544 THE PANAMA ROUTE FOR A SHIP CANAL. 



tions ot its plaiif^, either as to alignment, elevations, or suosidlary 

 works, Avhich it inig-ht determine advisable to recommend. In the 

 execution of this work it was necessary, among- other things, to send 

 engineering parties on the line of the Panama route for the purpose 

 of making surveys and examinations necessary to confirm estimates of 

 the New Panama Canal Company as to quantities, elevations, or other 

 physical features of the line selected, or required in moditications of 

 alignment or plans. In order to accomplish this portion of its work 

 the Commission placed live working parties on the Panama I'oute with 

 20 engineers and other assistants and 41 lal)orers. 



The Commission adopted for the purposes of its plans and estimates 

 the route selected by the New Panama Canal Company, which is essen- 

 tially that of the old company. Starting from the O-fathom contour 

 in the harbor of Colon the line follows the low marshy ground adjoin- 

 ing the Bay of Limon to its intersection with the Mindi River; thence 

 through the low ground continuing to Gatun, about miles from 

 Colon, where it first meets the Chagres River. From this point to 

 Obispo the canal line follows practically the general course of the 

 Chagres River, although at one point in the marshes below Bohio it is 

 nearly 2 miles from the farthest bend in the river, at a small place 

 called Ahorca Lagarto. Bohio is about 17 miles from the Atlantic 

 terminus, and 01)ispo about 30 miles. At the latter point the course 

 of the Chagres River, passing upstream, lies to the northeast, while 

 the general direction of the canal line is southeast toward Panama, the 

 latter leaving the former at this location. The canal route follows up 

 the general course of a small stream, called the Camacho, for a distance 

 of nearly 5 miles, where the continental divide is found and in which 

 the great Culebra cut is located, about 8(3 miles from Colon and 13 

 miles from the Panama terminus. After passing through the Culebra 

 cut the canal route follows the course of the Rio Grande River to its 

 mouth at Panama Baj^ The mouth of the Rio Grande, where the 

 canal line is located, is about a mile and a half westerly of the city of 

 Panama. 4'he Rio Grande is a small, sluggish stream throughout the 

 last r> miles of its course, and for that distance the canal excavation 

 would be made mostly in soft silt or mud. 



Although the line selected by the French company is that adopted 

 by the Isthmian Canal Com})any for its purposes, a niunber of most 

 imj)ortant features of the general plan have been materially modified 

 by the Commission, as will be easily understood from what has already 

 been stated in comiection with the FrcMich ])lans. 



The feasibility of a sea-level canal, hut with a tidal lock at the 

 Panama end, was carefully Qonsidered by the Commission, and an 

 approximate estimate of the cost of completing the work on that 

 plan was made. In round luuubers this estimated cost was about 

 $250,000,000, and the time required to complete the work A\ould 



