The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1905-11-24
Board Likely to Be Investi-
gated for Violating the
Law By Contracting Debts.
NO MONEY FOR SUPPLIES
IT IS CHARGED THE BOARD rs
UTTERLY DEMORALIzED-
PRESIDENT FAyoRs sEA-LEY-
Ell CANAL.


WASHINGTON. Nov. "a, 1905.-As
previously announced, the Panama
Canal Commission finds itself obliged to
ask Congress for an emergency appro-
priation of $16,000,oOo to pay its ex-
penses for the next six months. 1t has
entered into contracts for material
amounting to $4,000. 600 and it willsneed
81, ,000, GOO for expenses from the present
time to June 80 next. 1t owes from
S5,ooo,0Oo to $1,0o0,0o0 to the Panama
Railroad, a corporation owned by the
government. 1t has been unable to pay
this amount because the $10,O0O000 ap-
propriated by congress Tor the work has
been expended. When the railroad Off
/ GERS called on the canal commissioners to
pay this sum they were unable to do 50,
and the railroad officials were obliged to
go into the marker for the money.
/ Senators and Representatives akeady
in the city are astonished at the reckless-
ness and extravaganza of the commits
sion, and it is believed that Congress
wiz, call the commissioners to account
that it may legislate them out of Office
| Since the Advisory Board of Consult
ing Engineers recommended the build Of
a sea-level canal, which would cost $780,
100000 more than lock canal, members
Of Congress from Speaker down, agree
that Congress should make an investga-
ton Of what has been done and place
checks ON the extravaganza Of the COM
nissioners.
In addition to the contracts for ss,-
100000 the commission is $1,50o,00o in
debt for material already purchased,
which cannot be paid for until Congress
provides the funds. The big contractors
of New York and Chicago now propose
TO organize for the purpose of boyeotting
the canal because of what they consider
their unjust treatment at the hands Of
the government. These contractors fur
nished the government supplies for the
canal, some of which were shipped last
August and their receipt has not vet been
even acknowledged. Payment cannot be
made until it can be shown that the
goods were delivered and Congress makes
an appropriation. The contractors say
that they were led to believe that their
goods would be paid for within reason
able time. Some of them are on the
verge of bankruptcy because of the large
amount of money tied up. The govern
ment owes one firm 100000. and there
are many to whom it owes from 5000
to $4,000.
The last Congress passed law which
provided that no department of the
Government shall expend in any fiscal
year any sum in excess Of the appro-
priations made by Congress for that year
or involve the government in any con-
tract or obligation for future payment
unless specifically authorized by law,
The penalty for violation of this law is
summary dismissal from Office and pun
ishment by fae of not less than $f00,
or by imprisonment fer not less than one
month. While the commissioners have
the right to make contracts, they have no
authority to eypene funds not appropri-
ated.
Utter confusion and decentralization
exist in the commission here and among
the consulting engineers. The members
Of the Advisory Board Of Engineers say.
the Presiden. has insulted them. Before
they began consideration of the data
submitted to them on which they were
to report as to whether the canal should
be sea-level or lock, they visited tie
President at Oyster Bay The President
said to them that while he favored a sea-
Level canal, they must not be influenced
BY that. bur decide on the best type Of
canal They decided upon sea-level. and
the day after their decision was am
nounced the President stated that he was
not in favor Of a sea-level canal ana
was angry because the board reported III
favor Of Il