Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-23
RAINY SEASON COMING ON
Excavating Engineers Believe They
Are Able to Meet It,
ESTIMATING REMOVAL OF DIRT
Evidence on Every Side Of Tremendous
Industry and Accomplishment
Demands Of Employees.

| 'N~AS,aiJ LAT tOOdy ATTENDED his UTSC
cabinet meeting for several weeks. and as
! ne started for the White House paused for
a moment to talk with some Of the news
paper men relatives to the situation on the
| isthmus as he left 1t. An invitation to ex-
| press himself touching the Ohio political
situation and his own intentions in that
| direction met with a prompt declination
| from the Secretary to discuss that subject
| IN any phase. He was. however. willing to
| talk about the canal work. with which he
expressed the livelest satisfaction.
He said that Col. Goethals who is now
| in charge on the isthmus was particularly
anxious that the Secretary should UNDER
stand the kindness and consideration which
had been shown to him by Mr.. Stevens. the
retiring engineer in charge of the canal
work. That gentleman not only had done
everything in his power to effect an easy
transfer of the heavy responsibilities of his
Office to Col Goethals, but had eXerted all
OF his personal influence with the capable
stan Of employees with whom he had sur
| rounded himself to induce them to transfer
their allegiance to Col. Goethals and stay
| on the job.
Work Not Interrupted.
The result was that the work of excava-
| ton and indeed all phases of the canal work
were proceeding under Col. Cocktails man
dSeuieul quite Idpiuiy as tHey ldu uliucE
| the direction of Mr.. Stevens. TIE engineer
directly in charge of excavation had eX
pressed the opinion that the approach Of
the rainy season would not result in any
sensible diminution of the amount of earth
taken out, though to escape the land slips
and like obstacles 1t might be necessary to
temporarily suspend, work on the higher
slopes of the cuts and transfer the shovelS
to lower ground. For himself, the Secre-
tary believed that this was perhaps a rosy
nc ip1of 70 and hot Nor ottyht hn
slight reduction in the amount of exCava
ton incident to the heavy torrentlal rains
of the season.
Monthly Estimates.
AS some question has been raised as to
the accuracy of the figures furnished by
the engineers to indicate the amount of ex-
cavation per month, the Secretary said
that he had looked carefully into that sub
ject and had satisfied himself that these
figures were not inflated. Beginning the
18th of each month the engineers began to
take careful dissection mea SurementS of
the work accomplished in excavation. and
by the I'd of the following month they were
in position to state precisely, not the
amount of loose dirt carried off in cars.
but the amount Of solid earth eXcavated
from the canal prism per month. There
was no accumulation Of spoil as re-
ported. but all of the earth excavated was
being carried off and deposited in the place
where it was to finally rest.
1t was easy to understand the enthusiasm
with which the congressman and members
of the boards of trade that visited the 18th
mus recently had looked upon the canal
work, said the Secretary. Now there was
on every side evidence Of tremendous indus
try and of accomplishment. The work had
begun to take shape SO that even the lay
man could what had been done. The
great ditch was beginning to be visible at
every point. Dirt was being removed with
great rapidly: work had begun on the
I IT. h. ,,ol ,,-fr
ton, and everywhere could be seen marks
of progress. Altogether, the outlook was
very satisfactory.
Demands Of Employees.
Touching the applications that had been
made to him by the steam shovel men and
other mechanics employed on the isthmus
for increased pay and other concessions.
the Secretary, referring to the statement
made by him last night to the effect that
he already had reported on that subject
to the President, added that he had just
been informed himself that the President
had not so far acted upon the recon-
mendations made by him in that matter.
Secretary Taft expects to leave WASH
ington at 230 Friday afternoon over the
Chesapeake and Ohio railroad for Cincin-
natl. He will preside over the first meet
ing of the western Yale clubs, and then de-
liver two or three addresses at various
points in the state, devoted, as he expects
now, entirely to the Panama canal work,
and not dealing with politics.
At the Cabinet Meeting.
Secretary Taft was late in arriving at
the cabinet meeting. He was cordially
greeted by the President and members OF
the Official family. They congratulated him
upon his healthy, vigorous appearance. and
listened with attention to what he had to
say of his visit to the canal and elsewhere
Secretary Taft was beseged at the White
House also ~ newspaper men, who wanted
him to talk politics, but he declared that
he had nothing to say; knew nothing to
talk about If he wanted to, and would keep
quiet for while.
Secretary Taft left the White House with
Secretary Root. 1t is expected that he will
have long talk with the President this
afternoon.
Have you anything to say in addition to
your statement of last night?" the Secre--
tary was asked as he stood a. the doors
of the executive offices. NO" he replied,
thoughtfully.
1.-The columns of the papers are open to
you, you know, Mr.. Secretary" was sug-
gested to him.
Yes, I suppose 1 ought to appreciate
the opportunity. laughingiy responded Mr..
Taft, as he walked away with Secretary
Root.