The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-27
Senator Morgan Asks Some h. tsrssting Questions of Canal
 Commission Chairman
IMPORTATION OF WOMEN
 AIRED IN INVESTIGATION
MT. otevens Is Given Very Wide Lati- tude In Purchase of Supplies. German Also Wants
 Information.

Washington, January 26.-That he draws sl2,O00 annually from the Clover Leaf route, Is an admission made today by Theodore P, Shonts, chairman of the isthmian canal commission, which may have an important bearing on the canal commission. MT. Shonts was called by the Senate committee on interoceanic canals today to make general statement of all matters over which he exercises con trol
 He said that he had been president of the Glover Leaf route and it was brought out that he still receives S12O00 year and continues to hold the title of presi- dent He says that he does not give any time to the management of the road, but that reports are sent to him and frequently officials of the company go to Washington to consult him. After getting into the record the fact that MT. Shonts receives $S0,OOO a year from the United States, as chairman of the commission was allowed to proceed. MT. Shonts admitted that the commission had paid for the importation of women Into the canal zone, the women being the families of the laborers from Martinique, and that there is no way for the gov ernment to recover its money.
 At the afternoon session MT. Shonts testified that of the 210O houses left by the French, about 1000 are in good condi- ton.
 No matter how the canal Is built" he said, there are two things over which Init ad tat -hn al control, the government of the zone and the sanitation"
 Houses Are Gaod.
 Mir. Shonts said buildings have been set aside for churches and Sunday schools and that, the houses for laborers and supplies are much better than usually pro vided for such purposes In connection with railroad construction work in this country. In reply to questions by Sena- tor German, MT. Shonts said the com mission had plans for six hotels, two of which are approaching completion. The appropriations had been sufficient to carry on the work until July 1, and "that to make the dirt fly" about 3500 white men and from 20,0OO to 24,0O0 colored men were all that could be accommodated under the present conditions.
 Concerning the division of expenses in maintaining the railroad, MT. Shonts said that all that part needed for ordinary railway business, exclusive of canal work, should be borne by the railroad and other work relative to the building of wharves should be paid for by canal funds.
 Mir. Shonts Denies Statement.
 Senator German said that the general impression was gained at the time MT Shonts went to the isthmus that he had criticised Chief Engineer Wallace for dilatoriness, and that he proposed to make a showing at once.
 MT Shonts denied that he had made such a statement at any time.
 Senator German conducted an extended examination of the witness concerning conditions at the time MT. Wallace sur rendered charge of the work, and MT. Stevens took control He showed that MT Stevens had increased the pay roll from 5000 to 13000 men in three months without doing anything toward digging the canal. Concerning the expenditure of $500 GOO by MT. Wallace to estimate the cost of removing the dirt from Culebia. which had been declared by the present officials far from what will be the real cost, MT. Shonts said:
 "If Mir. Wallace had received no equip ment from the French company and had had to wait for suitable equipment he would have spent the time in improving the sanitation, and for the care of la borers Then he would have seen that fair weather estimates Tor the moving of dirt would vary from the cost of moving it under other conditons.'
 Later MT Shonts said he did not be- lieye MT Walace's experiments had de- layed sanitary work. No trouble was ex- perienced in getting plenty of Martinique and Jamaican laborers. but there had been difficulty in getting the best class of la- bor according to MT. Shonts.
 Importation of Women.
 Senator German asked concerning the demand for the importation of women and the witness replied that this had been brought about by the assurance that bet ter laborers could be obtained if their families were taken to the lsthmus. Mir Stevens was said by MT. Shonts to have been responsible for the importa- tlon of families but MT. Shonts said he had later approved his action. It ap- peared that the canal commission paid S7 a head for the importation of these wom- en and Mr. German asked In what way this money was recovered.
 I've don't get 1t back; 1t is grgtuity," answered MT. Shonts.
 His attention being called to a previous statement that the steamship fare for these women cost the government noth- ing. he said he had inferred that from vouchers WHICH huDWth that DlliS had been brought in by the authorities on the isthmus. It was remarked by Sena- tor German that the accounting system seemed to be lax when a voucher could he made to cover a transaction of that kind Mr. Shonts replied that most of these women found employment in the hotels and boarding houses, and that fin fact they were laborers.
 If was explained by MT Shonts that authority had been issued to MT. Stew ems to enter into contracts of various descriptions without submitting the terms to the canal commission but that his acts under this broad instruction were subject to review Later MT. Shonts qualified his statement by saying that on all matters of consequence. outside of routine, bids for material needed by MT. Stevens were obtained by the purchasing department.
 For routine purchases 1t appeared from Mr Shonts statement that there was no l limit concerning the amount of contract | entered into Mir. Shonts said that after | the bids were scheduled and brought to him he approved the transactions without submitting them to the other members of