The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-04-04
ROOSEVELT APPOINTS
CANAL COMMISSION
Old Board Was 0itched on Account of General
lneffCienCy
Liberal Salaries Allowed the New Secretary Taft the
Central Figure in the Construction of The
Great Waterway

lAI ASHINGTON, April 3--The per-
wv sonnet of the new isthmian canal
commission is as follows:
Theodore p. Shonts. chairman;
Charles +. Magoon, governor of canal
zone; John F. Wallace, chief engineer:
Rear Admiral NJ. T. Endicott. L. s. y;
Brigadier General Peter c. Hams. L
s. A. Cretired); Colonel Oswald NJ.
Ernst. corps engineer, United States
Army; Benjamin NJ. Harrod.
These names We're announced at the
war department today, and in cOnuec-
ton with the announcement Secretary
Taft gave out for publication a state
ment showing the sllotmeuts of sal
aries to the new commissioners and his
own letter 70 the president, and one
from the latter explaining the plan of
organization of the commission: the
reasons therefor and the particular du-
ties to be assigned TO each commission
or. The first reads as follows:
Fat Salaries.
THE president has made an order
allowing a salary of $500, with trav-
cling expenses. TO each member Of the
commission, and to the chairman of the
commission the additional cOmpensa-
ton of So, 500 to the chief engineer the
additional compensation of S17 800, and
TO the governor of the zone the addi-
tionaI compensation Of $4,000. The
head of each department is allowed the
use of a furnished house on the 18th
mus, and his travelling expenses when
travelling on the business of the com
mission.
The total is slO2. 800. The salaries
and allowances under the former COM
mission amounted 10 100000. The to-
tai compensation of the governor OF the
zone and chief engineer are in effect
unchanged.
Professor William H. Burr and Mr..
William Barclay Parsons civil engi-
neers. will be appointed as members
OF the consulting board of engineers
Taft's Letter.
Secretary Taft's letter TO the presi-
dent IS as follows:
War Department., Washington.
March 80, 1905.-Mr. President: In the
matter of the reorganization of the
machine by which the Panama canal
is TO be- built, I beg first TO call your
attention TO the extreme Importance OF
fixing a definite plan with respect to
which YOU may feel reasonably certain,
first. that 1t can. be practically exc
cuted and viii result in a navigable
canal and, second. that the naviCable
canal viii be the one best adapted TO
the demands which may be made on ii
by the commerce Of the world
The act of congress evidently con-
templates canal with locks. the cost
OF which shah be i'm the neighborhood
OF 5000. 100000, including the money al
ready expended. 1t is quite within the
bounds OF possibility that the best
form of canal will be a sea level with
a tidal lock only at one end Of it, and
that the cost of it may exceed the $780,
100000 in the mind of congress by at
least 800 100000 more.
Data So Far Obtained.
The work Of the engineering depart
ment of the present commission has
been largely devoted to obtaining the
data upon which the plan of the canal
must be determined. These data in
Clude Typographical measurements,
bortngS. the character of the soil. the
flow Of water in the rivers-all stated
with sufficient eXaCtness to secure the
Cioest calculations by experienced en-
kneers. though not on the ground Il
rs probable that within the next few
months these data viii have been 50
fully ascertained by the chief engineer,
Mr. Wallace, and his assistants. that
they may be submitted TO a board Of
engineers of the highest standing for
recommendation as to the best plan
upon which to proceed with the work
1T also has been made apparent by
the reports of Mr.. Wallace and by the
commission that whatever plan is likely
10 be adopted. the work of excavation
and construction which would have to
be done under any plan may proceed
without waste of energy for a period
quite long enough to enable YOU to de-
eide which is the best plan.
Advisory Engineers.
Il suggest. therefore. that the first
work TO be done is the appointment Of
an advisory board of engineers. say
seven or nine i'm mum Der. to be selected
from the engineers having especial
knowledge Of hydraulic engineering and
canal construction. TO whom shall bel
submitted all possible information with
respect to the projected Panama canal
both that obtained by the French en-
Eineers before our purchase of the
plant and the data obtained by the
chief engineer Of the present canal
commission. together with all projects
suggested for ~He solution Of the prob
lem which the canal comm iSSiOners
deem reasonably possible or practica-
bic: that the advisory board be invited
10 Washington for the purpose of
agreeing on its recommendations i'm the
premises and that if possible such rec
concentrations be made before the reg
ular meeting of congress in December:
that the communication be submitted
10 the canal commission as then cOnSri-
tuted for its approval or modification
and with the recommendations Of the
canal commission be submitted to the
president for his action and transmits
sion to congress. As already suggested
this work of securing the best plan and
its approval by congress need not delay
iu any way the preliminary work
adapted 20 any possible plan. or the
highly critical work of sanitation. the
extreme importance Of which have al
ready been emphasized in your previ-
Gus instructions to the canal commits
sion.
Reorganization Necessary.
1T is conceded. even by its own
members, that the present commission
has not so developed itself into an ex-
ecutive body as TO give hope that il
may be used successfully as an in
strumentality for carrying on the i'm
Ynense executive burden involved in the
construction of the canal. and IL re-
mains for the president. in the failure
OF congress TO act. TO TeOrgaufza the ]
commission both by change in person
mel and by certain instructions as to !
its internal procedure and distribution
OF powers and authority TO secure
greater rapidly and efficiency in the
doing Of the work
1T is not TO be supposed that con-
gre 81 intended that the commission was
personally to do the work or come
nearer to the direct agencies in doing