64 
THE TEHUANTEPEC SHIP RAILWAY 
COMPARATIVE TABLE: NICARAGU*A AND PANAMA ROUTES. 
Nicaragua. 
Panama — Lock- 
level plan. 
Natural distance, sea to sea miles. . 
Present distance, sea to sea miles. . 
Natural altitude, continental pass feet. . 
Same, as reduced by artificial cutting, .feet. . 
Miles of river course, Caribbean side 
iVIiles of river course below site of propo.sed 
dams 
Proportion of above diverted bj' artificial cut- 
ting 
Proposed height, summit level feet. . 
Proposed dams to create summit level 
Miles of proposed summit navigation 
Proposed locks 
Excavation (miles originally proposed) 
iNIiles of excavation completed for lock plan. 
Miles of excavation to be completed for lock 
plan 
Terminal harbors 
Plant on ground for completion. . 
Estimated cost to complete canals 
169.5 
169.5 
147 
147 
111 
32 
110 
1 
144.8 
7 
40.3 
0 
40.3 
None. 
$ 133 , 500,000 
42.5 
25 
260 
246 
31 
21 
10 
125 
1 
12 or 21 
6 
42.5 
15-20 
101 
Completed. 
All. 
$ 116 , 000 , 000 ' 
1 Tlie adoption of tlie lock-level plan will avoid several miles of e.xcavation originally 
contemplated in sea-level plan. 2 U. S. Commission. 
THE TEHUANTEPEC SHIP RAILWAY 
By Elmer L. Corthell, C. E., D. Sc., etc. 
The Avoiid is still discussing the question of the best route by 
Avhicli to fiicilitate interoceanic traffic bettveen the Atlantic and 
the Pacific. Coniinercial interests now center on three routes — 
Panama, Nicaragua, and Tehuantepec. The first has entailed 
enormous exiienses on France and involved many of its promi- 
nent citizens in serious conqdications ; the second has been spe- 
cially urged on the United States as the Ameriean route; the 
third, advocated for many years by a great genius, has been ad- 
vanced to snch a stage liy Mexico as to be the only Avork that 
jiresent conditions haA'e justified. 
Addressing ourselves to the advantages of the Tehuantepec 
route, its interesting construetive, commercial, and geographic 
features must be prefaced by a brief historical resume. The 
