Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1903-12-02
MILLIONS ARE
GOING TO RUST
Vast Amount of Machinery Bought to
Use in Building the Panama Ca.
nal Scattered Along Route.
HUNDREDS OF EMPTY HOUSES
Hospitals, Machine Shops and Labor.
ers' Homes Have Fallen Into
Partial Decay.

Heaped up along the line OF the
Panama canal at Colon. at EmpeTa-
dor and at other points are quaint
ties of machinery and supplies for
the construction of the canal which
cost millions OF dollars, but which ale
practically valueless. They were
bought by the old Panama Canal com.
pany but before a large proportion
OF them were used IL had come to an
untimely end and the supplies were
left TO the fate of time. When the
Isthmian Canal Commission visited
the isthmus. TWO years ago, it found
these supplies so vast in quantity that
it could no do more than casually ex-
anime them. II has been estimated
although there are few, If any, who
know exactly how much was spent in
this way-that they might have cost
$4,000. 900. Although all of this ma
terial is less than twenty-five years
old. IL is relatively so u~ntiquated in
design that the commission recon-
mended that the United States pay
no attention Il its existence in maxi
ing an offer for the purchase of the
canal property. No contractor, the
commission declared. would use the
stuff. even II IL was presented to him.
Although the United States has not
offered TO buy this junk. it will come
into its possession II ii buys the ca.
nal. for the Panama Canal company
has promised to throw 1t in for good
measure.
The supplies piled up on the 18th.
mus range from articles OF crockery
to locomotives. e~xcavators, dredges,
cars and hospitals. There were 2,431
buildings of various sorts, including
those which were intended and used
as offices. quarters for the thousands
of laborers. store houses. hospitals
and machine shops. The value of the
hospitals alone is nearly S1,OOO,OO
They are fine structures and. doubt.
less, the United States will make on
allowance for these. for they will be
of value. Many of the other build
ings, from disuse. are showing signs
of decay. In the machine chops are
steam hammers and great turning
lathes for making repairs to the large
| .t.n.. ~ n,a,hinaru mead In tho uynfk
of excavation. There are scores of To-
comotiyes which the members OF the
commission were told had never been
used, and their appearance bore out
this statement. While larger than
the locomotives which were used on
the Manhattan Elevated railroad,
they are lighter than the locomotives
used in construction work of this
kind today. They were built In
France. Belgium, England and the
United States. Their value could not
be determined. because the effect Of
the moist tropical climate on machin.
cry which is not in use Is uncertain
Until they had been tested no one
could say what they are worth. The
other machinery is In a like uncer'
tain condition. The wheels of the cars
the excavating plant most available
for future use have narrow treads
The rails are OF a pattern i'll fitted foI
rough usage.
Machinery valued at about $4,000,
600 was bought in this country by
Charles Colne, who was the American
agent of the old Panama Canal com
pany for nine years. This. Mr.. Colnc
said the other day. was worth what
was paid for It: but there were Bel
gian locomotives which were anti
Quated when purchased. Many con
tracts for unnecessary machinery
were made before the company failed
but these, Mr.. Colne said. were abro
gated. so that the present supply Of
useless machinery is not so great as
the corrupt officials of the old Pana
ma company would have had il.
There has been an impression that
: the old Panama Canal company vast
ed large sums OF money in the pur
/ chase of useless machinery. Real
> Admiral Walker. the president of the
United States commission. when ask
ed about this at a hearing on the ca
| nal before a senate committee. de
7 clared il 10 be his impression that il
! was moi so much useless machinery
which had been purchased as a sur
: plus Of useful machinery. Doubles,
: the failure OF the old canal company
; had something to do with the non-us,
Of the supplies. but it Is said by thos,
T acquainted with the work upon III,
canal that il would have been impos
siDle Ia utilize al one time all the ma
5 chinery taken to the isthmus. In thI.
item of machinery millions of dollars
which were drawn from the saving.
of the people of France. have beef
sunk. never To be recovered.-Nev
York Tribune Review.