The state herald., 1907-02-01
FACTS lvEN BY
CHAIRMAN sHoNTs.
LARGER THAN FRENCH PLANS
Work Done by French Company Well
Worth the Price Paid for It-Won-
derfuI Sanitary Work Accom-.
plished by Our Governmeri

pllshed by Our oovernmeni
Chicago.-Theodor P. shonts, nair-
man Of the Isthmian Canal Commits
sion was the guest Of honor Saturday
at the banquet Of the Commercial Club
Of Chicago. The members of the club
intend, next month, to make an excur-
sion to the Isthmus. Cuba and Jamaica,
and the discussion of the canal ques-
tion was prelimary to the expedi-
ton.
Mr.. Shonts said OF the work done by
the French on the Isthmus:
THE French were altogether about
twelve years on the Isthmus, about ten
years of which were devoted to the
active work of construction. During
that period they spent over s250.000,-
JUO and accomplished total excava-
tion Of about $4,000, 900 cubic yards. 1t
Is generally believed that n large por.
tion of this money was misappropri.
ated, and a great deal of it was squan.
dered undoubtedly in the purchase OF
useless machinery. As the greater part
of the excavation was for sea-level
canal, much of 1t will be OF no value
In the construction of lock canal.
Roughly speaking, however 1t may be
said that one-half the excavation was
in the backbone of the divide and was
useful work.
"A substantial part OF the excavated
material was so deposited along the
proposed line of canal that It will have
to be moved again in the present work,
because the canal we are constructing
will be more than twice the width of
that proposed by the French. Their
sea-level plan contemplated canal
72 feet wide and 29.5 feet deep; their
subsequent lock plan was for canal
9S feet wide and 29.5 feet deep.
"The canal we are constructing will
have through the great cut bottom
width of 200 feet and depth of 45
feet. For two.thirds OF Its entire
length 1t will have width exceeding
800 feet. II the French had finished
either one OF the canals contemplated
by them, IL would now be so made
quate to the demands Of existing ship
ping that 1t would be closed to navi
cation and be In process OF re.construc.
ton Into n canal of double width and
depth. As the French left the great
cut, the distance across from the high
est point on each side was about 750
feet. When our canal is completed
this distance will be about 900 feet
The additional $50 feet must be taken
from the slopes on either side for their
entire distance. and whatever the
French placed there or elsewhere
within the lines of our canal prism
will hnya IN ha reba pdlaI
"The French Ind on the isthmus
when they gave possession to the
Americans about 1000 buildings
mostly houses for the employees, some
excellent hospitals and some store
houses and machine shops. Many OF
these buildings were capable OF repair
and have been put into service. They
left vast quantity Of machinery, NIL
OF II twenty TO twenty-five years out
OF date and virtually worthless. Their
locomotives and rolling stock for the
railway, as well as the rails OF the
road, were also out OF date, too light
for modern use. and utilized only be
cause no others were available. They
hnd constructed only such docks and
wharves as were absolutely necessary
for the discharge of material and ma.
unlntfy tHlppeu IfbHH uDfOiu anu tHtN
had no terminal or switching yards on
tho railway worthy OF tho name.
Aside from erecting fne hospitals |
they had dono nothing for the presery
alton OF health.
when the United States purchased |
from the French company It's rights, |
privileges and property. 1t paid $40. |
100000 for them. This was not poor |
bargain. rs is sometimes popularity |
supposed. II was n reasonable esti |
mate OF the value Of the property OF
the Panama Canal Company. The offer |
TO sell at that price came from the |
French company itself. and was no,
suggested by any Official of the United
States.
Never In the history OF the world |
has any government or any corpora
tion made such comprehensive and es
haustiyc arrangements for tho health \
and comfort OF It's common lnborcrs |
as has the government Of the United |
States on the isthmus. and nowhere |
else on earth have the sanitary rules
been 80 rigidly enforced. with such sue.
cessful results"