Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-02-07
Ex-Chief Engineer Wallace
Continues His Plant.
Given Courteous But Plain Re-
buke by Senator Hopkins.
Report Of Commission on Lock Canal
Made 10 Sec. Taft.

Washington, Feb. 6.-John +. Wal
lace. former chief engineer OF the 18TH
! mian canal, was again before the Sen
ate committee on Jnter-Oceanic canals
today. He gave a minute account OF
the conditions he found on the isthmus
and the difficulties he met in getting
supplies and the delays that occurred
in filling acquisitions.
While he was cabling to have orders
expedited, he said he received word
from Admiral Walker that cablegramS
cost money. 1t was a delicate hint, he
said, that he had better not use the
cables 50 much.
1.-THE work l did, said Mr. Wallace.
EXTENDED over complete year. tax
Ing in dry and wet seasons. 1 was
working along a definite program which
| Intended to put in writing in my an
nu;ii report and would have done so If
l had been permitted to make Il re-
port. l experimental with the French
cXcavators So as to tell whether 1t
would be the more economical to use or
destroy these machines, which cost
probably SIC, 900 900. l experimental far
enough to know that these machines
were not fit for USE"
Telling of these experiments, Mr..
Wallace said he had not estimated that
because excavating could be done i'll
March for 43 cents cubic yard, IL
could Ec done for the same cost in the
rainy season in Nay. He said he under
stood that the cost had gone up a great
deal after lie left. The organization was
GCraoraiized, he said. for the reason
that the men had seen their chief dis
credited and knew that successor was
TO he appointed who would not be in
sympathy with the work that had been
done.
1T was brought ont that MI. Wal
Iace's successor had not the benefit of
ms analysis of the years work and his
recommendations because the secrc-
tary of war told hin he did not want
it and had no L - FOR him except on the
isthnlus as Il d. ''"- engineer.
30 you mean H. -: ;:1rry?' asked
Senator Morgan.
Eyes. sir so angry that in his treat
ment he all hut cursed me- replied Mr..
Wallace.
AT the afternoon session of the COM
mittee, MIR. Wallace said that in all
his experience in railroad construction
he never had seen men better fed and
housed than they were on the iSthmus.
The complaints he said came from
clerks who went to the isthmus from
Washington or New York who had
gotten the idea from musical comedies
that life in Il tropical climate was to
lie in hamnocks and enjoy themselves.
Efforts to establish a Young Mems
Christian Association on the isthmus
ha-nrt Of IN
We're stopped because of an official ob-
lection to it. said Mr.. Wallace. He was
asked to be more explicit and said that
Gov. Magoon had said that Sec. Taft
did not wish the work to go on. Mr..
Wallace thought this was because the
community was Catholic.
When Mr. Wallace showed some feel
ing in referring to the statement of Mr..
Shonts that dirt had been wasted by
him. Senator Hopkins said:
IF you are as careful of the rcputa-
ton of Mr.. Shonts rs he was of yours
when he came before the committee.
there will be no ill-feeling here"
Nothing can repair the damage that
has been done to my reputation the
witness replied. MANY criticisms of me
have been made which had no chance
to answer. This is my only opportunity
and I simply desire to set myself right
I hope you will pardon me If show SON,
heat"
Senators Simmons and Tallaferror sal
that Mr.. Wallace should be permitted
make complete statement even if il die
involve criticism of others. 1t was point
cd out that Chief Engineer Stevens had
corrected the statement OF Mr. Shonte,
and had set Mr.. Wallace right and tn
latter said that so far as Il" knew NJ
Stevens had been perfectly fair.
Discussing labor questions, Mr.. Wallac
said many civil service appointees wer
sent to tho isthmus WHO were not quit
bad enough to discharge vet were thor
oughly incompetent He said it had been
shown clearly that the civil service sys-
| TEN was not adapted to procuring expert
labor for work on the isthmus.
Speaking of the Bahio dam. Mr.. Wallace
said he discovered that solid rock bot
tom could not be found nearer than Is.
| feet. instead of lbs feet as had been shown
by the Walker borlngs.
He did not favor the S-hour day and rec
| commended that as few restrictions as pos
| sible should be placed en- Mr.. Stevens
and that the wolves should be kept on
his back" If the canal work should be
let by contract. said Mr.. Wallace. j;
would increase the cost about 90 per cent
He thought the man in charge should be
permitted to get his men in China. Japan.
India. Spain, or where he pleased. The
hearing was adjourned until o'clock to-
morrow.