The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-11-25
TWO Canal REPORTS
e,ylF OF PANAMA DITCH NOT
YET Determined.
.,dent IS Known TO Favor Lock
gateway and Chief Engineer
s,evens Has Expressed Views
,ofayorable to Sea-level Plan.
coming to Advise Commission.

W9SlluBton' A9 -
The board Of consulting engineers has
,,;ded in favor of sea-leyel canal,
j. yet an open question whether the
n.,oma canal shall be sea-level or
,,t waterway. The decision Of the
s.ord Of consulting engineers is not
UO.l The decision Of the board was
l a.obed by vote of eight to five In
i .spor of the level project, Gen.
noris and Messrs. Burr and Parsons
wing with the five foreign engineers
spsinst lock canal.
Tho report of the board Of engineers
i, NOT be submitted to President
pnosevelt for five or six weeks. in all
Inability. As to the character Of
.bs great project the report will not be
s,on;mous. In fact, two reports, one
tv the majority and one by the minor
=, will be submitted. These reports
M, ,H, president will lay before the canal
oommission and Chief Engineer Ste
cons for consideration. Mr.. Stevens
oil come to the United States from
The isthmus to take up the subject
With the commission and with the
president.
Cost Will Be Great.
is conceded by the advocates Of q
.as.leyel canal that to construct such
waterway will cost much more mon
sv and time than to build look canal.
Itis known that in the mind of the
nresident these are vital elements. It
il bis desire, expressed to some of those
who have discussed the subject with
him. that the canal should be built az
eyueditiously as possible and at no
greater expense than may be necessary
to provide a practicable waterway.
he has indicated to some Of those to
whom be has talked that he personally
favors lock canal, but he IL deter
mined fully that the subject shall be
considered thoroughly from all points
Of view before a final decision is
reached.
Chief Engineer Stevens will leave
Colon for Washington next Thursday.
He is coming to give the commission q
report upon the different phases of the
work on the isthmus, but more partic-
ularly his views as to the type Of canal.
These views are already known to the
officials vino are in charge Of the canal
work, but an official statement from
the engineer is desired.
Should Start With Young Hen.
Mr.. Stevens told officials who re-
Gently visited the isthmus that il a
ssa-level canal was to be constructed
the government ought to put boys I'M
De. 20 years of age in charge Of tie
work, SO that they would last until the
work was completed. The visit Of
Chief Engineer Stevens for the special
purpose of giving his views as to the
type Of canal indicates that the judg-
ment Of the consulting board Of engin-
GERS does not definitely determine the
type, but that the commission will
earnestly take up the subject and make
recommendations. From what has
oeen said by members Of the commits
sion and the views already officially
expressed by them, there seems little
oouet that they will disagree with the
recommendations of the consulting
ooard, which voted to recommend q
ssa-ieVel canal. An estimate Of $l6,-
vVO'oVo for continuing work on the
isasma canal has been sent to the
treasury department. from the war de-
pa.tment, to be sent to congress.
Inc estimate of SIC, 200, 900 10 foI
apenditure up to and including the
u''si Year ending June 80, 1907. A
part OF this money will be necessary al
u u'u and an emergency appropriation
"A' oe asked as soon as congress CON-
cues IN order that the work may pro-
s'ea' 1t is stated at the offices Of the
COMMISSION wv that unless money ID pro-
m ,.uso as soon as congress convenes all
Oia must cease. The estimate ID
uaoe without regard to the proposal
'olssue bonds.
NCW DEAL ON BAGiAOE.