Los Angeles herald., 1905-10-20
NO DECISION YET AS
TO TYPE OF CANAL
STATEMENT is ISSUED BY THE
COMMISSION
Gen. Davis Says Neither Board MOI
Any Member Has Expressed ar
Opinion Yet - Engineers keer
Their Plans Secret
By Associated Press.

WASHINGTON Oct 19.-The fol"
lowing was issued by the Isthmian
Canal commission today
I'm regard to the published rumors
to the effect that the majority of the
members of the consulting board of
! engineers have decided in favor of
a lock canal at Panama, Gen. Davis,
chairman of the board, said today:
so far as I am aware, neither the
board nor any individual member of It
has expressed any opinion as to the
type of canal that it favored. The
board is not in possession of all the
facts bearing upon the question of
type 1t returns to this city entirely
free from any prejudice or bias respect
Ing that type so far as known to me.
The board will be in continuous ses-
sion, either as a board or in separate
committees until it reaches a conclu-
sion, which will be arrived at some
time in the month of November, proba-
bly, near the close. Two committees
have been appointed to study the
types of canal-sea level and lock-and
these committees are endeavoring to
| develop the best canal of each type.
When the work shall have been COM
pleted the whole board will be ready
to decide which type they prefer"
The members of the Isthmian board
of consulting engineers have all re-
turned to Washington and tomorrow
will resume their meetings.
1t has been found that the mass
of material on hand was so large that
three separate committees have been
appointed for special study of plans
for sea level canal and a lock canal
and to consider the unit prices for
both. These committees consist of
three members each and Gen. Davis
is chairman of all of them. It is
meant that the first two committees
shall make plans and consult the third
about the question on cost. The en-
gioeers have promised not to divulge
their plans and this rule is kept to
strictly that even Chairman Shonts of
the Isthmian Canal commission is
kept in the dark about their proceed
ings. 1t can be stated, however, that
the decision will favor either a lock
or a sea level canal, the idea of first
building a lock canal and afterward
changing it into a sea level canal by
means of a second canal built at one
side of 1t being found impracticable.
The board is expected to continue in
session for about six weeks more and
the foreign engineers hope to return
to Europe by the end of November.
Though the trip to the isthmus was
hard one, especially for those men,
bers accustomed to a cold climate, they
are all highly enthusiastic over the re-
suit Of the journey. The heat was at
most times excessive and in the rooms
where the meetings were held, the ther-
mometer often registered 80 degrees.
The heavy rains which fell almost daily
did not bring any relief, but no MEM
ber was sick even for a single day.
Although cases of yellow fever still
occur, the efforts of DR.. William Craw-
ford Gorgas, U. S. A, have achieved
great results and the yellow fever mos
quitoes have been almost entirely de-
stroyed. Several of the members of
the commission commented upon the
difference between the canal zone
where American methods are en-
ployed and the isthmian regions where
the old conditions prevail still. Next
to Colon, which is one of the most un-
healthy and dirty of cities they found
Cristobal under the American manage
ment which has become a healthy
city. 1t is laid out in a pleasing man.
ner. The town of Panama has been
greatly improved. A water supply has
been provided, and a sewer system and
paved streets are under construction.
The reception President Amador of
the republic of Panama gave to the
members of the board was most agree
able. Though it took place In the aft
ernoon the weather was so bad and the
rain fell in such streams that the re-
ception had to take place by artificial
light. Mr.. Stevens, the chief engineer
of the canal, appeared one day before
the commission and was questioned
on different questions 1t was the
opinion of several members that the
trip had enabled them to see the real
conditions of the undertaking and had
enabled them to form conQuent
opinion of the difficulties to be dealt
with than any amount of information
furnished by others.
No member has the slightest doubt
of the final completion of the canal, but
an enterprise of this sort, from which
yards of rock have to be taken away,
is something that will take good deal
of time.