The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-10-10
Chairman Shonts viii Complete
Canal By Contract.
Eight Hour Day viii Apply to
American WOrkmen.
DEC. IL is TIME LIMIT
When All Proposals for the
Work Must Be In.
System OF Premiums and For
FIXTURES Is Contemplated.

Washington, Oct. 10.-Invitations
for proposals to complete the Panama
canal have been issued by the canal
commission, and the form of contract
under which the work is to be done
was made public by Chairman
Shonts, who also gave out letter
written to the secretary Of war giving
the commissions reasons for contract
ing the work.
The contract provides that each
bidder must undertake the entire work
of construction. No bar will be Of
fered to corporations associating in
the undertaking, but they must be
legally organized into a single body
with which the government can deal.
Bidders will not be considered who do
not have available capital of $1,000,
000. A certified check for 100000
IS required with each proposal, and a
bond Of 100000 Will be required
from the successful bidder. The build
ing is not limited TO American con-
tractors. All proposals are to be in
before noon of December u, when
they will be opened.
Proposals are to be expressed in
| terms of percentage upon the estimated
cost of construction, which is to be
| fixed by a board of five. engineers, three
representing the government and two
/ representing the contractors The
| chief engineer of the canal commission
is 10 be chairman of the engineering
board. The engineering board Will also
estimate a reasonable time for the
completion of the canal and viii agree
/ upon a system of premiums and penal
! ties to be paid to the contractor ac-
cording as the work is completed with
1 IN or beyond the estimated cost and
time. All the government plant for
/ actual construction work. including the
railway, is to be placed at the disposal
of the contractor and is to be MAIN
1 tanned by the government
Eight Hours for Americans.
The contract specifies that the COM
mission Is to retain control of all en-
/ cheering work in connection with the
construction of the canal. also NUM-
cipal engineering, the police, sanitary
hospital and commlssary departments
| mess houses. quarters. construction
and maintenance Of buildings, opera
ton of the Panama railway an audit
ing department TO which contractors
accounts are to be open, and depart
/ ment of materials and supplies
Sixty days after the signing of th'
contract actual work is to begin on tn,
isthmus. and the contractor IS to tax,
over all employees - on the isthmu
which the commission does not wisl
I to retain.A No American seinpleye is t,
work moro than eight hours.
In support of the commissions posi-
ton that the canal can be -contractes
to q greater advantage than it can b.
built by the government. Mr. Shonts
letter says that because OF the -un
precedented and greatly extended in
dustrial activity. OF the time. and tn
consequent violent competition for al
classes of stiperintendents, foremen
ub-contractcrs. skilled mechanics, an,
even ordinary laborers. It would TAX
the commission years 10 secure men an,
build up departmental construction or
CARNATIONS which would equal in ef
ficiency those now controlled BY tn
leading contractors of the United States
Chairman Shonts says in his Iette
that the commission carefully consid
cred letting the work in sections t
separate contractors. and decided tina
complications would arise which coul
not be overcome in case this plan wer
adopted. The letting Of the work t
one contractor on a basis Of unit price
was also considered. and was believe
by the commission to be a plan whicl
would be more expensive than the per
centage system