The Washington times., 1907-12-03
ada that there shall be no export
duty on Canadian wood pulp.


In the eastern United States the min
eraI fuels have already passed into the
hands Of large private owners, and those
OF the West are rapidly following. 1t
is obvious that these fuels should be
conserved 0nd not wasted, and It would
be well 10 protect the people against
unjust and extortionate prices, so far as
that can stlll be done. What has been
accomplished in the great oil fields of
the Indian Territory by the action Of
the Administration offers a striking ex
ample OF the good results Of such a
policy.
IN my judgment the Government
should have the right to keep the fee
Of coal, oil, and gas fields IN its own
possession. and to lease the rights tO|
develop toem under proper regulations;
or else, n The Congress will not adopt
this method. the coal deposits should be
sold under limitations, 10 conserve them
as pHDlic utilities, the right 70 mine
coat being separated from the title to
tfe soil The regulations should per
NIT coal lands TO be worked in sur
hcient quantity by the several corpora
tlOns.
Panams Work Satisfactory.
The present limitations have been
absurd, exec sive, and serve no useful
purpose. and often render il necessary
that there should be either fraud or
else abandonment OF the work Of get
ting out the coal.
Work On the Panama canal Is pro-
ceed'ng IN a highly satisfactory manner
In March last. John +. Stevens. chair
man Of the commission and chief en-
gineer. resigned. and the commission
was rvJrganiZed and constituted as fol-
lows: Lieut.. Col George w. GoethaIs,
Corps OF Engineers. T. S. Army, chair
man and chief engineer; Major u. d.
Gaillard. Corps OF Engineers, L. s.
Army; Major William i. Sibert. Corps oil
Engineers. L. S. Army; Civil Engineer
H. II. Rousseau. T.. 5. Navy. Mr.. J.
G. 5. Blackburn; Col ". c. Gorgas. u.
:. Army. and Mr. Jackson Smith. com
missioners- The change OF authority and
direction went into effect on April l.
without causing a perceptible check to
the progress OF the work. In March
the total excavation in the CuIebra cut,
where effort was chiefly concentrated.
was Sl5.27O cubic yards. In April this
was Increased to S1s,527 cubic yards.
There was considerable decrease
IN the output for May and June. owing
p2rtly 20 the advent Of the rainy sea-
son anG partly 70 temporary trouble
with the steam shovel men over the
question Of wages. This trouble. was
settled satisfactorily TO all parties, and
In July the total excavation advanced
materially and in August the grand
total from all points IN the canal prism
by steam shovels and drcdges exceeded
an previous United States records
IeachlhE lZi4.4Dt cubic yards. In SEN
tember this record was eclipsed and a
total Of l,5lG42 cubic yards was re-
moved. or this amount I.4Sl2J7 cubic
yards were from the canal prism and
"C,l9J cubic yards were from accessory
works
These results were achieved in the
rainy season with a rainfall in Angus
Of llsS inches and i'm September OF ID ~
inches. Finally, in October. the record
was again eclpsed, the total excavation
being l,SSS,s29 cubic yards: a truly ex-
rdordlnary record. especially in view
Of the heavy rainfall. which was III
inches. In fact, experience during the
last two rainy seasons demonstrates that
the rains are less serious obstacle 10
progress than has hitherto been sup
posed.
work on the locks and dams at Gatun.
advanced so far that it Is thought that
masonry work on the locks can be begun
within fifteen months. In order to re-
move all doubt as 20 the satisfactory
character OF the foundations for the
locks OF the canal. The Secretary OF
War requested three eminent civil en-
gtneers, Of special experience in such
construction, Alfred Noble Frederic ?.
Stearns and John 3. Freeman. 20 visit
the isthmus- and make thorough per-
sonal Investigations OF the sites. These
gentlemen went 10 the isthmus IN April
and by means Of test PITS which had
been dug for the purpose. they inspected
the proposed foundations, and eIso eX-
amlned the bOrings that had been made.
In their report 70 the Secretary Of War,
under date OF May 2 1907. they said:
the dimensions now proposed. Will rest