Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 61.djvu/313

Rh that the exigencies which increase cost should be made proportional to the length of route and the untried features. On the other hand, both Panama and Colon are comparatively large centers of population, and, furthermore, there is a considerable population stretched along the line of the Panama railroad between those points. The climate and the unsanitary condition of practically every center of population in Central America and of the isthmus contribute to the continual presence of tropical fevers, and other diseases contingent upon the existing conditions of life. It is probable among other things that yellow fever is always present on the isthmus. Inasmuch as the Nicaragua route is practically without population the amount of disease existing along it is exceedingly small, there being practically no people to be sick. The initial expenditure for the sanitation of the cities at the extremities of the Panama route, as well as for the country between, would be far greater on the Panama route than on the Nicaragua. This fact compensates, to a substantial extent at least, for the physical uncertainties on the Nicaraguan line. Indeed a careful examination of all the conditions existing on both routes indicates the reasonableness of applying the same 20 per cent, to both total estimates of cost.

The preceding estimated cost of $144,233,358 for completing the Panama canal must be increased by the amount necessary to be paid for all the property and rights on the isthmus of the new Panama Canal Company. A large amount of excavation has been performed amounting to 77,000,000 cu. yds. of all classes of materials, and nearly all the right of way has been purchased. The new Panama Canal Company furnished the commission with a detailed inventory of its en tire properties, which the latter classified as follows:

 1. Lands not built on. 2. Buildings, 2.431 in number, divided among 47 subclassifications. 3. Furniture and stable outfit, with 17 subclassifications. 4. Floating plant and spare parts, with 24 subclassifications. 5. Rolling plant and spare parts, with 17 subclassifications. 6. Plant, stationary and semi-stationary, and spare parts, with 25 subclassifications. 7. Small material and spare parts, with 4 subclassifications. 8. Surgical and medical outfit. 9. Medical stores. 10. Office supplies, stationery. 11. Miscellaneous supplies, with 740 subclassifications.

The commission did not estimate any value for the vast amount of plant along the line of the canal as its condition in relation to actual use is uncertain, and the most of it would not be available for efficient and economical execution of the work by modern American methods. Again, a considerable amount of excavated material along some portions of the line has been deposited in spoil banks immediately adjacent to