The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-21

In reports TO the War Department, MAJ
George ". GoethaIs, the United States
army engineer who Is now IN charge of
the Panama Canal it is said. makes seri-
Gus reflections upon the work on tine
canal done under the former chief engi-
neer John F. Stevens.
He charges that the reports OF the large
| excavations made by Mr.. Stevens during
the last three months are not in accord
ance with the facts. and that much Of the
dirt that was excavated was dumped ln
places from which it viii have to be re-
moved later.
Mr. Stevens. in his reports. announced
/ that he had exeavated in the month OF
January SO, 20 cubic yards Of earth. ia
/ February. 6sS.6# cubic yards. and in
/ March, $3.50 cubic yards, accompanying
the latter report with the statement that
/ it would soon be possible to make a
monthly average OF over I09.o yards
/ Mai GOethals. il IS understood. says
that these figures. instead Of representing
actual work done. are based upon esu-
mates Of the capacity Of the steam SHOW
els and how much work they should per
/ form per day. They did not take into
account times when the shovels were not
working, for one reason or another. r.
is also claimed that the estimates were
made on loose earth after excavation.
Must Move Dirt again.
Mai. Goethals has also forwarded 20 tire
department a profile survey which. he
says. demonstrates the fact tbat much Of
the dirt that has been excayated has
been dumped in wrong places ana viii
have 10 be removed again, the purpose
having apparently been 20 push tie ex-
cavatcrs TO their limit 50 as to make a
record. regardless of the effectiveness Of
Tie work
Maj Goethals concludes with a strong
recommendation that the work Of exca-
waiting the canal should be let out 10
contract
When it was frst announced that the
government Intended 70 put the Panama
( Canal work in charge OF the army eugi-
neers. and the reports began coming
from Mr. Stevens of The large Quantities
of excavation work that he was d0ing.
several of the army engineers expressed
the opinion that Mr.. Stevens was en-
deavoring to make q record that would
be embarrassing TO the members Of their
corps that were 10 succeed him in charge
of the work.
Army Men Had Fears.
They did not place entire credence in
the reports of the immense amount Of
( work done. and they feared that the
comparison OF these reports with the ac-
eomplishments OF the army engineers
/ after they took charge Of the work woUid
be TO the detrimsnt of the army. Thesz
fears were apparently well grounded. Mai
j Goethais does not expect 10 be able q
Z ger out 100000 cubic yards month. al
0 least. with his present equipment, al
8 though he viii, no doubt endeavor ID
e emulate the record Of his predecessor
; Mr. Stevens. in referring TO the ALLEGED
D report made By Maj GoetEals, said tha
= he was certain his successor did not make
e such a statement. for many reasons. bU
mainly because ne says it is impossible
2 to make the mistakes charged 90 him b
[ the report He said that the estimates oI
= the excavations were simply matter o
figuring the cross-sectioning- which pro
? cess was infallibIe.
= left Things In Fine shape.
MIR. Stevens said he had left things ii
2 fine shape on the isthmus." and set Jan
/ uary l. 1913. as the latest date for the com
{ pletion of the canal THAT is Just abou
5 two years longer than it viii take, adde.
Mr.. Stevens. Il should say that i Nili b
done in between six and seven years. FL
Il remarked that he had thought Of making
y a trip TO Europe. +but it's toe far away.
Have you any reply to make 70 the re
k marks recently credited to Mr.. Oi.ver*
o Mr. Stevens was asked. The remarks re
n ferred to consisted mainly ia the designa
e tion OF Mr.. Stevens by Mr. oliver as 4
10 welcher and a Quitter.
Il do not know Mr.. Oliver replied M
= Stevens. with d steely glitter in his eye.
Dynamite Bids Opened.
) Bids have been opened at the Offices 0
= the Canal Commission for l,l6E.oOo pound
g Of dynamite. There were only three bids
ie the highest being s1Ss. .162 and the loves
q s127. .37s. the latter being thar Of the F.
nu Pont de Nemours Powder Company G
New York
The lowest bid on supplying 1900 bar
rels Of cement was S31. AZ. received fr0T
the Atlas Portland Cement Company q
New York Bids for rock crushin
Is plant ranged from 5s0o0 to Se5,00o. tn
Of lowest being that Of Manning. Maxwell
Moore. Of New York A large quantit
"A Of miscellaneous supplies were also bi
= upon at the same time.
- About May IS bids viii be opened upo
N large amount of shop machinery. al
e vertisements for which VIII shortly
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