The Washington times., 1908-01-10
Huge Appropriation May
Be Eaten Up in
Few Years.
Senate to Hear From
GoethalS, Taft and
Blackburn.

The Panama canal Is likely 20 cost at
least $150, 600, 900 more than the original
estimates. according TO figures and
data in the possession Of the Senate
Interoceanlc Canal Committee.
At the outset the engineers estimated
that the canal would be completed Sat
a cost Of Sl35. coo, coo, which amount was
approved by Congress A compilation
prepared for-the Senate committee of
all the appropriations made up TO date
for the canal, shows a total OF ST.. .606 =
90.
For the remainder Of the present fis-
cal year the canal commission has
deficiency appropriation OF 5000, coo. For
the fiscal year which will end June 80.
1903, total appropriation Of s33, ,0O0,O
in round figures is requested.
Eighteen months from now. therefore
there VIII have been expended on the
canal total Of S12O, 900. leaving a
balance Of less than $4,000. 600 out OF
the sum originally appropriated by
Congress to complete the canal.
When Will It Be Finished?
These figures are not only interesting
IN themselves but they fully warrant
the assertion, that large additional ap-
preparations viii be necessary to finish
the big ditch. The most optimistic pre-
dictions as to the date when the work
will be completed puts it six years from
now, while more conservative estimates
make it eight years.
The appropriations 10 be made by this
Congress viii only carry on the work
up 10 June 30, 1903 and thrn there will
be only $l5, 900 600 left with which TO
continue during the next three and a
halt or hve years. whichever it may
Splendid progress IS being made upon
the canal, where the work consists Of
dredging and eXcavaung, but the eugi-
neeTs IN charge repOrt that 10 will take
year ana a half to prepare the sites
upon which the locks are 10 be con-
stTucted- That is 10 say, IL viii be June
1903. before they will be readv 10 begin
building even the foundations Of these
structures.
The plans call for the uss Of 33O00o0
cubic yards Of masonry in the locks,
or more than enough TO build the city
OF Jersey City or Minneapolis. The ap-
propriations for that gigantic work
alone viii be in excess Of the original
sum fixed by Congress as the total cost
Of the canal.
Senate Hearing Wednesday.
The Senate committee will begin its
hearings on the canal next Wednesday,
and has invited Secretary OF War Taft,
Lieutenant Colonel Goethals. the CHIEF
engineer, and former Senator Blackburn.
a member of the canal commission, TO
appear before IT, It IS not expected
that any legislation for the canal viii
be recommended by them or proposed
by the committee.
Colonel GoethaIs will be the most in
teTesUng witness and ne will be asked
10 tell the committee OF the progress
OF the work. II is quite likely that
during his examination the old question
will be revived OF the advantages of the
sea-level canal over one requiring the
construction Of such large and expen-
sive locks as those contemplated in the
present plan.
He Will be particularly questioned
as to the character of the foundations
upon which the locks are to -est. He
has reported that they will he built on
solid rock, but some members Of the
committee are not entirely satisfied OF
this. in the light Of information they
have received from the isLhmUs.
Found Water in Holes.
When Secretary Taft, with a party
OF engineers. visited the isthmus last
| March, il was found, it is now averred,
that six holes sunk had water in every
one Of tnem. This, It is claimed. shows
that the s0-caIled rock is permeable.
| Borings to this greater depth have been
made and it IS claimed that nothing
has been found but volcanic rubble.
The great dam at GatUn, which is to
be a mile and half long, and half a
mile wide, is planned without a granite
core.
1t is consideration Of these things,
together with the frequent changes
that have already been made IN the
size Of the locks, and even In those at
| I.osa. and near the Pacific end, that
has revived the feelings IN Congress
that perhaps a mistake has been made
and. after all. a sea-level canal might
solve the problem Of digging and dump