The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1905-11-23
Decided Upon By Commits
sion After Long Study.
VOTE WAS EIGHT TO FIVE
Plan Selected Will Call for More
Money and Longer Time for
Construction, But Benefits
Will Be Greater.

/
board of consulting engineers OF the
isthmian canal commission at Satu"
cay's meeting, by vote OF eight 70
five, declared itself in favor Of a sea
level canal.
The conclusion was reached after a
long and careful study OF the project.
Since the beginning Of September the
board had held meetings and in spe-
cial subcommittee had studied the
plans for a sea level and a lock canal
with the greatest care. A trip to the
isthmus was made to enable the mem-
hers to form a better idea OF the me,
chanical difficulties which had to oe
considered.
The members of the board are men
of the greatest reputation in their line
of work. France, Germany and Hol-
land sent their most eminent special
lists at the request OF the American
government.
From the beginning it was evident
that a majority of the members were
in favor Of the sea level canal. Their
point of view was that, even If it cost
more than a lock canal and would
take longer in the building, it would
ultimately be of greater use, as 1t
will enable ships to make mucn
shorter trip than if they were oblls-
eg to 90 through three Or four locks.
On the other hand, there was
minority which wanted to see the
canal built in as short a time as
possible, and with the least cost, de-
claring that a few hours longer for
the trip through the isthmus made
little or no difference.
One of the members gave this ex-
PLANTATION for his way OF voting: III
may be that several of us will not
see the sea level canal finished in our
life time, as it will take considerably
longer than ten years. But II we
have the satisfaction to know that for
all the generations to follow we have
made the shortest and most practical
way of communication between the
Pacific and the Atlantic and as long
as we had to decide one question for
all eternity, we do not think that
few years more or less would make
a very important difference. That is
the way our party thought about il
and whatever we may have said in
favor or against it, we have, after
the most careful consideration, given
all opinion as we saw our way to do
it"
No official statement will be given
out before the report of the conl-
mission reaches President Roosevelt,
which will be about January.
The decision was reached at nool
Saturday and thereby the board prac.
t:cally concluded it's labors. There
will be a few more meetings simply
TO deal with small details and to put
into permanent forms the results IT
the boards protracted meetings. The
foreign delegates desire to leave for
their homes by the 9th instant,
|. However, there are two more i'm.
rortant steps, at either of which there
may be great changes proposed, for
the commission must pass the plans
and it's own recommendations to the
president, who, in turn, must stamp
them at his own approval or disap-
proval, and forward them to congress,
which, after all, will be the court OF
last resort as between the sea level
and lock canal projects; simply
through the fact that additional leg
islation will be necessary If a sea
level canal is to be built will cost
from s75,OO0,OOO to s1O0,0O0,00O more
than the cheapest practical lock ca
ral, and will consume from five to
sovan wears. more in the construction