Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1907-03-01
ENGINEER STEVENS
QUITS PANAMA CANAL
Isthmian Situation Still Keeps
Up It's Records
FOR LIoHTNINe.LlKs CHANGES
Roosevelt Rejected the Bids Because
he Says the Bankers and Not the
Contractors, Would Have Gotten
the Bulk Of the Profits.


the Bulk Of the Profits.
Washington. Feb. 2S.-By an or
der addressed TO the isthm!aa cana!
commission. President Roosevelt, as
far as II lay in his power under ex-
Using law, transferred 90 the sngi-
neer bureau OF he army the respon-
sibility for the further construction OF
the Panama canal.
lie also. in the same order which
took the form OF letter addressed
20 the chairman Of the commission.
Mr.. Shonts, himself about 10 retire
from all connection with the enter
prise. formally recorded the abandon
ment for the present al least OF the
project OF having the cansi work done
BY contract on the percentage sys-
ten.
Another f. lture OF the order was
the announcement of the resignation
OF John +. Stevens. As engineer In
charge of the canal construction. Mr..
Shonts Is in New York. whore he vii
preside al a meeting OF the directors
OF the Panama Railroad company. OF
which he is president. and will, II is
expected. formally resign that Office.
The intention OF the president Is
that there shall be an en- ire reorsan-
ization OF the commission with three
army officers Of the engineer corps its
leading members. who are 10 have
charge OF the engineering features OF
the canal work. The chairman and
engineer In chief OF the commission
will be Major G. W. Goethals, and
his associates will be Major ID. DUB.
Gaillsrd. and Major William l.. ST.
bert. 10 rank In the order named.
These officers are all comparatively
young, ambitious and energetic mem
bers OF the corps
The reorganization is 10 become
effective Immediately upon the confirm
alton and retirement OF the old COM
mission. Senator Joseph c. c. Black
burn, OF Kentucky. who retlres from
he United States senate on the ith OF
March. is 20 be made a member OF the
reorganized commission. The NOM
nations Of the present commission
now pending before the senate in
clude Messrs. Shonts, Stevens.
Haines. Endicott. Herrod. Gorgas
and Jackson Smith. Their confirm
alton is desired in order 10 remove all
doubt as 10 the legality OF certain acts
they have performed in connection
with the making OF contracts.
The retirement OF Messrs. Shonts
and stevens will leave but two va
cancies. so that there will be two
more retirements necessary 10 make
way for three army Officers and SEN
ator Blackburn. As he told his call
ers. the president IL determined that
the work on the canal shall proceed
continuously and thoroughly, and the
temporary "dislocations" which may
come as a result OF the designations
OF higher officials. will not be allowed
To interfere with progress.
The president is unaware Of the
special reasons which have been In
fluential in prompting Mr.. stevens
resignation II surprised him very
much. for as late a. the middle Of.
December. when h. was here. NJ
Stevens made no mention ~ his wish
10 retire In the near future. Crit
icisms aimed a him in connection
with cana, wor'. ans 80 ~ boon Dis.
posed 70 complain somewhat abor
them. Some NJ this criticism came
out during me hearings before com
mittees uf congress The saiary
question H. also understood 20 have
had an impor an; besr.u- on his re-
tiremoat
Il is understood thai Mr. Steven,
Is leaving the governments serv o.
10 accept a position 10 connection v ~
grea, cuE uorr.ng enterprise In .h.,I
countr! a, an annual salary more than
double that he now receives from thcI
government
-. ollsss Ger Canal Commission.