The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1907-11-30
OVER FORTY-EIGHT MILLION DOL
LARS EXPENDED BY THE
GOVERNMENT.
REPORT0F Commission
WORK CAN BE BETTER DONE BY
UNCLE SAM THAN BY
CONTRACTORS.

Washington.-Full details of the
work done in Panama canal during the
fiscal year 1907 with showing of what
has been accomplished since the pro
ject has been in American hands, are
disclosed in the annual report of the
isthmian canal commission just made
public
1t is the first .eport made of opera
tons on the isthmus since construc-
tion work has been in charge of army
engineers Aside from the $4,000, 900
paid to the French company and to
Panama, an aggregate of $iS,2S5.l1o
has been expended by the government
on the project adopted by Congress,
and which il was estimated by the
board of consulting engineers would
ultimately cost Sl39, ,I05,2oo This es-
innate did not include sanitation and
expenses Cf the zone government.
water wC.lls sewers and paving IN
Panama and Colon and the re-eQuip-
ment of the Panama railroad.
There is no referC nee in the report
to the proposition which has been
brought forward to extend the width OF
the locks to 10 feet so as to accom-
modate without difficulty the extreme
breath in the development OF ship
building. and this will be made the
subject of a special statement from
the commission. A strong position rs
taken favorable to continuation OF the
policy Of doing the work by hired in
stead Of by contract labor, step at
one time seriously considered by the
administration and many arguments
are presented to justify the commits
sion in its conclusion that the canal
can be hlAlt better. cheaper and more
quickly by the government. On TINS
the report says.
"Omitting profits derived from sub
sistence and general stores, and as
suming the hours of labor the same
in both cases. it stands to reason that
the government. when warranted III
making the necessary outlay Tor plant,
can do work cheaper than contrac-
tor, for no question of profits enters
into consideration.
"The question of government work
versus contract in connection with the
Panama canal has been discussed, and
a conclusion reached in favor Of the
latter method because of certain
stated advantages that are claimed
to result
1T is claimed that contractors have
under their control and at their dis
posal trained labor forces. and that by
a combination of such forces, through
an association OF contractors, team
work will result. thereby accomplish
ing the desired end more quickly. AS
matter of fact, conditions seldom
enable a contractor to maintain IN
tact his entire organization on one
piece of work for transfer to another;
the completion OF a job means the dis
..,Th NnEIy
work may bring to him some of his old
men, Il new organization must IN each
case be perfected.
"The Panama canal presents piece
of work unprecedented in magnitude.
which must be done under conditions
entirely different from similar classes
of work in the United States. The
work naturally divides itself into
dredging, dry excavation. the con
struction of the locks and dams. and
the construction of the new Panama
railroad.
There is no contractor or Syndi-
cate of contractors that by any COM
bination could bring to the isthmus
an organization ready for team work
on any of these units While it is pos
sible for several contractors to COM
bine forces, assuming that sufficient
number of men can be gotten together
in that way, there still remains the
necessity for whipping this force into
shape in order to secure an organHa-
ton that will produce the team work
SO advantageous in the accomplish
ments of results
From the United States the supply
I of labor is the same whether the work
/ be done by contract or by the govern
ment. ard the character of the labor
ri
( is plentiful the dread of the tropics
will deter men from seeking work
| here in preference, and this is equally
applicable to the contractor and the
government. An adequate supply OF
labor from the United States Is not
possible. and recourse must be had
to securing 1t abroad. The records
here show that no contractor can even
attempt to recruit labor in the West
Indies, and that great opposition will
develop to any recruiting by author
/ lied agents of the commission if the
labor procured Is turned over to con
tractors. These island governments
cannot be blamed for their hostility
toward the latter, because of theiR ex-
perience under the French, which
left an indelible impression through
out the West Indies.
"A representative of the Italian gov
ernment has recommended to the au-
thorities that Italian labor be per
mitted here for employment under the
commission. but he is not favorably
inclined to the control of such labor
being vested with a contractor.
Experience has shown that con-
tinuity of construction is more apt to
result in cases where the government
undertakes the task than when 1t is
turned over TO contractors"
Sanitation upon which so much de-
pends for the comfort and health Of
the employees. is treated of in the re-