Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-12
WORK ON THE CANAL
EXCAVATION OF THE BIG DITCH
CONSTANTLY GOING ON.
Chief Engineer Wallace Tells of the
Operations in Progress on the
Isthmus of Panama.

Chief Engineer John P. Wallace of the
isthmian canal commission says that there
are now $500 men engaged in the con-
struction of the canal. The work of in
stalling an American plant at Culebra is
and supplies can be secured on the 18TH
mus, and when Mr.. Wallace left there
were six American steam shovels at work
In the Culebra excavation, and arrange
ments have been made to install additional
machines at the rate of two a month In
the last ninety days laborers have been
coming in freely from Costa Rica, Jamaica
and the Barbados.
The health of the young Americans on
the 1sthmus is particularly goo. There
has been very little sickness and compar-
atlVely few fatalities have resulted. Those
that have occurred generally have been of
persons who have led improper lives or
who have been affected with some func-
lonal disorder. The employees from the
states have been remarkably free from
fever.
Output Constantly Increasing.
The work of installation of the plant and
the organization of the force at Culebra is
advancing rapidly, and each month the
output of material is increasing. In the
month of March it was three times what
amount eXcavated in JULY
me work OF the sanitary department is
beginning to show positive results. The
water supply for the city of Panama will
De available by July 1. Water supply sys-
TENS also are being installed at various
points along the line of the canal work
several large hotels for the ACCOMMODATE on
OF the Americans are nearly completed,
d MT. "ailace states that it will be only
matter of few months now before life
on ire lSthmuS will have practically all
me comforts and conveniences that arc
opIaliable In the states on large work of
,nna ei,ai acler. Inc employees are becoming
i ana more contented as conditions are
improved, and there has continued To he a
steady accession to the force
Value of Experimental Work
Mr. Wallace says that every adai+;ox,,
month he is permitted to continue bis ~
Festlgation and experimental work the
more reliable will be the data available for
use IN deciding on plan for the canal He
also emphasized the statement that thus
Lar ne mas not committed himself to any
dennlte plan beyond his official recon-,
mendauons to the former isthmiap canal
commission. He takes the ground that no
pan should be adopted whish would nre
s sTmt the ultimate and economical con-
structlon OF sea-level canal, should such
pe decided on at any stage of the work
or even after the canal has been con,
Structed. ~
C.
slty OF an immediate decision by the com
mission on a plan of construction Mr..
wallace said that it would REQUIRE about
1wo years TO manufacture and install the
necessary machinery to complete the ex-
caVatlon for canal at sixty-foot level.
work which would be necessary in anv
event: During this period ample time will
De AFFORDED for investigation and thorough
analysis of all the elements or factors that
go to make up the problem as a whole
In the meantime the excavation of the CEN
tIal CuIebra cut, which is the controlling
element both as to time and cost will be
pushed vigorously with the aid of modern
american eXcaVat1ng machinery, which is
oelng manufactured as rapidly as possible
and sent to the isthmus. Tie investiga-
tlons being conducted include diamond
drilling work along the entire line of the
canal, the character of the formation be-
ing revealed in this manner to a depth
forty feet below the surface The borings
Will give absolute information as to the
character of the material to be encoun-
tered in the canal work. In addition,
shafts are being sunk at certain points to
reveal more fully the character of the
formation.
Complete Inquiry Imperative.
Mr.. Wallace places himself on record as
in favor of the most complete and thor
ough investigation possible before final
plans shall be adopted. In the meantime
he says the work will be so prosecuted as
not to delay the final completion of the
Sdidi WHICH snail De Planned AFTER all the
consideration necessary has been given it.
report covering all that has been done
up to the LIST of February last was made
to the former commission by the chief en-
gineer and it is understood that it was
largely on the information contained in
this report that the engineering commit
tee of the former commission predicated
its recommendation for a sea-level canal
In his report Mr.. Wallace did not actually
recommend sea-level canal, but held the
same views then as now. AS to the neces-
sity of a tidal lock in sea-level canal,
Mr.. Wallace said it was an undetermined
question as to the real effect to tidal ac-
ton in the operation of the canal, and
one difficult to establish theoretically.
tidal lock might or might not be neces-
sary. In any case one only would be
quired-on the Panama side several miles
inland from the mouth of the canal.
Mr.. Wallace is attending the daily meet
ings of the commission and has gone over
the ground on these questions thoroughly
with his colleagues.