm created and the ofllcial presence of
the United States would act as a
wholesale restraint on our hot-blooded
southern neighbors. It Is possible that
the canal will In time bring about a
commercial union of Central America,
under a protectorate of the United
States, a result which would be of tho
greatest benefit to the whole western
hemisphere.
lMii
a. m v. ni
A SUCTION
Finally, the construction of the canal
will give us an Immense advantage in
trada with South America. At preaetit
Germany aud Kugluud each beats ua lu
that directum. Altogether, It la believ
ed that the isthmian canal will prove
to bo a greater stimulus to trada tbau
any other one thing which could be
accomplished, whether It bt decided to
tliilah the old Panama caual or ratab
llsli an entirely uew waterway by the
Nicaragua route.
Kourtreu Time Hurveyed.
Since the concept lou of the project
of a caunl serosa the Isthmus ot Pan
ama, no less than fourteen route have
been proposed aud surveyed acroa the
narrow ueck of laud connecting the
American coutluenta. Ouly two aur
vlve. It was In 1H13 that a aurvey waa
made of the Panama route for the first
time. A French eugluovr undertook thia
work, but with no luiportuut Immediate
result, itu waa followed not many
year afterward by George M. Totten.
chief englueer of the Pauama Ilallroad,
who estimated the coat of the construc
tion of the great waterway at I7.VA).
00O to JiUO.OOO.iKM). Subsequently the
United State government also made a
PUOI-OSKO NICARAGUA HOUTK OF TUB
survey, locating , a practicable line for
an lutenx-eaulc ship caunl twenty-sit
feet lu depth from the Kay of Axplu
wall. In the t'urlbbeau sea to Panama
on the Paci'lc.
In 1S70 Count Ferdinand da l.esseps?
the man best kuown in eoiiiiectiou with
tho Panama project, appealed to the
uatlous to send delegates to a proposed
congress in Paris, to discuss the ques
tion of a canal across the Isthmus. On
May 13 of that year, representative
of twenly-four countries assembled In
the French capita! and on tbeir ad
journment the Universal lutcroceanlc
Canal Company was organize I. The
disasters attending tills company, with
Its record of the greatest steals In the
history of the world-ami Its attendant
numerous suicides, are still fresh In
the public mind aud need no recapitu
lation here. The company, however. Is
not dead, though they have tried In
vain to raise the $150,01)0,1100 necessary
to complete the canal. ' The collapse of
the company awoke the strongest pulv
lie prejudice against the route and It
Is Indeed remnrkutile that In the many
points to be considered and lu an un
dertaking so glgautic the two routes
are such close rivals.
It Is not generally known that work
on the Panama canal was resumed In
1803, and has been continued to this
day. In order to save some of the
$;2(JO,000,000 De Lesseps' company
spent, and to retain the valuable con
cessions granted It, the receivers or
ganized a new company. The stoelt was
purchased by members of the original
company, who hoped by further sub
scribing to save a part of their original
Investments. Thirteen million dollars
was all; however, they were willing
to Invest, and this only eleven days bo
fore the expiration of the original con
cession. An extension of the conces
sion to 11)10 was secured. The new
company did not waste the thirteen
millions In mere show on soft ground,
but. In contrast to It predecessors,
made every dollar tell, In the hope of
retrieving lost confidence, or, failing to
secure further Investments, to make
the partly built canal so much moro
valuable when the Clayton-Bulwer
treaty should be abrogated, so that the
attention of the United States could
be secured.
'There Is little native labor to be had
on the Isthmus. The climate Is not con
ducive to activity and the natives are
averse to labor constitutionally. The
old Panama company Imported thou
sands of Chlneso, but they proved to
be poor workmen, especially when con
sidering the expense Incurred In trans
porting them from China. The new
company placing a bond guaranteeing
the safe return of those of ber subjects
who should desire It. waa allowed by
OF THE PANAMA CANAI. AS IT Al'I'ICAHS TO DAY,
Great Britain to bring In 1.000 ncgroe
from Jamaica. This iiumlur baa dwin
dled, through death, desertion and oth
er cause, to about half tlio original
number.
Nearly Half Completed.
According to the original' design and
spool float Ion, tho I'annuia ciinal I uuw
Just 40 per ecu! completed. Tlio At
lantic side la open to a distance of
tlilrteou mile, the excavation varying
lu depth from It! to '-".'Mi fccU This has
Ihn'U tilled lu to a certalu extent by tilt
deposit from the Cliara river, lu the
bed of which tho caual part way ilea.
On the I'a.illc aide a length ot about
three mile I cut to a depth of 0 to
SU feet. In Panama bay a channel has
been dredged to deep water and a cut
through the Cordillera tins been ac
complished to a depth of lito feet.
