The Beaumont enterprise. [volume] (Beaumont, Tex.) 1904-current, 1904-09-24
WALLACE BACK
FROM PANAMA
STATEMENT OF CHIEF ENGINEER
OF lSTHMlAN CANAL
COMMISSION.
IS NO FRICTION WITH GEN. DAVIS
States That It Will Take Eight Years
and $2oO,ooo,oOo to Complete
the Canal, 20 Per Cent of
Old Work Available,

Flossmore. H., Sept. 23.-Mr. John
F. Wallace, chief engineer of the
Isthmian canal commission and as
such in direct charge of the construc-
tion of the canal to be built by the
United States across the Isthmus of
Panama, is at home for two weeks,
after busy summer in the canal
zone.
Mr.. Wallace denied emphatically
the story printed in New York paper
that there was friction between him
self and Gen. Da IS, governor of the
canal zone.
Mr.. Wallace says that the relations
between him and Gen. Davis always
are of the most pleasant and cordial
character.
During his three months stay in Pa
mama, Mr.. Wallace completely cover
Jed the entire canal strip. about ten
miles wide and AZ miles long, at least
twenty times and his observations
were thorough. He saw Gen. Davis
frequently and the two always work
ed in perfect harmony. Mr.. Wallace
says that at present there are about
| 800 men in the field in Panama.
There are now at work six divisions
of engineers corps. each in charge of
resident engineer who reports to
Mr.. Wallace as chief engineer. The
engineering and clerical departments
are almost entirely Americanized and
NEARLY every arriving steamer brings
fresh additions from the United
States.
Little Sickness on lSthmus.
Mr.. Wallace says that the health
conditions in Panama are excellent,
and there is little sickness. The mean
temperature this summer was about
"a degrees and Mr.. Wallace says that
he does not remember that he ever
passed a summer in theUnited States
when the weather was more pleasant
than il was this summer in Panama.
The idea that yellow fever is still
prevalent in the Isthmus. Mr.. Wallace
says. is erroneous. II. as well as the
malarial fever. common to the tropi-
cal countries is being eradicated.
Mr.. Wallace says that of the work
done by the French company, perhaps
ten. maybe fifteen percent can be
used. II all depends on the plan final
ly decided on for the completion OF
the canal.
Will Require Eight Years.
The preliminary work of thorough
ly surveying the canal route with
view Of determining at what level
the canal is to be cut and the exact
line IL is 10 follow will consume. Mr..
Wallace SAYS. the remainder Of 1904
and a part of 1905. BY spring Of 1906
he says he expects to have the cam
paign entirely mapped ont and the
actual work of digging the canal in
systematic progress. Then II will
take about eight years to complete
the work The line of the canal will
be about - miles along the Chagras
river then along one II the branches
Of the Chagres. passing through The
cut among the hills known as the
Culpbra cut. about ten miles from
Panama Bsv.
viii Cost s2oo.oOo.ooo.
Mr. Wallace estimates thar the
completion 81 the canal uil cDsi
$3.50 GBH HHG This sum added t0 the
nH8G 900 paid to the French com
panv f0r The rauai property and 1he
50. .Nnn H01 paid f0 the Panama GOV
prnmpnf f0r +hr grant ~ the land
will make rUa1 ru=f Cor she great
uafa-t-sv nf FZ1H nDH h10.
Wr WaUarr found fhn uafivr- rrrT
friendly toward rhr United state.
rhDu-h m1zf 81 -hn thrifty =hnr Fnfu-
erz AID Iisrln-rrE ~ hish nrfng
Eapnaf 3 lrffr rr nuf uhnn fbrr
found rfn hfrH-iefr= were 800 ar free
spandarH o. fha Frrnrb had been.