New-York tribune., 1908-01-27
CONGRESS AND CANAL
Chief Engineer Goethals Cross-Er
amined By Congress Committee.
rFrom The rrlbune Rnr.ar.l

Congress
with legislation affecting the Panama Canal. and
has been subjected to crossfire Of questions.
gerrnane and otherwise. which would have stag
gered an official less familiar with his subject OF
less confident of his ground. The ultimate cost
Of the enterprise. the character of the founda-
tions for the locks and dam at Gatun. the rea-
for relocating the lock which il had been
designed to place at La Boca, the necessity OF
relocating the Panama Railway and the cost of
labor have constituted the chief topics on which
Colonel Goethals has been examined, and the re-
suits Of the committee hearings have been TO
impart to members of both houses a far more
comprehensive and intelligent understanding OF
the great undertaking than they have hitherto
enjoyed and incidentally. to create in the minds
Of the committee members the highest respect
and the utmost confidence in the man who bears
on his shoulders the responsibility OF directing
this great project. Colonel GOethals's absolute
command of his subject. his evident familiarity
with every detail of the work, his refusal to be
committed on ground of which he not Ger
tain and his invariable good humor and cour-
tesy have produced a most desirable effect, and
the impression made Senators and Repre-
sentatives is that the Secretary Of War has
chosen the best possible man for the task
A determined effort made in the Senate
committee to commit Colonel Goethals TO some
definite figure the maximum cost OF the canal.
but without avail. When asked if S300OooOoo
would not surely cover the aggregate cost he re-
piled that that figure "a mere guess
When asked if he meant to convey the idea that
the canal might cost S500,O00,o9O, he replied that
it might-he not prepared say He said,
however that surveys had been practically COM
pleted and being plotted which would
make it possible for him by next year to state
definitely the sum within which he would com
pete the canal and all efforts to induce him to
set figure at this time proved fruitess.
When asked why the figure S1390OOOO0 which
had been submitted to Congress by former
Chairman Shonts the probable cost of the
canal was likely to be so far exceeded, Colonel
Goethals said that was the estimate of the
minority of the board of consulting engineers,
that it based plans radically different
from those being pursued, that it was
then submitted merely covering the cost OF
completing the canal. exclusive OF the purchase
price, the work already done. which there
had then been expended S27 100000, and the
cost of sanitation and the civil administration OF
the canal AS q guess, Colonel GoethaIs
said perhaps $500. 600 might be accepted in
the absence OF more accurate information as
the which would cover the entire COST, in
Guiding the purchase price, the sanitation the
civil administration OF the zone, etc. and that
next year he would submit to the committees
definite and intelligent estimate OF the actual
cost.
In reply TO questions regarding the founda-
tions OF the locks and dams at Gatun. Colonel
Goethals said that he could give the committees
the most positive assurance that they would
rest on solid rock. He had caused many ad-
ditional test pits and borings to be made TO
satisfy himself on this point as well as to dis
sipate an erroneous impression that portion OF
the locks at this point would rest on sand and
varied from % to 165 feet below the mean tide
level, and in every instance the borings had
been sunk at least seventy feet below the level
OF the lock walls. Throughout this portion of
the hearings Colonel GoethaIs displayed a
familiarity with his subject which satisfied the
committees Of the especial wisdom Of the ad-
ministration in having chosen an engineer Of
long experience in constructing dams and locks
The relocation Of the dams and locks which II
was designed to place at La Boca and which
will now be placed at Mirahores. was made the
subject OF exhaustive inquiry and seemed for a
time to be the occasion of some anxiety to mem
bers of the Senate committee. Colonel Goethals
explained the difficulties which were to be en-
countered at La BOca, the superior advantages
presented by the Mirafores site and the eco
nomic and strategic advantages of the latter
site at great length Comment made to the
effect that Chairman Shonts had recommended
that this dam be located at MirafOres, and
Colonel GOethals explained that such had been
the original intention of the engineers and OF his
predecessor, but that the boring had revealed the
fact that the rock originally taken for solid
rock stratum only a shallow ledge under
laid with soft material, and this has led to the
location at La Boca. When, under Colonel
Goethas. all of the borngs sunk deeper how
ever. solid rock found short distance fur
49,.
and lock Will rest. He emphasized the fact that
the location of the dams and lock Mirafores
will effect material saving in time and money.
and that, moreover. the advantages OF that site
from military point OF view over the La BOca
site incalcuIable. At La Boca the works
would extend out into Panama Bay and present
admirable target for enemy at a range of
four miles At Mirafores the works will be
hidden from the bay, being four miles inland.
The necessity of relocating the Panama Rail
way. and even OF maintaining railway at all
after the completion Of the canal, was inquired
into by members Of the Senate committee
Colonel Goethals explained the necessity Of re-
locating the road by saying that a great part
of the present roadbed would be under water
when the canal was finished. as the lakes which
il is to create will i'll places extend con-
siderably beyond the present line of the road
The necessity of maintaining the road after tho
completion Of the canal Colonel Goethals at
trfbuted to commercial necessities. military
necessities and the maintenance OF the canal
Examined to the increased cost OF the labor
unit Colonel GoethaIs said that the wages paid
we're considerably higher than had been antici-
pated by the engineers who had framed the pre-
Iiminary estimates. and that the cost Of hous-
ing and general care greatly exceeded those esti-
mates He declared that the general welfare