Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-18
THE PANAMA CANAL
A Talk With Chairman
Shonts on the Subject.
RAINY SEASON NOW ON
SANITATION OF THE ISTHMUS
GOING ON SYSTEMATICALLY.
Engineering Problems Considered Per-
fectly Solvable-Col. Hams Coin
cides With This Opinion.

| Mr.. Theodore P. Shonts, chairman of the
| isthmian canal commission. arrived in the
| city bright and early today, and was in
| his Office when business was commenced.
! Mr.. Shonts has been on the 1sthmus of
| Panama combating the insanitary condi-
| tons that prevail there, but his healthy
! complexion and general manner gave no in
| dication of any ravages of sfckly tropical
| climate. He appeared rather one who
! had returned from a vacation spent at the
| seashore with a close acquaintance with
! the briny deep.
Mr.. Shonts, when seen by Star reporter
| talked freely about the conditions on the
| isthmus, and showed that he has the most
| sanguine feelings about the outcome of the
! canal project. He believes that ample data
has now been secured for determining what
| plan is to be chosen and to satisfy any
| engineer of the entire practicability of the
| canal project. He is satisfied that the
| health conditions on the isthmus will be so
| controlled that the work on the canal can
| be prosecuted without greater inconven-
| ience than would naturally be expected in
| such a project. He does not undertake to
| prove that the isthmus is to be turned into
| an international health resort, but at the
same time he looks upon the situation there
| as favoring such a degree of comfort for
| the employees of the canal that the work
will progress without undue inconvenience.
| The Panama People.
THE attitude OF the Panama people to-
ward the measures that are put in force by
| the health officers said Mr.. Shonts, rs
| such to make possible the enforcement
of sanitary measures. They offer no obJec-
| ton to the fumigation of their homes when
ever in the opinion of the health officers
that is regarded necessary, and our eX
l Ia
that proper health discipline will be main
tained without unusual trouble. They have
complied with our rules. Among the edu-
Gated class of people there is a feeling that
the United States is doing its best to i'm
prove conditions on the isthmus, and they
readily cooperate to that end when called
upon. They willing to suffer some in
convenience in order to assist in that work.
The poorer class comply, because in gem
eral way they believe We are acting for
their best interests and many heads OF
families are helping to do the work IN
which we are engaged
Mr.. ShontS stated that 1t Is not yet pos
sible to determine the results of the sani-
tary measures that are being taken to i'm
prove the condition of the isthmus, for the
reason that the rainy season is now on and
the rainy season is the time of year when
the most unfavorable conditions prevail.
He said that proper comparison of health
conditions could be made only by compar-
ing one year with another. During the dry
season, which begins in November or De-
cember, he said yellow fever disappears
about as it does in northern latitudes when
the cool weather sets In.
The Health Situation.
Or Gorgas is very well satisfied with
the general health situation said Mr..
Shonts. He told me he was we'll satisfied
with the conditions there and with the re-
suits he had accomplished. He is taking
measures to stamp out yellow fever by iSo
lating cases and by fumigating the houses.
He is also improving sanitary conditions by
having the underground and grass cut
around camps and stations in order TO get
rid of the mosquitoes and generally make
the condition better than 1t has been. Fiji
teen hundred men are now engaged in sani-
tdry work.
Mr.. Shonts said that when the board of
engineers meets in September it will have
before it three types of canal from which
to select the route that is regarded as
most desirable but added that in the IN
structions he is preparing to send to the
board the members are being told that if
any other plan that may be suggested by
themselves is regarded as still more desir
able than the ones that have been pre-
pared they are al liberty to recommend
that. They will be given such complete
data that they will be able to intelligently
pass upon the project.
THE engineers have assured me-" said
Mr.. Shonts, that the data we have in
herited and that which we have ourselves
secured concerning the cana! project is all
that is necessary to form an intelligent
conclusion about any of the three types of
canal that have been proposed"
Are you satisfied that the canal can be
built with reasonable expenditure of
money!" Mr.. Shonts was asked.
Canal Can Be Built.
Yes" he replied, promptly, with rea-
sonable expenditure of money and within a
reasonable length of time. You may go
further than that. l think, without any
doubt, and my judgment is based on
my talks with our civil engineer, with Mr..
Wallace when he was with us, and with
Mr.. Stevens that while the engineering
problems are large, there is nothing un-
solvable about them a all. Our engineers
in this country have, many of them, solved
fully great problems time and time
again.
'.Then the hints that Mr.. Wallace left be-
cause he was becoming afraid of the canal
problems not well based?"
Il don't think Mr. Wallace would say
that" Mr.. Shonts replied laughing There
is no mystery about Mr.: Wallace's action
in leaving the work. If he could have had
much money from the government as he
was able to get elsewhere, and had he been
able to direct the work from this city, be
would have continued with the work. That
Is all there is to that
At this stage of the interview General
Haines. member of the board of engi-
neers entered the room, and being ap-
pealed to for his view of the nature of the
problems that are to be solved on the |
isthmus, replied:
Col. Haines' Opinion.
$50 far as the engineering problems are
concerned, we feel that they are entirely
solvable We feel that many of our en-
gineers have worked on greater problems
than those we find on the isthmus.'
'Then you do not fear the attack that it |
is said former Senator Warner Miller is
contemplating when Congress meets in or
der to prove that the Panama project is !
impossible? 2" was suggested to them BOTH
When the impracticability of the project |
is developed. replied Mr.. Shonts laughing. |
II shall proceed to fly the COOP
when that time comes broke in Gen. |
Haines," shall get out"
But added Mr.. Shonts.' I assure you
that if they want to get rid of me they will !
have to put me out. l have no thought of |
getting out of my own accord"