The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-01
TYPE OF CANAL.
Eminent Engineers of the World
Meet Today
To Decide Between Locks and
Sea Level Waterway.
DECISION NOT FINAL.
1t Must Be Submitted to the
Commission.
President Fixes the Pay Of Ad-
visOry Members.
DECISION NOT FINAL.

Washington, Sept Eminent en-
gineers of America and Europe will
meet today upon the call of President
Roosevelt to make recommendations
as to the type of canal that is to con-
meet the waters of the Atlantic and
Pacific oceans. By the executive order
last June a board of consulting en-
gineers was constituted, consisting of
General Davis Alfred Noble, William
Barclay Parsons, William H. Burr, DR..
Henry I. Abbott, Frederick z.
Stearns, Joseph Ripley, Isham Ran
dolph, all American engineers, Henry
Hunter named by the British govern
ment, Herr Eugene Tincauser, noml-
mated by the German government M
Guerrard, nominated by the french
government, NJ. Quellenec, consulting
engineer Suez canal, and de Welcker,
nominated by the government of the
Netherlands.
1t is this board which was appoint
ed to assemble today at the offices OF
the Isthmian canal commission. The
members will be met by Chairman
Shonts who in a few words will ex-
press the belief that good results Will
follow their deliberations
The board of consulting engineers
will have all the data that has been
collected by the commission bearing
upon the subject of the canal. This
data may be CONSIDERED SuIuc1enI Dy
the board to determine whether the
canal should be constructed with locks
or should be a sea level canal, ana II
the former should be recommended
then details as to the character OF
locks will be taken under conSidera-
ton. The recommendations will not
be final but will be made to the
Isthmian canal commission which IN
turn will use it's own judgment in
report and recommendations to the
president as to the type of the canal
and the matter will be settled by the
president and congress.
The board may visit the isthmus be-
fore making it's final report if it should
be deemed necessary.
Such problems of a. technical char
acter as Chief Engineer Stephens de-
sires to be worked out, and upon such
subjects as he desires advice, will be
submitted to the committee of en-
gineers. The problems which will be
submitted to the engineering commit
tee will not be numerous until after
the type has been determined, al
though it is expected that the board
that is to meet today will avail itself
of the experience and advice of the en-
gineering committee on account of the
connection which the latter has had
with the canal since the United States
government took hold of it.
All members of the board were pre-
sent when General Davis, who had been
created president of the board by the
meeting to order. The letter of the
president convening the board was read
and an informal discussion followed as
to methods of procedure and plans. 1t
was decided to leave these arrange
ments to a committee consisting of
Messrs. Davis. Parsons. Abbott, Ran
dolph and Quellenac. While the board
was in session the members of the canal
commission called and were formally
presented.
The duties of the board are separate
from the commission and the commits
ion simply provides rooms. clerks in
terpreters and necessary facilities for
the transaction of the business of the
board. BY an order of the secretary
of war, Captain Cakes. corps of engi-
neers, u. S. A. is secretary of the
board While the committee on pro-
cedure was in session the board took a
recess until o'clock.
Engineers Pay Fixed.
Oyster Bay, Sept. President
Roosevelt has signed an executive or
der fixing the compensation of the
members of the advisory board of en-
gineerS of the Isthmian canal and the
amount the government will pay them
for personal expenses Each member
of the board will receive $4,000 on the
completion of the report on the canal
plans which the board is to make. Fol-
lowing is the text of the order:
cit is ordered that each member of
the advisory board of engineers upon
plans of the Panama canal shall be
allowed $4,000, payable upon the COM
pletion of the report. In addition
thereto he shall when on duty with the
board be allowed SIS per day for per-
sonal expenses from the date of leav-
ing his home until his return thereto,
including Sundays and holidays. He
shall also be allowed the actual cost
of transportation incurred by him in
travel on duty in connection with the
board, to include cost of ticket by rail
way or steamer. sleeper or parIor car
accommodation, baggage transfer
cabs and porterage.
1T is further ordered that the al
lowances of $4,000 to General Davis
and General Abbott shall be increased
by the amount of their retired pay fol
the time during which they are en-
ployed upon the work of the board, il
being my intention that those members
of the board shall receive the same
compensation for this work as the 9th
err members, and this increase being
made to provide for the usual deduc,
ton of retired officers pay.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT