The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-11-19
CONGRESS WILL
HAVE LAST SAY.
Consulting Engineers Decide in Fa-
vor of Sea Level Canal.
WILL COST MORE MONEY
ALSO REQUIRE LONGER TIME TO
COMPLETE.

Washington. Nov. 1s.-Ry vote OF to
. today the board OF consulting en-
gineers OF the isthnian canal commits
sion. a body which. il President Roose-
Welt realized his hopes. embodied the
/ greatest and most Representative en-
itself on record az favoring the con-
struotion of the Panama canal on the
SET level This decision represents the
outcome of nearly three months hard
work. Early in September engineers
gathered from all parts OF the world,
for tho president, desiroua 20 avail
himself OF the best talent, as well as
TO avoid adverse foreign criticism in
the future. had called on the govern
mertn OF five great nations. distin-
suished for the successful construction
OF great hydraulic works, 10 send each
one oft heir best engineers to assist
the American organizers in the mo-
mentous question OF constructing the
Panama canal at sea level or at
greater altitude, involving system OF
locks.
Came WithoA Bias.
Tho foreigners came to Washington
absolutely without instructions from
their own governments and without
bias, determined TO be guided 10 their
decision solely by the facts to be pre-
scented to them in the shape of great
mass OF physical data and supplement-
ed by several projects, notably that
upon which the French Panama conf
pany worked so patiently for moro than
decade; that OF the first American
Panama company; that Of N. Bunau-
Varilla, the French engineer who was
IN charge OF the canal works in the
last days OF the French administration,
and that or Linden ". Bates, the Chi
cage civil engineer who was con-
nected with great enterprises on the
Nile and elsewhere. The Aefnricans,
Tor their part, were acquainted with
the main features OF these projects be-
fore the board OF engineers met in its
first session. Nevertheless. they joined
III the study/of physical data with their
foreign colleagues, went over countless
blue prints and maps, went TO the
lsthinus and scanned every inch Of the
route OF the proposed canal and had
made up their minds when the board
feconvened In Washington about the
beginning of this month, as 10 the type
OF canal they favored.
Test Vote Last Tuesday.
II was not until last Tuesday. however
that anything in the nature of a decisive
vote was taken. and that after all was
an indirect test. Just what that propo-
s Sat was cannot be stated with abso-
iute certainty, but il is conjectured that
Inc issue was whether or not lock canal
OF certain type should be constructed
Al any rate the vote disclosed the fact
thal majority OF the eight American
members, under the leadership of Gene al
ABBOTT, was strongly In favor OF a lock
cana Inc foreigners were against the
particular type mentioned in the propo-
sltioh, put 1t was not clear that at hat
nloment they were opposed TO the whole
proposition OF a lock canal. The real test
came today, and the time between Tues
day and the messing this morning was
eons uliied IN some very strong presenta-
lions on the pant-of the ma5orfty OF the
american delegates to influence Their
foreign colleagues to accept one of tie
olher lock propositions. The Americans,
however, were not unanimous for there
Is reason 10 believe that three of their
number, probably General Davis Mr.. par
sons and Mr.. Burr, Joined the fore en-
celegates IN this last vote which reco d q
the board as favoring the sea level canal.
Few Details Remain.
The decision was reached about mon
ana thereby the board practically con-
cluded its labors. There will be a few
moro meetings next week simply To deal
win small details and TO put into per-
protracted meetings. The foreign dele
gates desire 20 leave for their own homes
by the 9th inst To accommodate them |
IN this the full board has agreed that
they may conclude some purely formal
work connected with this project such as /
the approval OF certain minutes and sig
nature or papers at q special meeting 10 I
De held in Paris in December or ,Tauu- |
airy. IL is expecaed that one Of the Amer ,
lean members Of the board will 90 10 1
Paris TO wind up this business Al Of l
which must be done before tbe final re- ]
port of the board can be regarded os |
and ready for submission b. 1
the lsthmian canal commission.
Decision Not Final.
The commission in turn must record It's
own Judgment on the conclusions reached /
by the board OF engineers and there is !
even now belief current that that /
judgment VIII be adverse 20 the boards I
plan. However, there are two more inn |
portant steps at either OF which there |
may be great changes proposed, for TIE /
commission must pass the plans and lis /
own recommendation to the president
who N turn must stamp them with his
own approval or disapproval ard forward
-nem TO congress. which after all. will be
the court of last resort as between tie
sea level and lock canal projects; simpIy
through the fact that additional legisle- !
ion will be necessary II a sea level canal 4
5 70 be built, for the board finds that /
such a canal will cost from $75,000, 900 10 .