Omaha daily bee., 1906-12-18


last three months, in the rainy season,
steady progress is shown by the figures:
In August, 242OOO cubic yards in Septem-
Der, 29l 900 cubic yards, and in October,
325 900 cubic yards. In October new rec
ords were established for the output Of
individual shovels as well for the ton
mage haul of individual locomotives. I
hope to see the growth of "A healthy spirit
Of emulation between the different shovel
and locomotive crews, just such a spirit
as has grown on our battleships between
the different gun crews in matters Of
workmanship. Passing through the cut
the amount of new work can be seen at a
glance. In one place the entire side Of
a hill had been taken out recently by
twenty-seven tons of dynamite, which were
exploded at one blast. At another place
I was given a presidential salute of twenty
one charges of dynamite. On the top notch
of the Culebra cut the prism is now as
wide as It will be- all told, the canal bed
at this point has now been sunk about
200 feet below what it originally was. It
will have to be sunk about 1870 feet far
ther. Throughout the cut the drilling,
] blasting, shoveling and hauling are going
on with constantly increasing energy. the
Il
were mountain howitzers into the most
likely looking places. where they eat their
way into the hillsides.
Railway improvements
The most advanced methods, not only in
construction, but in railroad management,
| have been applied in the zone, with corre-
| spending economics in time and cost. This
has been shown in the handling of the
| -l-tw g,,N,
cars into ships on the Panama railroad,
General Manager Bierd, the saving in time
and cost, has been noteworthy. My ex-
animation tended to show that some of the
! departments had doubtless necessarily be-
come overdeveloped, and could now be
reduced or subordinated without impair
ment of efficiency and with a saving of
cost The chairman Of the commission,
! Mr.. Shonts, has all matters of this kind
constantly in view and is now reorganiz-
ing the government of the zone, so as to
make the form of administration both more
flexible and less expensive, subordinating
everything to direct efficiency with a view
to the work of the canal commission. From
time to time changes Of this kind will
undoubtedly have to be made, for it must
be remembered that in this giant work
sary to develop departments or bureaus
which are vital for the time being, but
which soon become useless; just as it will
/ be continually necessary to put up build
ings, and even to erect towns, which in
ten years will once more give place Ia
jungle, or will then be at the bottom OF
the great lakes at the ends Of the canal
Critics and Doubling ThOmnses.
1t is not only natural but inevitable, that
n work so gigantic as this which has been
undertaken on the isthmus should arouse
every species of hostility and CRITICISM
The conditions are 80 new and so trying
and the work so vast, that it would be
absolutely out of the question that mis-
takes should not be made. Checks will
occur Unforeseen difficulties will arise
From time to time seemingly well settled
plans will have to be changed At present
q, 900 men are engaged on the task. After
a while the number will be doubled. In
such a multitude 1t is inevitable that there
should be here and there a scoundrel. Very
many Of the poorer class of laborers lacl
the mental development to protect them
selves against either the rascaity Of Others
or their own folly, and it is not possible fol
human wisdom to devise q plan by which
} they can invariably be protected. In 4
place which has been for ages a byworC
for unhealthfulness, and with so large
congregation Of strangers suddenly pu
, down and set to hard work there will
now and then be outbreaks Of disease
) There will now and then be shortcoming
, in administration; there will be unloc1e,
for accidents to delay the excavation Of tn
, cut or the building of dams and locks
Each such incident will be entirely natural
] and even though serious, no one OF then
B will mean more than a little extra della!
or trouble. Yet each, when discovered b!
sensation mongers and retailed TO timlt
B folk of little faith, will serve as an eX
p cuse for the belief that the whole worl
- is being badly managed. Experiments vii
t continually be tried in housing, in hygiene
= in street repairing, in dredging and fl
s digging earth and rock. Now and then Al
!, experiment will be a failure, and amon
e those who hear Of it, a certain proportio
q OF doubling Thomases will at once believ
that the whole work is a failure. Doubt
y less here and there some minor rascalit
e will be uncovered, but as to this, l hav
[ TO say that after the most painstaking In
= ouiry have been unable TO find a slngl
o reputable person who had so much a
e heard Of any serious accusations afect
i ing the honesty Of the commission or O
8 any responsible officer under II. l appen
n a letter dealing with the most seriou
It charge, that Of the ownership OF lots
Is Colon; the charge was not advanced by
J. reputable man, and is utterly baseless
Is is not too much 10 say that the whole al
+ mosphere Of the commission breathes hor
g esty as It breathes efficiency and energl
p Above all, the work has been kept absI
X lutely clear OF politics ! have never hear
1. even a suggestion Of spoils politics In cor
r nection with IT,
ID have investigated every complain
Re brought TO me for which there seemed
he any shadow OF foundation. In two
three cases. all Of which ! have Indicate
"A In the course OF this message, / came
,e the complaints proved absolutely baseles
m for the complaint, and that the methods
ID the commission In the respect complaine
,e Of could be bettered. In the other instane'