Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1907-02-28
ENGINEER STEVENS
QUITS PANAMA CANAL
Isthmian Situation Still Keeps
Up It's Records
FOR LIeATNlNe-LlkE CHANGES
Roosevelt Rejected the Bids Because
He Says the Bankers and Not the
Contractors, Would Have Gotten
the Bulk of the Profits.

Contractors, Would Have Gotten
the Bulk of the Profits.
Washington, Feb 27:-By an Or
der addressed to the isthmian canal
commission, President Roosevelt, as
far as it lay in his power under ex-
islng law, transferred 20 the engi-
neer bureau of tne army the respon-
sibility for the further construction of
the Panama canal
He also, in the same order which
took the form of a letter addressed
to the chairman of the commission,
Mr.. Shonts, himself about to retire
from all connection with the enter
Lrise, formally recorded the abandon
ment for the present at least of the
project of having the canal work done
by contract on the percentage sys-
tenn.
Another feature of the order was
the announcement of the resignation
OF John e. Stevens, as engineer in
charge Of the canal construction. Mr..
preside at a meeting of the directors
of the Panama Railroad company, of
which he is president, and will, it is
expected, formally resign that office.
The intention of the president is
that there shall be an entire reorgan-
ization of the commission with three
army officers of the engineer corps it's
leading members, who are to 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 D. Dub.
Gaillard, and Major William L. ST.
bert, to rank in the order named.
These officers are all comparatively
young, ambitious and energetic mem
bers of the corps.
The reorganization is to become
effective imediately upon the confirm
alton and retirement of the old COM
mission. Senator Joseph G. G. Black
burn, of Kentucky, who retires from
the United States senate on the 4th of
March, is to be made 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 to remove all
doubt as to 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 to make
way for three army officers and Sen
ator Blackburn. AS he told his call
ers, the president is 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
fiuential in prompting Mr. Stevens
resignation. 1t surprised him very
much, for as late as the middle of
December, when he was here, Mr..
Stevens made no mention of his wish
to retire in the near future. Crit
icisms aimed at him in connection
with canal work and he mas been dis
posed to complain somewhat about
them. Some of this criticism came
out during the hearings before COM
mtttees of congress. The salary
question is also understood to have
had an important bearing on his re-
tirement.
1t is understood that Mr.. Stevens
is leaving the governments service
to accept a position in connection with
a great engineering enterprise in this
country at an annual salary more than
double that he now receives from the
government.