The Washington times., 1905-06-28
D|SS[NS|ON CAUSE
Of A BIG SPLIT IN
THE CANAL BOARD
Alleged Domination of
Chairman Leads to
Clash.
QUESTION OF SEA LEVEL
Chief Engineer Said to Have
Deserted Shents-Talk
of Successor.
QUESTION OF SEA LEVEL

There is no longer doubt that a crisis
of first ma gnitude has been reached IN
Panama canal affairs.
The Canal Commission IS divided into
two factions, and the executive commit
tee of the commission has split. Chair
man Shonts and Engineer Wallace are
at odds, and the resigaa tion of Mr.
Wallace undoubtedly has been placed in
the hands OF the Government authors
ties.
Engineer Wallace is accused Of IN
subordination and undue ambition to
control the entire business of the com
mission. Like charges are made against
Chairman Shonts. who, however, has .he
Administration with him and at present,
at least. is on top.
/ But Chairman Shonts has not united
commission at his back. and il is by no
| means certain that further division can
be prevented. The great decision be-
tween lock and sea-level plans for the
| canal is yet to be made. On this ques-
ton there is shar- determined division
| In the commission, and Chairman Shonts
| is understood to be in the minority, adj
yocattng a sea-ievel canal.
Sanitary Conditions Bad.
Sanitary conditions on the isthmus arc
bad and growing worse. Yellow fever
is prevailing, and what. IS more serious.
| it has thrown large proportion OF the
American community into panic There
are troubles over organization. purchas
ing. and distribution of supplies
Mr.. Wallace is stopping in New York
until the President shall act on his
resignation, which Is said TO be of ten
tative character. He has made certain
requests upon the Admins tratiog and
these may be complied with. though the,
expectation IN his regard IS bit siiets
If they are complied with Mr. Wallace
will return to his post. II they are not
| it is intimated that revelations will be
made that will run in close competition
with some of the old affairs OF the days
| when the French tried to dig the canal
| Engineer Wallace is practically in hid
| ing in New York He spent yesterday
and last night in conference with friends
in regard to his relations with the Ad-
| Ininistration.
Mr.. Wallace refused to say . word
about the situation. His reason for this,
| in his own words. is that the situation
is so delicate that he cannot afford to
| be quoted in any shape or manner
| II is said the chief reason for Mr..
Wallace's action is the tying of his
! hands at the canal with red tape that
reached out from Washington There
| is some truth in this. but il is not the
! whole story. Mr.. Wallace is said to feel
| that the canal will never be built within
the present century If politics and de-
partmental interference are allowed to
! hamper those on the ground.
Excavation Goes Slowly
The astonishing statement is made
that at the rate of excavation accom-.
| plished in the month OF Nav. the com
pietion of the canal would require more
/ than century The cost of the exca-
walton has increased. ar the same time
to three and four times the unit figures
which were used IN estimating the total
| cost of the waterway.
During May not more than 1oo0C cubic
yards of material were excavated. Al
this was at CuIebra. the only point
| way. AT least fe0,000.000 cubic yards
must be taken out at Culebra alone
To complete this in ten years a regular
monthly record OF S33, 33333 cubic yards
| would be required. At the rate set In
May but little more than that amoun,
would be dug in a year.
| In the loading department the cost pei
cubic ward increased from SO057 in Feb
ruary. TO so.14s for the week ending May
90: in the transportation department
from $G.G1 70 so.221: in dumping from 80. 034
TO s0122. In the excavating department
the cost per day varied around S01S3
| These are the conditions which have
alarmed the President and caused Wal.
llace's return 20 the United States.
Situation Is Serious.
Out Of the differences between Chair.
man Shonts and Engineer Wallace have
| developed complications which seem tt
| De growing increasingly serious There
| are some International relations in.
| volved in the present difficulties The
! relation Of the international advisory
| board of engineers to the work OF tht
| commission Is a question Of large mo.
| ment. understood not to be settled rs
! yet. and on which much may IepenG
! The work of building the canal is il
! charge Of commission OF seven mon,
bers. Four of these have practically
| no duties 10 perform, the real power
having been placed by order OF tkt
/ Shonts, Engineer Wallace and Cover.
nor Magoon, of the canal zone.
This order left the Status of the for,
remaining members anomalous, for 4
! divided the entire work of the commits
! sion into three executive departments
! placing one of these three member aI
| the head of each department. 10 lutte,
! whatever were prescribed for the other
| four members. who are skilled engineer:
| and experienced in the affairs g III,
I canal.
| Wish of the President.
| 1t was understood that this division
| of duties was made in pursuance of the
| wishes of the President and Secretary
Taft that the business be kept in the
hands of n small board Congress hav-
! ing provided for larger commission
| than was deemed either wise or con
venient. the executive order defining
| duties brought the number, for practi-
| Continued on Fifth Page)