The Yamhill County reporter., December 30, 1898, Image 6

the Pacific to Greytown on the Atlantic.
The first half mile from Brito is at sea
level. Then in two miles the canal rises
110 feet, through three locks to the sum­
mit level, 151 miles long, then hi 4Vj miles
it descends, through three locks, to sea
level again, and then continues at sea
level 9% miles to Greytown. The esti­
mated time required for an ordinary
steamer to cross from one ocean to the
other is twenty-eight hours.
Electric
lighting is to make passage by night quite
feasible. The allowance for passing
through locks is forty-five minutes for
each lock. Only twenty-six miles of the
1(18 miles of canal is to be through excava­
tions. Some twenty-one miles is through
basins, and 121 miles through the lake
and the river. Provision should be made
from the first for increasing the accommo­
dation when it shall become necessary.
Widening can be carried on nt the same
time that vessels are passing. So can
deepening. To increase the size of the
locks, however, will cause all traffic to be
suspended. The locks In the present plans
appear to lie too small for permanent use.
They are each to be 050 feet long, 70 feet
wide, and 28 feet deep.”
Alone the
la Claimed,
.nunza in the Way
~1K Churgj«.
>osed Nicaraguan canal is
.•rests of the United States
.ally demonstrated during
ar with Spain when our bat-
gon was compelled to make her
. age down around the Horn to
a the scene of naval operations. The
apprehension of the American people (lur­
ing the long detour was painfully and just­
ly excited, while the Government was de­
prived of several weeks’ service of its
finest man-of-war during the time it re­
quired to sail down the west const of
South America and up on the eastern side.
Then, again, the commercial benefits to be
derived by the completion of the proposed
short-cut waterway are inestimable. A
most comprehensive article on the subject
of the Nicaraguan canal has been written
by Henry I. Sheldon, a Chicagoan. This
is said by experts to be the most complete
study of the canal question yet undertak­
en. Mr. Sheldon visited Nicaragua three
years ago and traversed the entire route
of the projected waterway, examined the
work done, and secured reliable data as
to cost and methods of construction. Mr.
Sheldon went not as the agent of any com­
pany or of the Government, but merely
as an individual having no interest, pe­
cuniary or friendly, with the present com­
pany constructing the canal, and was
careful to incur no obligations which
would prevent his taking an unbiased
view.
"It may be well to say nt the outset.”
writes Mr. Sheldon, "that I reached the
conclusion that the canal in Nicaragua is
practicable, and can be constructed nt a
cost on which fair returns can be earned.
( It also seems clear that, for many reasons,
l it is not a suitable work for private cap-
• .:l to undertake, and that it will be bet-
er niat our Government should assist the
indertaking. There are strong equities
on tin) side of national aid, inasmuch as
the chief benefits will never be the tolls
collected from passing vessels. The canal
may so develop our trade with Eastern
Asia that a single year of that trade will
exceed In volume the total cost of its
construction. Its opening will double in
value almost every acre of agricultural
land in California. Oregon and Washing­
ton. and the population of those States
will be more than doubled. For many
years I have occasionally visited the Pa­
cific coast, for either business or pleasure,
and always the most striking aspect of
its condition has been the absence of sat­
isfactory markets for its products. Not n
bushel of its large wheat crop comes to
the Atlantic const by rail, as wheat can­
not bear tin* cost of so long carriage.
Neither can its lumber or ores come by
rail. In many places, after the farmer or
the fruit grower has paid the charges of
transportation companies, there is little
or nothing left for him. Tile population
continues small because tile markets are
so inadequate. Twenty-five years’ trial
has demonstrated that If railroads are to
be the sole means of communication the
development of the Pacific States will be
very slow. 'Die only promise of relief is
in securing for these States some shorter
transportation to the Atlantic States, and
also to Europe, by water. Now, every­
thing carried by water must pass around
Cape Horn. The only shorter route, ap­
parently practicable, is by way of a ship
canal across the isthmus, through Nicara­
gua. Tliis will save lO.OtX) miles of the
distance around Cape Horn, and will en
able nil ordinary steamer to go from San
Francisco to New York in fourteen days.
