The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-12-05
First Report Submitted by The Com
mission.
CONTRACT LAsOR IS NO GOOD.
Shows All Aggregate Expenditure of
Over FOrty-eight rlilliOns, Be-
sides The Fifty rIiIliOns Paid to
France and Panama.

mas been accomplished since the
project has been in American
hands, are disclosed IN the annual
report of the Isthmian Canal Com
mission made public today. 1t is
the first report made of operations
OH the isthmus since construction
work has been in charge Of army
( engineers. Aside from the $50
600, paid to the French company
and 10 Panama, an aggregate of
$50, 285,I has been expended by
the government on the project
adopted by Congress, and which
it was estimated by the board of
consulting engineers would ulti-
mately cost $3.50, 200. This
estimate, however, did not include
/ sanitation and expenses Of the
/ zone government, waterworks,
! sewers and paving in Panama and
Colon and the re-equipment Of the
Panama railroad. There is no
reference in the report to the prop
/ osition which has been brought
forward to extend the width of the
locks to 10 feet 50 as to accom-
modate without difficulty the ex-
IRENE bredth in the Development
! of shipbuilding, and this will be
made the subject of a spe:ial COM
mission.
A strong position is tal3tn favor
able to continuation Of tie policy
of doing the work by hire instead
of by contract labor, a stp at one
time seriously considerel by the
administration, and may argu-
ments are presented to istify the
commission in its conclaion that
the canal can be buid better,
cheaper and more quic1y by the
government. Sanitatin upon
which so much depeds for the
comfort and health T the en-
ployes, IS treated Of inthe report,
a statement is made II what has
been done, and the declaration
made that there Wa no yellow
fever originating on the ishmus
during the year.
AS bearing on tie question of
the suitability of tie foundations
for the proposed lck sites, the
report quotes from he conclusions
of a board of consulting engineers,
who made personl examination
of the material atthe lock sites
and which found that all Of the
locks Of the dimenions then pro-
posed Can 85-foo level canaD
would rest on rockof such charac-
ter that would finish a safe and
stable foundation.
The completionof the canal will
necessitate the abandonment of
the present mainline of the Pana-
ma railroad, and preliminary sur
veys for location Of a new line on
the east side b the canal were
commenced the latter part of July
and completed in November. The
location of the line was practically
determined in March, and involves
the excavationOf 10000, 900 cubic
yards Of material and the placing
| of 2,ooo,o 900 cubic yards Of en-
bankments.
By June 20 branches from the
main line had been started at
Pedro Miguel, Gatun, Lion Hill,
Gamboa, Mirahores. San Pablo
and La Boca Junction. A trestle
500 feet 10 length was driven at
Cation and dumping trestle was
being driven at Pedro Miguel.
Three permanent culverts were be-
gun at Pedro Miguel and one at
Mindi.
For the accommodation of gold
employees CSC quarters, both bache-
lors and family, were constructed,
and for silver employees 335 build
ings were erected, consisting OF
barracks. lighthouses, cook sheds,
family quarters and kitchens. Fol-
the sanitary department 50 build
ings were constructed for hospital
purposes.
OF the eos buildings which