Los Angeles herald., 1907-02-27
ARMY ENGINEERS
WILL DIG CANAL
RESPONSIBILITY SHIFTED TO
THEIR SHOULDERS
President Roosevelt Abandons Plan Of
Having Waterway Completed
by Contract on Percent
age System
Rv Associated Press.

WASHINGION, rep. Zb-By an
order addressed to Chairman shonts of
the isthmian canal commission today
President Roosevelt. as far as lay in
his power under existing law, trans
ferred to the engineer branch OF the
army the responsibility for the further
construction of the Panama canal.
He also formally recorded the aban-
donment for the present at least, of the
project of having the canal work done
by contract on the percentage system
Another feature was the announce
ment Of the resignation OF John F. Ste
vens as engineer in chief of canal con-
struction.
Mr.. Shonts Is in New York where he
will tomorrow preside at 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 president intends that there shall
be an entire reorganization of the com
mission with three army officers of the
engineer corps as it's leading members,
who are to have charge of the engineer
ing features of the canal work. The
chairman and engineer in chief of the
commission will be Major G. w. Goe-
thai. His associates will be Major
Du B. Gailliard and Major william L.
SlGDeTl, 10 rank Ill lIl6 OTueT ndHl6u
The officers are all comparatively
young, ambitious and energetic.
Job for Senator
Senator Joseph S. c. Blackburn of
Kentucky, who will retire from the
United States senate on March 4, is to
be made a member of the reorganiZed
commission. The nominations of the
present commission now pending before
the senate include Messrs. Shonts, Ste
vens, Haines, Endicott, Herrod, Gorgas
and Jackson Smith.
Their confirmation is desired in order
to remove all doubt as to the legality of
certain acts they have performed in
connection with the making of con-
tracts The retirement of Mr.. Shonts
and Mr.. Stevens will leave but two va
cancies. so that there will be two more
retirements necessary to make way for
the three army officers and Senator
Blackburn
The president Is determined that the
work on the canal proceed continuously,
and the temporary "dislocations"
caused by the designations of higher
officials will not be allowed to interfere
with progress.
The president is unaware of the spe-
ci1c reasons which have been infiuen-
tial in prompting Mr.. Stevens resigna-
ton. 1t surprised him very much for as
late as the middle of December Mr..
Stevens made no mention of his wish to
retire. 1t has been known, however
that Mr.. Stevens has been stung very
much by criticism aimed at him in con-
nection with the canal work, some of
which came out during hearings before
committees of congress.
1t is said that Mr.. Stevens is leaving
to accept 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
His friends contend that the organiza-
tion of the forces is excellent. Mr.. Ste
Vens is said to believe that he can now
sever his connection with this great en-
terprise without in any way jeopardiz-
ing it's success.
For several weeks it has been ru-
mored here that Mr.. Stevens was dis
satisfied with the plan of letting the
canal work out by contract, but as ex-
planned by a member of the cabinet to-
day, Mr. Stevens really proposed to the
president the adoption Of this method
of constructing the canal.
The probability is that the admins
tration may determine to give out the
work to be done at the isthmus by con-
tract under the general direction of the
army officers. After General Goethal
and his army associates have been at
the isthmus sufficient time to become
fully acquainted with the work to be
done, they will submit report on the
situation to the president.
If they feel the work can be done bet
ter by contract than under the present
system the question again will be con-
sdered by the president and the SER
vices of the same high class contractors
whose bids are now rejected or others
of similar standing then may be in
voked.
The presidents reasons for making
the sweeping changes and refusing all
bids so far offered for building the canal
are noted in his letter to Chairman
Shonts.