The exact distance, by such canal, will
History of the Canal Fcheme.
MAI' SHOWING PRESENT ROUTE AROUND THE HORN AND THE SHORT­
CUT MADE BY THE PROPOSED CANAL.
dining room. The cups nml plates are
English, the cutlery from Germany and
the waiters wear a suit of German
clothes. Ther»' probably will not be an
article Imported from the United States
in the house except a sewing machine. The
demand is there, but we have carelessly,
almost good-naturedly, made no effort to
sell.
"Jn building up a foreign trade our nat­
ural course will be to begin with the coun­
tries w here we shall meet least competi­
tion. In order to be profitable, trade re­
quires to move along the lines of least
resistance. Our geographical situation is
such that we are the natural producers
for all countries bordering on the Pacific
ocean. The relative distance of European
manufacturers, ac compared with our
own. gives us a great advantage. The
idea of trying to sell much of our products
to China and Japan is new to our people;
but those countries are entering on a ca­
reer of great development, and why should
not the American people have a share in
supplying their wants? The trade reports
tell the story of their awakening. The
purchases of their silver were:
In
IMS...................................... $28,000,000
In 1894..................................... 113.000.000
China bought from foreign countries:
In 1885..................................... $182,000.000
In 1894..................................... 243.000.000
“We have not been alive to this demand.
Of Japan's purchases abroad of $113,000,-
(XX) in 1894, we sold her only $11,000.(MX).
We excelled in paying money to her. how­
ever. for in that year we Ismght of her
goods amounting to $143.1 MX),(XX).
Of
China’s purchases from other nations of
as an aid in building up our carrying
trade, could be made by the same author­
ity. If any European complications as
to the use of the canal arose, our Govern­
ment would not be hampered by the exist­
ence of a canal company, nor by being
obliged to obtain the current action of
Nicaragua and Costa Rica, but would be
in a position to decide for itself what
course to take. The possible claims of
England to joint control of the canal un­
der the Clayton-Bulwer treaty should be
ignored. Those claims could never be al­
lowed, and we probaldy would hear little
of them after we had constructed the
canal with our own money and were in
full possession. The Suez canal has been
neutralized by an agreement between the
great powers, but that waterway is close­
ly connected with the Eastern question,
the balance of power, and other large sub­
jects involving the nations of Europe.
There is no analogy as to neutralization
between the situation at Suez and that at
Nicaragua.”
Estimates of Probable Revenues
Mr. Sheldon’s estimates of the probable
revenue to be derived from tile canal are
encouraging. “As the conditions are so
similar, it is necessary, in taking a broad
view of probable earnings, to consider the
business transacted by the Suez canal.
Tile results there shown are more helpful
than mere estimates: they are ascertained
facts.
That company deals with the
world's commerce, just as will be done in
Nicaragua. In 1895 its business amount­
oil to 8.440.000 tons. It had then been in
operation twenty-five years. The first
year, 1870, Its business was only 436.0(X)
In December, 1881, Senator Miller of
California introduced a bill in Congress
to incorporate “The Marine Canal Com­
pany of Nicaragua,” with the purpose of
constructing the canal. Gen. U. S. Grant,
Howard Potter, E. D. Morgan, H. J. Jew­
ett and other prominent capitalists were
concerned In the proposed enterprise. The
bill met with bitter opposition in Congress,
und was utterly defeated by the failure
of the Marine Bank of New York, in
which the Grants were ruined financially.
The Nicaragua Canal Company was in­
corporated in 1887, with former Senator
Warner Miller as president, and for a
time made good progress. Its success In­
duced opiiosition, and in 1889 the Mari­
time Canal Company of Nicaragua, which
received the sanction of President Cleve­
land, was incorporated. Hiram Hitch­
cock was the first president, but he was
subsequently succeeded by Thomas B.
