The Mena weekly star., 1908-01-23
MORE ABOUT CANAL WORK
Col. Goethals Gives Further Infor- nation to Senate Committee on
 Interoceanic Canals.
CEMENT LAYING TO BEGIN NEXT YEAR
How the Deficiency in the Approprla- ton Occurred-An Estimate of $32,- 40s,s64 Submitted for Next Years Expenses-Opposed to Plan of Building the Canal by Contract.

Washington, Jan. 1S.--Lieut. Col. Goethals, chairman and chief engineer of the Isthmian canal commission, told the senate committee on interoceanic canals Friday that great deal of at tention had been paid to the deep formation at the Gatun dam site, and other points on the canal where locks are to be erected. By series of drill holes and test pits it was finally de- termined to the complete satisfaction of the engineers that the underlying material was of sufficient strength to hold the foundations for the locks. In Culebra cut, the chairman informed the committee. great deal closer in spection was necessary, as the founda- ton sandstones at that point were va ried in nature and at some points very soft sandstone underlies the harder material. Tt has been determined, however" said the witness, that the overlying sandstone is of ample strength to uphold the locks struc- ture."
 In the Culebra cut Col. Goethals said he hoped to have sufficient exca- vation done in January, 1909, to per init the laying of cement.
 Speaking of the deficiency in the appropriation that had been incurred by the canal commission in expendi- lures on the canal since last August, Col Goethals said subtracting surplus money that had accrued from certain funds, this deficit amounted now to $11 ,403, ,439. He, however, requested deficiency appropriation of s12,179,- 900 to cover all estimates. A change in the route was responsible for part of the deficiency.
 Col. Goethals gave the estimates for necessary appropriation for the vari- ous branches of the canal work for the ensuing year as follows: Engineer Ing department, including the Wash ington office, $2s,365.333; sanitation. S2,172,4s0; expenses of canal zone government. s6S2,007; Panama rail road, $1,1S3,940: making total of | s32, 2,403,S63
 Tn discussing the item of sanitation Col Goethals expressed his opinion that should congress provide a lump sum of $2,000,000 annually it would be sufficient to maintain the health of the isthmus, providing extra ex- pense could be incurred in emergency. "An outbreak of yellow fever" he said would cause a stampede from the isthmus and delay the work very seriously. However. I do not believe in carrying sanitation too far" On the subject of wages and per | quisites of canal employees, Col. Goe- | thals brought out many interesting features of life on the isthmus. The | demand for quarters for married em- ployes has increased to such an OK tent that the commission has found 1t necessary to cease the guarantee of | quarters for married employees, all though they continue to give suitable quarters to married employees when they are available. Nearly 500 houses | for couples are in demand at the pres ent time.
 | Col. Goethals expressed emphatic condemnation of any plan to build | the canal under contract. He said he had never known of any contractor | UT COI1DlHdllbu Ul tOntIdClOts tHdt HdS been able to do work as we'll and cheaply as the government could do | 1t, and asserted that the organiza- ton and equipment now in op- | eration at Culebra is better and more effective than any contractor could possibly install. He said that a contractor would have trouble in keeping his labor on the isthmus. owing to the reputation for cruel and inhuman treatment by workmen left by the French contractors.
 According to the statements of Col. Goethals, there will be practically enough equipment on hand to com plete the canal by the time certain contracts for steam dredges are com pleted. which 1t Is supposed they will be by the end of the next fiscal year.