The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-18
CANAL COMMISSION HAS AMPLE FUNDS MT. Shonts Says the Railroad
 Must be Built DIGGING THEREFORE STOPS Sufficient Money Is on Hand to Con tInue the Work Until Early In
 January, When Congress
 Will Provide More.
DIGGING THEREFORE STOPS

Washington, August 17.-One of the first important tasks awaiting MT. Shonts when he assumed the presidency of the isthmian canal commission was the con servation of the balance remaining or the appropriation of $10,O0O0O0 so as to guard against the stoppage of the work of canal building. Calling to his aid several ex- pert accountants. the exact state Of imam ces of the commission was ascertained, and it was found that the work could be steadily prosecuted until Congress at the next regular session should have ample opportunity to provide more funds. There fore the balance on hand was divided into monthly allotments, which have so Tar been closely adhered to- save in one case where an unexpected demand arose for additional transportation facilities. Thus the commission has, it believes, avoided the necessity of availing itself of the priv ilege granted by Congress of issuing bonds to meet expenditures.
 The commission today issued the follow ing statement on this point:
 Commission Issues Statement.
 Tt was officially stated at the isthmian canal commission today that the appro- priation bill by Congress of $1o,0OO'OOo for the construction of the canal there was on April 1, 1905, the date on which the resent commission took hold. an avail able balance to the credit of this ap- propriation of $7.42656s.
 During the month of April the expendi- lures from this appropriation aggregated $475, GOO; during May s50S00o; during June, s659, 900; during July. s77O0OO for wages salaries, materials and equipment
 During July there was an unusualeex penditure for the purchase of two ships at $650.0 each, not included in the July expenditures.
 During the month of August up to and including the 15th $250,000 had been ex- pended This left the balance of the ap- propriation on August 15 s2S16,723, in ad- ditlon to which each of the two disburs- ing officers had in hand $500,00O on this date"
 It will be seen from the foregoing that the average expenditure per month, leav- ing out the consideration the purchase of these two ships was in the neighbor- hood of S460, ,000 and at that rate of expen- diture the $2,S16713 will last until early in January which Is according to tho schedule fixed by MT. shonts on April l, when he became chairman Of the com mission.
 Why Digging Was Stopped.
 New York, August 17.-Replying to the report that the suspension of digging operations on the Panama canal has been caused by the exhaustion of, the congress sional appropriation for constructing the canal. MT. Shonts. chairman of the com mission, says today:
 Tt is not true that there has been any shortage or that our plans for forwarding the work of the canal were curtailed for lack of terminals, of houses for the em- ployes and of a better commissary should precede and further work in the actual excavation of the canal The question of funds has not interfered with our plans at Panama in any way.
 The order issued by the commission during it's recent visit to Panama to cease excavation on the canal was due to the fact that before the men could