Atkins. The work of digging the canal
was liegtin and continued until financial
misfortune overtook the enterprise, the
construction company failing in the terri­
ble panic of 1893. The contract for the
construction was then awarded to Warner
Miller Nicaragua Company, which still
holds its concession. Many attempts have
since been made to secure the aid of the
Government, but the bills have failed to
pass both houses. Congress, however, au­
thorized the appointment of a technical
commission of civil engineers to re-exam­
ine the canal line, and it is the report of
this commission which will be presented
to Congress in December.
The principal authorities on transporta­
tion statistics have made estimates that
the Nicaragua route should divert from
2,000.000 to 3,000,000 tons of low-rate
freight, such as flour, dry goods, machin­
ery, coal, etc,, from the overland traffic.
Suppose 2,500,000 tons were diverted to
steamship lines from the Atlantic and gulf
ports, going by the canal route. With the
usual ocean tonnage from New York to
the Pacific, and other vessels which would
go through the canal, a conservative cal­
culation places the annual freight at
7,(XX),000 tons. At the lowest Suez canal
rate this would give an annual revenue of
$12.810.<XX). The route in favor runs from
Greytown on the Atlantic coast, via the
San Juan river and Lake Nicaragua to
Brito, on the Pacific. The total distance
is 174 miles, divided as follows:
Miles.
Brito to lake........................................... 17.27
Lake Lajas to San Juan river............ 56.50
Slack water in the San Juan.............. 68.54
San Francisco Basin Ochoa to East­
ern divide............................................ 12.01
Cut through the Eastern divide............3.00
Canal to Greytown............................... 16.48
The Nicaragua canal route was sur­
veyed first by Col. O. M. Childs in 1852
for the then existing Transit company
which had established transisthmian com­
munication with California by steamer
from Greytown by way of the San Juan
river to Virgin bay on the west shore of
Lake Nicaragua, and thence by stage to
San Juan del Bur. about eight miles south­
east of Brito. The route selected by Col.
Childs, who was an eminent engineer,
has not been improved upon very greatly
by subsequent surveys. The last survey,
made by Mr. Menocal for the Govern­
ment. lays the line along the Lajas and
Rio Grande rivers on the west. Between
the headwaters of these rivers and the
divide is lower and the route more practi­
cal than anywhere else. From there the
route lends across the lake, thence by way
of the San Juan river and canal cut to
Greytown.
Tolstoi's Colonies.
MAP SHOWING BOI TE OF THE PROPOSED NICARAGUAN CANAI
be 4.7(H) miles. The ordinary railroad
freight service consumes from seventeen
to twenty-one days. The canal line will
l>e only about 60 per cent longer thau the
rail line.
Needed In the Time of llur.
"Our country is so widely extended.
B.(XX) miles front east to west, that cheap
and speedy water transportation like this
Is almost absolutely needed to bind and
bold it more closely together. At present.
In time of war, such parts of our growing
navy as might be on either the Atlantic
or the Pacific side would be for a consid­
erable tiuie of no use on th,- other ocean.
The canal, when built, will promote the
development of better markets for our
m auu fact urea in foreign countries border­
ing on the Pacific. These are less expos,al
than those on the Atlantic to European
competition. This nation cannot be con­
sidered a first-class power w hen our peo­
ple are only buyers from the rest of the
world
Exporting agricultural products
does not make a great nation. The French
and the Germans do not engage in such
exportation, finding other activities to be
more profitable. A glance at the principal
food-exporting countries shows the truth.
They are such conntrl-.-s «• Southern Rns
sia. India and, latterly, the Argentine
Republic, and they are poor, and they stay
poor. We need to keep our wheat, feed
our operatives with It, and send abroad
the products they manufseture.
The
change cannot come suddenly, but we
should plan and work for It. Some neg­
lected markets are near us. The Rio
Grande Is qalte a small stream. One can
ride a horse across it from Texas into
Mexico and entering the first hotel, one
*gds an English cloth on the table ia the
$243,000,000 in 1894, we supplied only
$10,000,(XM). We were good buyers, how­
ever, taking $25.000,000 of her products.
