The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-20
WHERE MILLIONS WERE
WASTED BY THE FRENCH
PANAMA CANAL COMPANY
Reckless Squandering and Thiev-
ing that Probably VIII Not Be
Repeated by Americans.
CRIME OF DE LESSEPS
And Saturnalia of Graft that Led
to the Bursting of His Gil
gantic Bubble.
INSTANCES OF RASCALITY
mistakes" that Were Made for
Purpose of Securing Com
missions on Contracts.
CRIME OF DE LESSEPS
INSTANCES OF RASCALITY
From the Journals stan Correspondent.

PANAMA, X. P, Dec. q, ly3.-ln some
OF the things the French did while pretend
ing to build canal across the isthmus lie
striking lessons OF what the United States
must carefully avoid doing. That the con-
tractors. supervisors. inspectors and ad-
ministTators under the United States viii
not steal 500. .OO0.O00, as did the French,
goes without saying; but where work is
of such magnitude IL is valuable to know
just where lie the opportunities for graft.
from which our own country is by no
means free. Knowing this. It will be pos
sible TO avoid the work Of the grafters.
some Of whom will inevitably appear in
connection with the enterprise under the
United States direction.
That we shall not as did the original
French projectors. plunge into the actual
task OF construction with only hazy ideas
of the real amount Of work TO be done is
certain. Our plans will have been definitely
formulated. down TO the last detailed
quirement before a contract is let or a
spadeful of earth turned The French
wasted countless millions without secur-
ing any substantial returns. by starting to
build a sea-IeveI canal, and then abandoning
that scheme for a lock system. Other mil
lions were wasted in projecting the lock
system, for II was proposed at first that
the Chagres river should be diverted and
simple system OF locks installed. This
plan was changed. the third alteration in
Solving an enormous outlay. in favor of
combined sea-level, artihcial-lake and lock-
system canal. Money was sunk most reck-
lessly IN trying to arrive at an intelligent
plan for constructing the waterway, and
even when the French finally settled upon
scheme they chose the most expensive
Ind tedious of all the plans considered.
FRENCH PLAN IN GENERAL
This final plan contemplated a work of
Infinitely greater magnitude than we pro-
pose, for from the time we began to con-
slider the project from the practical en-
gineering standpoint our activity has been
in the direction of simplihcation. The
French project, after a fixed determination
had been reached. provided for sea-Ievel
channel from Colon to Bohio, at which
latter point there should be monster dam.
with locks, forming an artificial lake ex-
tending to Bas Obispo distance of about
fourteen miles. At Bas Obispo there was
TO be another dam, with locks, forming a
level reaching 10 Paraiso six miles away on
the western slope OF the Cordilleras noun
tains. At Paraiso were TO be other locks,
opening the way to lower level which was
10 end at PedrO Miguel, two miles distant,
where there was 10 be another set of locks,
and still lower level extending mile to
Afirahores. where, with another set of locks.
the sea-level section on the Pacific side
would begin
This meant the construction of five lock
dams and canal of six different levels, and
would have required FIVE locking operations
to pass a ship from ocean to ocean. As a
necessary auxiliary, to furnish water sup
ply for the Bas Obispo-Paraiso, ParaisO-
Pedro Miguel and Pedro Miguel -Mirahores
levels, 1t was proposed to build a supply
canal to the eastward. tapping the Chagres
river at Alhejuela. nine miles away in the
higher ranges Of the Cordilleras mountains.
with storage reservoirs 10 insure a full sup
ply Of water for those levels during the dry
season. This plan reduced the amount Of
cutting required at Culebra, as under IL
ships would have passed through the noun
tain.s artificial gorge on the highest of all
leveIs-the Bas Obispo-Paraison-but this
advantage was more than Offset by the
enormous cost of constructing the lock dams
at Bas Obispo. ParaisO and Pedro Miguel,
and OF the auxiliary canal and storage res
ervoir TO Alhejuela-
FARCE ENACTED BY DE LESSEPS-
IL would. however. have been possible for
tho original French company TO complete
the lock canal for the amount Of money
actually thrown into the enterprise had the
plan been adopted at the beginning and the
work prosecuted earnestly and honestly
This. though. is exactly what was not done
Years were wasted. and millions of dollars
flung away. and the French company was
on the verge Of bankruptcy when II finally
decided upon that plan. II was then too
late for IL TO achieve any definite results.
France was agog with the tales of cOrrup-
tion In connection with the work: De Les
repss credit was irretrievably shattered.
and the end OF the string had been reached.
These facts did not feaze the French engi-
neer. however. for just when crushing
disaster was breeding he made a triumphal
frfr 70 he 18th ,faH 1
residence on the Cristobal Colon Point for
one week. unveiled the Columbus statue,
which the Empress Eugenie had presented
10 the company, and in a grandiioquent
speech declared the canal open TO navi-
cation.
At that moment the canal was open to
Bohio-open as a narrow, shallow ditch.
The thing the French had begun in earnest
ended right there, having progressed
through monumental tragedy. proigate
waste and nmitlesS criminality 10 the farce
OF De Lesseps standing at one end of the
ditch and declaring a ship canal open to
commerce. The great French engineer re-
turned TO his native country to be almost
immediately carried down under the crash
or the whole enSerprise-to be tried and
sentenced TO penal servitude for his partic-
tpancy in the gigantic crime which had
been perpetrated. IL Is hardly necessary TO
say that the United States will never blum
DER as did that gang of Frenchmen: that
when we begin work We will know exactly
Whdt We are 10 do, and that when the
canal shaH be declared open IL will be omen
IN fact. so that ships may pass directly
through H. saving 1000 miles on a voyage
from Colon 10 Panama-cities that lie only
forty-seven miles apart
ACTUAL CRIMES COMMITTED
But grave as was the error OF indefinite
ness and indecision committed by the orig
maj french company. it pales before the
enormity Of the crimes committed by those
who were actually in charge of the work.
One might write a book on this subject
alone; but few details will suffice 10 show
the unblushing rascality practiced here.
From the moment those sent 10 the isthmus
10 superintend the construction Of the canal
arrived until the hnal crash came there
was perfect saturnalia of graft aided and
aoetted oy the crowd who kept headquarters
OF the company open IN Paris and who
were ready, for their share. to pay rascal
lty 3 demands. There was stealing outright:
mere was stealing by means OF the pur-
chase OF supernuous machinery; there was
hteahhS Dy means or the awarding Of con-
tracts at exorbitant prices; there was steal
ING Dy the extOrtiOn Ur commissions on
every contract awarded: there was stealing
IN the purchase OF the most minor supplies
there was. In short. stealing at every turn
scoNTISUEp ON PAGE II. COL. Al