The Washington times., 1906-06-22
FAST WORK NOW
ON PANAMA DITCH,
Mr.. STEVENS SAYS
Senate'S Declaration for
Lock Canal RouSeS
Enthusiasm.

The business of building the Panama
Canal will be pushed from this time for
ward with an energy and confidence that
has never before been possible in the
prosecution OF the great enterprise. This
is the substance of the declaration
made at the headquarters of the 18th
mian Commission today. On every hand
was evidence OF new enthusiasm and
desire to accomplish results, and for Il
the action OF the Senate yesterday in
declaring for lock canal was respon-
sible.
Chief Engineer Stevens. who has been
in Washington for about a month. will
leave next week for the isthmus. II has
been reported that Mr.. Stevens was so
far convinced Of the ilnpracticability
OF the sea-ievel plan that b would re-
sign II 1t were adopted. + said today
that statements which have oeen made
10 the effect that decision OF the type of
canal question was not OF immediate
Importance and could be deferred with
out injury until next winter entirely
misstated the case.
Can Now Go Ahead.
On the other hand. Mr.. Stevens said.
the question Of type ought to have been
decided several months ago. Until It
was decided it was impossible properly
10 locate the network OF construction
tracks In the great Culebra cut, which
must be used 10 haul away the exca-
waited material Not only this, but II
was likewise impossible TO locate re
INN Sc dump TO which this material
she be hauled. For the ). -,soses of
a lock canal the dumpage may be made
In regions which would be utterly i'm
possible II sea level canal were az
terward 20 be decided upon because val
leys draining into the bed OF the sea-
level canal could not be used for this
purpose. The torrential rainfalls would
wash all OF the material back into the
canal. Il would therefore be neces-
sary to haul this excavated material a
greater distance IN the consh uction OF
sea level than Of lock car al.
Work Forty Per Cent Done.
Mr. stevens said that so nearly as he
could estimate the total excavations
from the Culebra cut. including the work
done by both the French and the Ameri-
cans. now represents about 40 per cent
Of the total amount that must be taken
out for a lock canal He was inclined
10 the opinion that the excavations at
Culebra would not determine the length
of time required In building the lock
locks would be the test.
Sanitary and health conditions Gn the
zone, Ar. Stevens said, are now excel
lent There has been no case OF yellow
fever since last December, and there Is
every reason 10 believe the summer viii
pass without any outbreak OF the disease
or any panic over the possibility OF an
epidemic.
Engineer Stevens and the commission
are at present experimenting with Span
ish labo.ers, of whom they have secured
from 800 TO 900 from Cuba. They are
about twice as efficient as the blacks.
who now constitute most of the labor
ing force and IN addition II is less ex-
pensive 10 carry on the health and sanf-
tation work for them. Mr. Stevens now
has an agent in Spain investigating
IL is possible TO secure a labor
supply there. The Spanish laborers are
paid just twice as much as the blacks /
but their superior efficiency makes their
employment economical Mr.. Stevens
expressed the hope that ultimately a
large number of them might be en-
ployed.
Twenty Thousand On Pay Rolls.
The commission is now Carrying about |
9o.e90 people on its pay rolls. The actual |
W. rkins force numbers about 1890. Mr..
Stevens expressed the opinion that at its /
climax the work will very likely employ
10000 people, but If Spanish iaborers or
some others Of the superior class ran
be secured the number viii never be so |
large