Our diplomatic agents report that with
more alertness nml enterprise we could
have furnished to Japan, and at a reason­
able profit, 00 per cent of all her foreign
purchases in 181)4. One reason why the
people of our gulf States are so unani­
mous for a canal in Nicaragua, ia that it
will open an additional market for their
cotton. The United States is the chief
producer of the world’s cotton, ami prices
for this product have been deplorably low
of bite years, entailing great privations iti
many Southern homes. It is the old story.
We have been producing more cotton than
we could find markets for The new buy­
er of cotton Is Japan. That country Is
going strongly Into the manufacture of
cotton goods, such ns are used by the peo­
ple of the warm countries, and now not
only exports these goods to China, but
undersell» the English manufacturers in
their own dependency of India."
Favors Government Ownership.
Mr. Sheldon takes strong ground in fa­
vor of absolute ownership and control of
the Nicaragua canal by the United States
Government. "Congress could prescribe
the tolls to be paid by ships using the
canal, making the charges sufficient to
meet the expenses of operation and a suit­
able Interest on the capital invested in the
undertaking and also, if considered advis­
able. for an annual payment into a sink­
ing fund, to meet, at maturity, any Gov­
ernment bonds which might have been
issued.
"As commerce Increased, the tolls could
be lowered, and any other reduction in
favor of Aunfricau ships, found desirable
tons: in 1871, 760JXX1 tons; in 1872,1,100,-
(XX) tons, and there has been a fairly
steady increase ever since, lip to the
amount in 1896. During all this time the
volume of the world's commerce has stead­
ily increased. Not only has trade more
and more adjusted itself to the Sues route,
lint also the aggregate amount of trade
has become much larger. Some allowance
should be made for the advantages pos­
sessed by the Sues canal as a now well-
established route.
Taking its business
eight years ago may be a fair offset for
this item. The amount for 1888 exceeded
(l.(XX).OOO tons. The earlier Suez tolls were
$2.77 per ton. which have been gradual­
ly reduced the past twenty years, and
traffic is not prepared now to stand heavy
charges in any direction,
A moderate
tariff will be in every nay desirable. A
favorable, but approximate, estimate of
the possible revenues in Nicaragua would
be as follows: With tolls at $1.60 per ton
at the outset, and a business of at least
6,<>Kk,000 tons after the canal is fairly in
operation, a gross income of $9.(X*MX><)
would be obtained. Administration, main­
tenance and operation for 1806 cost the
Sues canal about $1.800,OT0. Taking into
account al) the dam and embankment
work at Nicaragua, as well as the heavy
rainfall, an allow ance of $3.<MXUXk) as an
annual average for expenses may be fair,
leaving a net income of $<> '»<).(XX>. An
undertaking of this character is to be
gone into only as a long-term investment,
and the earnings for the first few years
after it is completed are not to be consid­
ered as sufficient for a final judgment. The
greatest earnings will come later on.
"The canal route, as at present project­
ed, i» to b* 174 miles long from Brito on
Tolstoi colonies are Increasing In
Russia. The Tolstoians, of course, live
together, having constructed their own
bouses and their own furniture; there
Is nothing new In this, the tale has been
told before. What is remarkable is
the arrangement of the mutual dinlng-
table in the Tolstoi table d’hote. The
bowl of the community—a bowl of
soui>—is shared among six persons,
each dipping into the same dish, but
having the right of personal property
In the matter of a wooden spoon and
salt. Bread also is private to the in­
dividual. Thus the six consumers get
a faiT start and then they are all off
together. But one would have thought
tills a fatal arrangement Age. teeth
and digestion are sadly unequal. What
Is there to prevent the venerable grand­
mother from being left hopelessly be­
hind by Ivan the Terrible, her youth­
ful grandson, who treats the whole
course as a point-to-point race, and so
sliows forth the eternal Inequality of
things? It is added that there Is a
beautiful simplicity and decency In
these repasts, and that there are three
napkins to each symposium. Thus we
have six consumers to one bowl and
three napkins to six. consumers. But
some will do well to avoid the table
d’hote a la Tolstoi.
