300 THE PROPOSED AMERICAN INTEROCEANIC CANAL 



the United States should be multiplied by 2$ in order to obtain 

 the cost of similar earthworks on the American isthmus on ac- 

 count of the enormous precipitation in that part of the globe. 



It is claimed by the proponents of the two American inter- 

 oceanic canal projects that the commerce of the Pacific Coast 

 states of the United States with that portion of the country which 

 lies east of the Rocky mountains will afford a large amount of 

 traffic for either of the proposed canals. This has little support 

 in commercial, geographic, or economic conditions. About two- 

 thirds of the people of the United States reside west of the Ap- 

 palachian range. The principal commerce of our Pacific Coast 

 states is with that portion of the country which lies west of this 

 line and east of the Rocky Mountain range. The average dis- 

 tance from all points of production and consumption in the 

 Pacific Coast states to all points of production and consumption 

 in the area between the Rocky Mountain range and the Appa- 

 lachian range by direct rail lines is only about one-third the 

 average distance between such points by the Nicaragua or Pan- 

 ama route. Besides, the direct rail route is greatly superior to 

 the water route with respect to speed, facilities for the collection 

 and distribution of freights, and the avoidance of those trans- 

 shipments of cargo which would be necessary in the case of 

 goods shipped by the canal route. The same is true as to mer- 

 chandise of all sorts shipped from points east of the Rocky 

 mountains to both interior points and to seaports of the Pacific 

 Coast states. It is also beyond all question that the transconti- 

 nental rail lines will for all time secure the entire carriage of 

 passengers, the mails, bullion, express goods, perishable goods, 

 and fast freights generally, and that by an inevitable law of the 

 economics of transportation they will also secure the carriage 

 of nearly all the rest of the traffic in general merchandise be- 

 tween the Atlantic and the Pacific coasts. This is matter of 

 common experience throughout the country. The transconti- 

 nental railroads are now extensively engaged in the transpor- 

 tation of raw material and gross products for long distances. 

 Among these commodities may be mentioned coal, lumber, ores, 

 and agricultural products of every description. It is mani- 

 festly absurd to assume that Chicago, St Louis, Cincinnati, and 

 hundreds of other centers of trade will ever engage in trade with 

 the Pacific Coast states by the way of the Nicaragua or Panama 

 Canal ; such traffic will for all time be carried on over direct 

 rail lines. This is an inevitable result of the wonderful re- 