It was In IS-lO lwa that the Wauslt
company, which then controlled all
traualsthnilan t runic, had the Nicara
gua route aurveyed and twenty year
later a commission weut over the Uti
for the United Slate. When the Pan
ama scandal begun, Mr. A. (1. Mluo
cal, who wa a member of that com
mission, obtained a concession from
Nicaragua and the Nicaragua Canal
CANAL
Construction Company wa organized,
lu IKS!) tho original Pauniiia company
suspended and the same year the Nic
aragua conccslon wa transferred to
the Maritime Caunl Company.
The company dug about three-quarter
of a mile of the canal and deep
end the harbor at (Ircytown. Then,
the Nacnraguan government claims, the
concession was forfeited by a discon
tinuance of the work.
The special feature of the Nicaragua
route is the great Inland sea which
lies In the hollow between tho eastern
and western Cordilleras Lake Nicara
gua. This body of water Is forty-live
tulles wide, 111) miles long and 11'.' feet
above sea level.
The plan of the Nlinragua en Ml
comprises an engineering feat the most
wonderful ever attempted. In the Islh
mlan coiiimlsslnu's estimate of the time
it will take to construct the canal, six
year are given the building of a dam
across the Sau Junu river, while two
more will serve to complete the water
way. The San Juan leaves the south
enst corner of Lake Nicaragua and
flows almost east, Into the Caribbean
sea. The first half of Its length from
tho lake Is almost a continuation of
rapids and waterfalls. It Is then Jolmnl
by the Klo Han Carlos ami It size
doubled. Two miles abovo this Junction
Is the site of tha great datn. Tho Han
. f,c' Ak"
Ji
MOARAGUAN ENGINEERS
4t v- ?.,
aa
. " .-. .i -&r y
Junu In lis normal slat baa a flow
of UUtM) cubic fset per second, but lu
the rainy season It sometimes mount
to '.tK),OiH). To hold back this flood with
a dam 150 foot high, aud thereby raise
tlio water of the Situ Juan to lh luvtl
of the lake. I tha project
The lino of the Nlcaragnan canal b
glus at the. Caribbean sea near Grey
town, Taking a southeasterly direc
tion, It passes to the north of a rang
of hilt known as tho Slllcu aud thencu
southerly to a point ti limit a tulle from
the Sau Juan river. Following the riv
er aud at a nfi dUtuine from It, tlio
course continues lo the dam, where th
canal enter the rtver-aui follow It,
Into the lake. Crossing the lake lu a
northwesterly direction, the mouth of
tha KM IM IJign I cuierru. ims.
stream Is followed but a short distance
when the canal crosses the cuiitlnetiial
divide Into the valley of the Itlo
Grande and thence to Brlto, the Pa
cific terminus.
The summit level-from the conti
nental divide across tho lake and along
the San Juan to the great dam -will be
nearly 130 mile long. Beside the pur
pose of a long itreicb for speed, till
extended level so high alniv the sea 1
to control the lake' level. It now
fluctuates some thirteen feet. I'n ler
control It will not vary six.
It ha been the general opinion that
there I quite a difference between the
mean level of the two oceans. This
Idea I an erroneous one, for they aro
about tlio same. There I a difference
In tidal range, however, the Pacific
rising eight feet nml the Atlniuic but
one foot. Five locks -one oMttlVi feet
and four of 1H4 feet each, will be re
quired to raise thtt vessels from the
Caribbean to the level of the lake,
while four of SX'i feet each will be
necessary mi the I'hcIIIc side.
Originally, the cost of the Nlrnrtgusn
canal was placed at loO.tKio.noo, Tho
estimate have aieaillly risen until at
present tint figure Is IUHI.oikmhh), TIis
first was for a HI foot canal of narrow
gauge, whereas the latest plan call for
a cut :i.i feet In depth and extending
lu places to a width of 130 feet, lu
curves a width of INO feet I culled for
nut in the harbor at either terminus a
channel of fiOO feet wide Is projected.
Tea Krlnkliig In Itiiasla.
Knornious quantities of tea are con
sume I by the ttlisslntis, but tliey do
not suffer from any effects owing to
the way In which they concoct the bev
erage. With them It Is not a cup of to.i,
but a glass of tea. A sprinkling of
leaf Is put tutu the pot, bolting water
Is poured on, and allowed to stand tint
more than thirty second. A small
quantity of the brew-about two ta
blospomiful -Is poured lulu a glass,
which Is then tilled with boiling water,
A slice of lemon and sugur are gilded,
and hero we luivo one of the most re
freshing aud piquant drinks Imagina
ble. The color of .4 he tea as drunk Is
a pnln umber, and, of course, no tn I Ik
Is used.
New Cure for fVinsunipilves,
A doctor lias written to the l-ondun
Times suggesting tho running of motor
cars at a speed fully tip to the legal
limit as a means of administering tho
open air treatment to consumptives,
Tenant' ltiglil In Holland,
In Holland no landlord has tha power
of raising the rent or of evicting a
tctinnt.
4-
1 i v
fjOi. H
FINDING BlViCtt LEVELS,