The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-05-25
CANAL BILL NOT DEAD YET.
Senator Kittredge Proposes to Push the
Sea Level Project.

sea Lever fTOJeCt,
WASHINGTON, May 24.-The programme
of the leaders of Congress for early adjourn
ment may be somewhat married if Senator
Kittredge, who made the majority report
Of the Interooeanio Canals Committee in
favor of a sea level canal at Panama, ad-
heres to his present intention Of insisting
upon action by Congress regarding the type
of canal to be employed.
Mr.. Kittred ge, who returned to-day
from his home in South Dakota, does not
take kindly to the programme and say she
intends TO secure action of some kind on
his bin before Congress adjourns for the
summer. He thinks he has the support Of
a majority Of the senate for his sea level
bill, and If that measure is talked to death
he will try to have a proviso inserted in the
item appropriating money for continuing
the work so that none of the money can be
expended except for a sea level canal.
Mr. Hunter, one of the majority Of the
board Of consulting engineers. which
recommended a sea level type Of canal,
writes that a careful study OF the minority
his first opinion. He bases his principal
objection to the lock system to the liability
to damage through unavoidable accidents,
and points to the record on the Manchester
Canal, where, since its establishment
twelve years ago. lock gates have been Ave
llDltS "lCShtu " NS61Clb
The Manchester locks have a depth OF
thirty feet OF water behind their gates,
whereas the proposed gates at Panama
would have 10 feet, and, based on his ex-
p%erience, Mr.. Hunter says, IF the gates are
carried away by a downward bound vessel,
no power on earth can stop the rush Of water,
the velocity of the stream through the lock
will be such that any vessel will be carried
on thereby, and il the occurrence takes
place in the flight Of locks proposed at
Gatun, the vessel will plunge from step to
step to destruction, while the group of locks
will probably be wholly wrecked and the
canal rendered imperative.
at is impossible to deny he adds, that
the employment Of locks Of great size,
and particularly of lifts of height beyond
mean that the canal will, during the period
Of its existence, be numbered by obstruc-
tons which can neither be avoided nor
removed, and which will put every
battleship and every large commercial
steamer into peril on each occasion upon
which any such vessel will traverse the
isthmian waterway
1t is apparent that the sea level project
has gained many converts among Senator's,
and the bill as reported might be adopted
If put to a vote.
Chairman Tawney of the House Com
mittee on Appropriations has made an in
quiry to ascertain what the sentiment In
the House IL with regard to the type Of canal
and was convinced, he said to-day, that a
large majority favored the lock project,
and any attempt to amend the Sundry
Civil Appropriation bill by a provision that
no portion of the money appropriated in
the bill for construction work OF the canal
should be used except in carrying out sea
level plans would fail.
Some of the Senate leaders nave been so
much impressed with the sentiment on their
side of the capitol in favor Of a sea level
canal that they are inclined to let the sea
level advocates have their day in court.
Senator Kittredge will endeavor to bring
up the committee bill for the construction
OF the canal on sea level plans, and should he
fail In this effort he will propose an amend
ment to the sundry cvilhill, providing that
no portion Of tho amount carried by the
bill for continuing work on the canal project
shall he used in the construction Of a lock
WATERWAY