meet contingencies of life than for
boy», since there are more occupation»
istresses stand in need of wherein young men can succeed In the
reform as well as maids, and world than young women. Apart from
the time has come when house­ possible professional or business life,
wives must realize that the relations
the future home-and-soclety-makers of
between them and their servants can­ America go to college for love of study,
not be those of slave and his owner. and for the broader and better culture
Moreover, the sooner it is realized by which college training gives them. If
every mistress that all the cardinal vir­ the great need of a nation Is mothers,
tues are not to be found Ln a single as Napoleon Baid. It looks as If twen­
Individual, the sooner will she establish tieth-century Americans are to have
the domestic peace of her household. healthy and well-educated mothers, to
Even were It possible to find young give the best possible start In life.
women so richly endowed by nature, There Is no more nonsense talked about
that no fault could be found with them, the health of college girls. Most of them
they would be worth more than a few Improve In strength and In poise of
pounds per annum to any family. Di­ nerves, during their years with their
rectly we produce servants with an­ books. Early hours, regular tasks and
gelic tempers and an abnormal love for all the forms of modern girls’ athletics
work, who never want rest or holidays, keep up the standard of good health
or a watchful eye over them, then may during the years of special Intellectual
we rest assured that wages will go up training of the daughters of America,
by leaps and bounds, and truly they In all her colleges and universities.
will be worth whatever they demand.
Woman's Watch Pocket,
But until the millennium comes we
The originators of late fashions have
have no hope of finding domestics of
this type, and meanwhile our best solved a problem which has puzzled
chance of securing better service Is to women ever since women’s watches
realize that, as the mistress is the pivot were first made. They have decreed
of the whole domestic machinery, she a new pocket for dresses. That pocket
ought to come much nearer to perfec­ Is a, watch pocket, and it Is located on
tion than those she governs, says the the Inner part of the left sleeve, mid­
Lady’s Pictorial. And the best mis­ way between the wrist and the elbow.
tresses are those who do not look for The little pocket, from the outside of
perfection In servants, and yet strive to which a circular piece the size of the
bring them by easy stages to that Ideal
state. What Is more and of the utmost
importance Is that mistresses should
not blind themselves to the fact that
their maids are of like passions with
themselves. They need to be consid­
ered in little matters sometimes. Their
work Is monotonous, their hours long,
their duties many, and their tempta­
NEW WATCH POCKET.
tions often very great. All these things
are frequently forgotten by those who watch face has been cut. is convenient­
employ them, with the result that do­ ly seen and can be readily reached by
mestics resent being treated as ma­ the right hand. The flap of the pocket
chines, and rebellion ensues. There is, Is padded with soft material, so there
however, a wide distinction between Is practically no danger of breaking the
showing consideration to employes and watch. The watch Is slipped Into the
pampering them. There Is no need pocket from the side and buttons se­
whatever to treat one’s servants as If cure It from falling out. As In the case
they were distinguished guests; but, of the wrist watches which were much
on the other hand, It Is a fatal policy to worn several years ago, the face is al­
show them less consideration than ways In plain sight, and the time of
one’s dogs, and to act towards them on day may be seen by the wearer at a
the principle that as much value as glance.
possible Is to be got out of them for
Uncompanionable Wives.
the lowest possible remuneration.
When you come to think of It, says
MISTRESS AND MAID.
I
M
Dorothy Dlx. In the New Orleans Plca-
Influenced the Czar.
The International peace movement yune, the situation is like this: For
has many prominent people as warm the great majority of women. their
supporters and promoters. One of the sole chance of happiness Is bound up
most active is Mrs. Luttner, who before in their husbands and homes. If their
her marriage was the Countess Kllu- homes are unpleasant; If, after the first
fervor of love in the honeymoon passes,
they fall to l>e companions and chums
with their husbands, they have laid
up for them a future of desolate
wretchedness.
Now, this being the case, one would
think that any woman with a single,
solitary glimmering of reason would if
only for her own selfish benefit, make
every effort to render herself so agree­
able and so attractive that her husband
would prefer her society to that of any
one else. But do they? Gracious, no!
There Is nothing els? In the world that
tills me with as much amazement as
the recklessness with which women
deal with their husbands. I know
plenty of women who never let their
husbands make a statement without
contradicting them, who parade their
husband’s fallings before company, and
who. If there Is some one toptc that
can always bring on a family row,
FRAU BEKTIIA VOX I.VTTXKR.
never miss a chance to lug It Into the
sky. She Is a voluminous writer on the conversation. And these women actu­
subject. She has written articles on ally complain when their husbands go
International disarmament for most of off to seek congenial company else­
the large papers of Germany and Aus­ where. Think of it!
tria. It was after reading her book,
“Down with Arms,” that the Czar of
Russia resolved to Issue his universal
peace manifesto.
When Tot
The little tots who are inclined to “toe
In” when they begin to walk can have
this fault quickly rectified If attended
to In time, says the Philadelphia Times.
The mother or nurse should rub lat
least twice a day) the outer side of the
To Break Up n Cold.
little legs with a firm upward stroke.
It Is much more difficult to break tip
Hold the little foot tn your hand In the
correct position. Recollect, do not rub a baby's cold than an older person's.
down, and not on the Inner side of Oiling the throat and chest with some
the leg. The object Is to nourish and penetrating oil every night and laying
strengthen the outer muscles, which are a warm flannel over It should be done
proportionately weak. Begin below as soon as a cold Is visible. A few
the ankle, and rub to the “nee. slowly drop* of pure olive oil should be given
and quietly, but not too lightly. This If there are any signs of a cough. It Is
treatment faithfully persevered In will wise to oil the bridge of the nose and
over the eyebrows to loosen a cold In
Bonn correct the trouble.
the head. Always be careful to keep a
baby sufficiently warm. IX !» safer to
True Co-operation.
The tinselflshm-ss which brings a have a hot water bag or jug at the feet
wife into true co-operation, the love If the cold grows more severe give a
which makes sacrifice a joy. are essen­ hot bath in a warm room. Oil thor­
tial to the success of the woman who oughly the entire body and wrap In
means to prove that fortune la not all flannels and blankets.
that makes a man rich. She has to rise
The Feminine Observer.
above the plane of duty well done, she
Sickness is a great leveler. It reduce»
has to aspire beyond making the best
us. one and all. to the estate of little
of things, and become creative. She has
children.
Thnnilrntorms in Jamaica.
to produce light and courage, and give
A tea cozy la a dainty gift for the
At Port Royal. Jamaica, for nix to the faded new brightness, and gild
months In the year thunderstorms are the worn and marred, and lend to all woman who entertains her friend» at
afternoon tea.
of almost daily occurrence, and guests they possess the magic of her smile.
to picnics and garden parties are usu­
The church going woman has her
Benefits of College Training.
ally Invited to assemble "after the thun­
monogram tn raised silver on her pray­
A contemporary say»: "American
derstorm."
er book and hymnal.
girls go to college now by thousands
All Husbands Do.
The "born cook." like the genuine
and tens of thousands as unconcerned­
He—When we are married I will lie
ly as they used to go to the grammar workman, turns out a good Job with
at your feet-----
schools. It Is now expected that a girl the materials at band.
She (Interrupting)-Yes, and to my
How popular a game 1« ball, be It the
shall go to college If she wants to. quite
face, I suppose.
as much as boys, and some parents In pigskin, the wee white bell, that played
The French may be fickle in every­ moderate circumstances act upon the to the rhythm of a wait» or the voice of
thing else, but they are always faithful principle that It Is rather more neces­ “ti^e bald-headed tyrant from No Mac e
In their love—of change.
sary for g rls to be well educated to. Lan*T