Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-13
WORK ON THE BIG CANAL
IsTHMIAN COMMISSIONERS, RE-
PORT TO THE PRESIDENT.
What is Being Done in the Way of Elk
cavation and Improvement Of
Sanitary Conditions.

The 1Sthmian canal commission left with
the President yesterday afternoon memo
randum giving in detail the work accom-
plished and in hand on the isthmus. 1t
shows that there are now between two and
three hundred engineers and others sent
from the United States engaged in the en-
gtneering and construction work and upon
sewerage and water supply, with a force
OF from LOCO to 1,2OO Iaborers. This does
not include the sanitary force nor the force
of the governor of the zone, nor the person
mel OF the material and supply department.
According to the report. surveying par
ties are at work in the vicinity of Colon
making plans and estimates for an inner
harbor. and also for the work to be done
In the outer bay: also at Gatun, surveying
and boring at the various proposed dam
sites in that neighborhood, and for a cut
on known as the Tiger Hill line, between
Gatun and Tiger HILL
AT Bohio the surveyors are making de-
tailed surveys and studies and inyestigat-
Ing the various dam sites that have been
proposed In that locality. At Gamboa they
are making detailed borings and surveys
and estimating for a dam at that point; ;
also survey of the watershed of the
Chagres river. above Gamboa, and surveys
and Investigations to determine the posi-
plllty OF millways into the Pacific on the
one side and the Caribbean on the other;
survey and examination, with estimates,
for the proposed dam at Alhajuala is also
under way.
An engineering corps along the main line
of the canal in the vicinity of Culebra is
making surveys to determine the feasibility
of Strengthening the line of the French
company and to determine the amount of
material removed and to be removed in
accordance with the different canal plans
under consideration.
To Provide Water Supply.
Another foro, ie oa,etr,ot;,,~
! reservoir in the valley of the Upper Rio
Grande. which will furnish a minimum sup
ply of 100000 gallons of water day for
the city of Panama; also a distributing res
ervoir for the city of Panama at Ancon. 1t
is also making surveys and estimates for
sewerage system for Colon and plans are
being prepared for the construction of a
harbor there. The average amount of ma
terial taken out of the Culebra cut has
been from 900 to 800 cubic yards a day,
and when everything is favorable at times
1000 cubic yards. This is with the use of
the old French machinery available. The
three modern steam shovels which are to be
put at work at Culebra will increase the
output five fold.
The commission has purchased so far
three modern steam shovels and opened bids
for eleven more, has sent to the isthmus
a large amount of lumber and railroad ties.
has recently opened bids for 100000 feet of
lumber and will soon advertise for about
100000 feet additional.
Utilizing the French Material.
The commission has organized a machin-
cry department. The old shops OF the
French company are being repaired and the
machinery supplemented by that of new
and modern type; also a building depart
ment under a supervising architect, who
has charge of the repair of the 200 build
ings along the line of the canal and the
planning of and construction of new build
ings.
When the commission took charge of the
work on the canal the French were remov-
ing about 5000 cubic yards a month. In
August the amount removed under the d.
rection of the isthmian commission aggre-
gated about 81 600 yards. though In Sep
tember because of unfavorable conditions,
there was a smaller amount. In july the
unit cost of excavating material was cut
to 6O1h cents cubic yard, in August, to
5O1a cents per cubic yard; while during the
time Major Black was in charge on the
canal work the cost, according to the
French methods of excavation, was 20 cents
per cubic yard.
In addition to the personnel OF the CON
struction department there are on the isth-
mus forty men attached to the gov,
ernor's staff, 1879 to the sanitary stan ana
ffteen in the department of material ana
supplies.