The Cairo bulletin., 1907-11-27
OPERATIONS ON
PANAMA CANAL
COMM sSiON MAKE ANNUAL RE
PORT--FULL DETAILS OF
YEARS WORK.
YELLOW FEVER ABSENT
on lsthmus For Past Year---locks
Will Rest On Solid stone---En-
gineers Estimate Cost
over 13e,oo0,000.


Washington, Nov. 26.-Full details
Of the work done ON the Panama
canal during the fiscal year of 1907,
with a showing of what has been ac-
complished since the project has
been in American hands, are disclosed
in the annual report Of the lsthmian
canal commission, made public today.
II is the first report made of the
operations OH the isthmus since the
construction work has been IN charge
OF army engineers, aside from $50,-
0G0 900 paid the French company and
II, Panama an aggregate of $4S,285,-
I10, has been expended by the gov
ernment on the project adopted by
congress, and while it was estimated
by the board of consulting engineers
would ultimately cost Sl39. 705, 200.
This estimate. however did not in
cIude sanitation and the expenses OF
the zone government, water works,
sewers and paving in Panama and
Colon and the re-equipment of the
Panama railroad. There is no refer
ence in the report to the proposition
brought forward to extend the width
Of the locks to 10 feet so as to ac-
commodate, without difficulty, the ex-
treme breadth in the development OF
ship building and this will be made
the subject of special communities
tion from the commission. A strong
position Is taken favorable to the
continuation OF the policy Of doing
the work by hired instead of by con-
tract labor, a step at one time seri-
ously considered by the adninistfa-
ton. and many arguments are pre-
sented to justify the commission in
its conclusion that the canal can be
built better, cheaper, and more quick
ly by the government. Sanitation,
upon Which so much depends for the
comfort and health of the employees,
is treated of in the report, and a
statement is made of what has ben
done, and the declaration made that
there was no yellow~fever originating
on the Isthmus during the year.
As bearing on the question of the
suitability of the foundations for pro-
posed lock sites, the report quoted |
from the conclusions of the consult |
ing engineers who made personal |
examination of the material at the |
lock sites, and who found that all of
the locks OF the dimensions then I
proposed (S5 foot level canaD would |
rest on rock of such character that it |
would furnish safe and stable fom-
dation.
Excavation and Dredging.
This department of construction
embraces the Culebra division. ex-
tending from the Chagres river to
Pedro Miguel, the Chagres division,
embraced between deep water in
Lake Gatun and the Chagres river,
the Colon dredging division. extend
ing from Gatun to deep water in the
Atlantic and the La Boca dredging
division, taking in all excavation be-
tween the La Boca locks and deep
water of the Pacific.
CuIebra division--The last annual
report of the commission, dated De-
cember 6, 1906. states that;
During the year the first stage OF
canal work. that of preparation, has
Virtually been passed and the COM
mission finds itself in position to en-
ter upon the second stage, that of ac-
tual construction of a lock canal at
an elevation of IS feet, authorized by
congress in June last.
This statement is peculiarly ap-
plicable to the Culebra division, on
which efforts had been concentrated,
for irrespective of the type of canal
to be constructed, the excavation in
this section of the territory had to
be done. Moreover. for the time being
II was the most important part of the
work That the preparation was
efficiently done and the organization
effective is best attested by the re-
suits accomplished and the relatively ,
small falling OF of the output during
the wet months: thus the amount OF
removed from the Culebfa
cut was 4.e47.e7l cubic yards. place
from January ] TO
June 20. out OF a total Of 5.5To.452
rubic yards for the fiscal year. I
The Culebra division is practically
10 miles in length. and early In the
wet season It was recognized that :
neneral supervision Of all the steam ,
shovels or all trains Of the entire Z
division under one supervisor Ct
was not productive cf !
Inc best results in fixing responsible
~ in case any part Of the work vas q
lot progressing satisfactorily. eonse- I
-uently a slight change in organiza- !
ion was effected on July l. This I
consisted in suBdividing the division
nto five construction districts, eaeh Z
Inder charge Of a. superintendent of Z
who is held responsible 2
or the work in his district i
Colon Dredging civision. +.
mi Irr--.frr. rr4.asafn rf The Mfnui