The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-20
CANAL FORCE REORGANIZED.
THE PRESIDENT CABLES THE
ORDER FROM PANAMA.

Reorganization OF the Canal Commission
May Follow when the President Re-
turns to Washington The once OF G oy.
ernOr OF the Canal Zone Is Abolished.
WASHINGTON, Nov. io.-By an executive
order signed by the President in Panama
and cabled to the Offices of the Isthmian
Canal Commission here the working forces
of the Panama Canal are thorou ghly re-
organized. A reorganization of the Canal
Commission itself is expected to follow
as soon as the President. returns to WASH
ington. The changes which have been
made and those which are contemplated
have been under consideration for many
weeks, but the President did not desire to
take action until he had visited Panama
and looked over the work personally.
The general effect of the order which has
Just been promulgated is to give Chairman
Shonts more complete control OF the adj
ministration portion Of the canal construc-
ton and to place Chief Engineer Stevens
in absolute charge in Panama.
One OF the provisions of the order shows
that there will be no e Governor Of the
Canal Zone to succeed Charles, e. Magoon,
now running things in Cuba. 1t is provided
that the duties of the Office OF Governor
shall be fulfilled by the general counsel.
who happens to be Richard Reed Rogers,
through a local administrator Mr.. Rogers
will continue to maintain his offices here.
This step will cave no division OF authority
on the Isthmus between the chief engineer,
Mr.. Stevens, and the Governor.
There has been no announcement as to
the ines along which the President will
proceed in recognizing the commission,
but it is regarded as certain that any new
members will be selected from the heads
Of the seven departments Of work created
by the new executive order. Mr.. Shonts
and Mr.. Stevens will of course be members.
The commission. by law. must consist
of even members, but the President is
not compelled to have more than a quorum.
There are now two vacancies, one ca used
by the transfer Of Gov Magoon, and the
other by the failure of the Senate at it's
last session to confirm Joseph b. Bishop,
whom the President nominated TO fill an
existing vacancy. The new dures of the
commission. as outlined in the Presidents
order. can be readily performed by the
men already in the employ of the COM
mission and who by the terms of the order
are made the heads of the departments.
1t is very likely that one OF the new mem
beers will be Mr.. Rogers, the general coun-
sci, who in addition to his work as such
will perform the duties OF Governor Of
the Canal Zone, and Col. William G. GOrgas,
head of the sanitation department. Col.
Gorgas would he the representative of
the army on the commission.
The order Just issued provides for the
establishment of seven active departments.
Heretofore there have been but three,
administrative under Mr.. Shonts, engineer
ing in the hands of Mr.. Stevens and the
third having to do with the control OF the
Canal Zone, of which Gov. MaRoon was the
chief executive. These three heads OF
the departments comprised an executive
COMMITTEES. This organization is abolished
by the executive order. .
The new departments will be administered
by the chief engineer, the general counsel.
the chief sanitary officer, the general
purchasing officer, the general auditor,
the disbursing officer and the manager OF
labor and quarters. John +. Stevens
Is now chief engineer, Richard X. Rogers
general counsel; Col. William c. Gorgas,
chief sanitary officer; ID. W. Ross, general
purchasing officer; r.. 5. Benson, general
auditor: E.. j. Williams, disbursing officer,
and jackson Smith, manager OF labor and
quarters. All these heads Of departments
will make their reports to Chairman Shonts,
who will thus have general control. His
duties are outlined in the new order rs
follows:
THE chairman shall have charge OF all
departments incident and necessary TO the
construction of the canal or any OF its &C
~Cessories. He shall appoint the heads OF
the various departments, subject to the
approval OF the commission; the OF
each department shall report and receive
his instructions from the chairman; he
shall have charge Of the operation Of the
Panama railroad and steamship line; he
shall perform such other duties as may be
assigned TO him from time to time by the
Secretary of War"
The chief engineer will have charge of
all engineering work. the construction of
the canal and control of the Panama rail-
road in 40 far as it relates to construction
and the custody Of all the supplies and plant
OF the commission or the lsthmus. The
other officials will perform the duties which
naturally come TO their departments.
The duties Of the Canal Commission are
changed only so az to meet new. conditions
and are not OF material importance.