The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-24
WALLACE TALKS OF
 THE CANAL ZONE Climate Has Been Delightful
 This Summer oNILL COST S2OO,0O0,OO0 About Eight Years Will Be Consumed In Building the canaI-Natives
 Friendly to the United
 States.
'NILL COST S2oo,oOO,OOo

Flossmoor, H., September 2S.-John F. Wallace chief engineer of the isthmian canal commission, and as such in direct charge of the canal to be built by the United States across the Isthmus of Pan- anna Is at home for two weeks after a busy summer in the canal zone.
 MT. Wallace denied the story printed in New York newspaper that there was friction between himself and General Davis. MT. Wallace says the relations between himself and MT. Davis always are of the most pleasant and cordial character.
 Completely Covered Strip.
 During his three months stay in Pan anna MT. Wallace completely covered the entire canal strip, about ten miles wide and about forty-seven miles long, at least twenty times and his observations frequently and the two always worked in perfect harmony. MT. Wallace says that at present there are about 150O men in the field at Panama.
 There are now at work SIX divisions of engineers corps. each In charge of a resident engineer who reports to MT. Wallace as chief engineer. The engin- eering and clerical departments are all most entirely Americanized and nearly every arriving steamer brings fresh ad- ditions from the United States.
 The majority of common laborers as well as few skilled laborers are Eng liSh SnQalxfro from Iar
 MT Wallace says that the health con- dtions in Panama are excellent and there is little sickness. The mean temperature this summer was about S4 degrees and MT. Wallace says that he does not re- member that he ever passed a summer in the United States when the weather was more pleasant than it was in Panama this summer. The idea that yellow fever is still prevalent in the isthmus MT Wal lace says, Is erroneous. It and malarial fever are teing eradlcated
 Will Require Eight Years. | MT. Wallace says that of the work done | by the French company, perhaps 10, may | be 15 per cent, can be used It all de- | bends on the plan finally decided on for l the completion of the canal The pre- liminary work of thoroughly surveying the canal route with a view of determin- | inS dl what level the canal is to be cut and the exact line it is to follow will l consume, MT. Wallace says, the remainder | of 1904 and part of 1905.
 By 1906 he says he expects to have the campaign entirely mapped out and the actual work of digging the canal in sys- tematic progress. It will Take about eight 1 years to complete the work
 l The line of the canal will be for about | twenty-six miles along the Chagres river | then along one of the branches of the Chagres, passing through the cut among the hills known as the CuleDra cut about ten miles from Panama. and then on by the Rio Grande river to Panama bay. MT | Wallace estimates that the completion of the canal will cost $15O 0OOs0O0. This sum added to the $40O0O, 900 paid to the French company for the canal property and the l s10,000.000 paid to Panama for the land 1 grant will make the cost of the great waterway s200,00O000
 l MT. Wallace found the natives very | friendly toward the United States though most of the thrifty shop-keepers were 8 1 little put out when they found that the Americans were not such free spenders as | the French.