New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-10-25
LOCKS FOR PANAMA CANAL
TEN YEARS To FINISH .JOR
Decision of Commission Forecasted
By Iskan1 Randolph.
From The Tribune Bureau. !

From The Tribune Bureau
Washington Dec. 24-The Panama &c.,
Commission issued to-day what may be accented
IS the approved official view that the great ca,o1
will rot be q sea level cut between Tho -
oceans, and that it be opened to big oceon
steamers within ten years This closely seraas
with the estimate and recommendation of tho
walker board four years ago which led to the
adoption OF the Panama route in preference to
the Nicaraguan. and which demonstrated that
the Culebra divide could not be cut to sea level
in twice or three times ten years.
The advisory board of international engineers
is now holding daily sessions. The board has
decided that ii is not worth while seriously dis
cussing the proposition of Bunau varilla, who
was one Of the first 10 present plan The
scheme was not considered of a practical char
acter and it was promptly voted unavailable"
Less unaninlity attended the reception of the
plans Of Lindon Bates, the engineer, and Il is
likely that some Of the suggestions will be in
corporated in the recommendations of a majority
of the board especially those features which
were in the French plans bought by the United
States The report from that source will be
ready in the latter part of November.
It is expected there will be little delay on
the part of the commission proper in acting
upon the report Of the advisers. The commits
sioners have decided to keep away from the
ton to attend the meetings has been declined
with the explanation that it will be better if
the advisory experts discuss the project by
themselves. unin1uenced by anything which
NAV come now from the members of the COM
mission.
More than this It has been decided that the
advisory board shall keep its sessions secret and
nothing will be given out regarding the concIu-
sions OF the board until the report is received
nouncement Of the commission to-day was con-
tanned in a letter written by Isham Randolph
member of the advisory board, TO President
Carter. Of the Chicago Drainage Canal Mr.
Randolph gives precise statements of difficulties
and methods OF surrounding them which have
rot been published before From what he saw
on the isttmus. he declares that the work of
preparation is going on speedily. and when the
equipment is on hand and the organization per-
fected at least $4,000 men will be required.
Much Of the present abor is worthless. The ap-
plication Of the eight hour system to the canal
he regards as lamentable mistake. which will
add about % per cent 10 the cost of labor.
He says the whole line is "cluttered up with
abandoned French machinery which cost about
S3o0o00o0 and is now valueless.
Mr. Randolph's letter follows:
What do know is that it can be done; that
Americans can do it, ana that that in as short time
through We DO know that almost lInnitiess re-
builders represent the highest grade of American
engineering talent. led by man whose record
things that he shall do Hence We may reasonably
lock for the passage OF the great ocean fTeghteTs
calendars are headed 1875 How much before this
This is no easy triumph for the builders who
must contend with and overcome difaeultes no, not
encountered in our temperate zone. First, there
force ne to believe have been Tnagniied, exag
a problem, but its solution is progressive ana II
from the states The French left behind them
some 300 buildings. little and big, which are pc
ing made habitable But many more must De pun
10 house the thousands WHOSE labpTs are ;e
on hand and the organization perfected, az IeasI
A.0c0 men VIII be requires in the various depart
The source Of supply for labor so far has ne 8a
as 2 per cent, taking an average laborer in our
latitude the unit This Is que IN 4o the de-
mand and an Independence is thereby in9eETe
which tends TO worthlessness There IS no Iii
make them do their best under eklsf ben DO fair
cs4n5 NE t they Know Job awaits them. was
Tojd hv white men on the work that the MARTINIQUE
negroes superior TO those rom of the
eight hour system the isthus seems a 1 ner
able mis +d sh ana co S9e of the work
The whole lire is cluttered up with ;b d aid
10 reach SEQ 100000 This machinery is vanelesS' Tt
Of date and the efforts 10 use rognzed in the be-
ginning that better appliances must sgPe[s Srs ago
devices which were modern twenty-odd Years a6o'
orders would have been placed Tor inc Dg7t liz,
chineTy of our day and il would have bel III,
ing NOW in such quantities as the neeos o. me nf
cali for cast no reflections upon the z VOTE Of Of
The french They left behind them eVlde,tiI AZ
eToIreeri1g skin and successful battles with on
fc5Ities which convince that II the hoLesl pirt
- I'D been sustained and the vast sums Wn !eI
were diverted into robber channels had Deed ~
rnate1y anplied IL might to-day be the hliSSio "a
the United states only to enlarge me 'lls FI-
canal which would have become inadequate i0i
the traffic seeking it. - o. Wy, last day
in Panama hours Of tramplng IN , me i
through the mud of the Cuebra cut ana lS1ol ~
ciimfing up the jungle clad hills arrived 1a b wls,
two Others OF our party at government d LaTe
for5ra We went unauuOunced anu % IS.e-
dinner There was no delay in serving anu bnIe
was reasonable variety Of weil-cooFleu; M
some food better than l have Ioull1 -,
rer cent OF the many contractors camps IN IN,
] have eaten the last thirty -seFeh 49, = veal
charge for this board is twenty-five cents d liie-
O so 50 month. L.. ,,-jdA m our
people. IF sickness could ever be Tegaao66u Colon
hon II NAV be so thought of In Ancon anu +iy5e
One of the privileges of our trip W Vas director
Colonel eCiorgas whose work as neoiC~Il SId 10
places him in the front ranks OF that nople p hes
fession which honors him for the hoh0i N no.
for i. .4,.r+s which