The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-18
PRESS PUBLICITY IS
 UP FOR DISCUSSION
Estimate of a TrifIe Less Than $3oo,- 000,000 Is Made By Colonel Goeth- aIs as the Total Cost of the
 Canal Construction.

for the dissemination of information about the progress of the work at Panama caused a somewhat lively discussion in the hearing before the Senate committee on interoceanic canals today. There was an echo of the debate in the Senate two years ago when the literary bureau con- ducted by James Bucklin Bishop, the present editor of the Canal Record, was roundly scored as a government insttu- ton that had no right to exist, and which eventually resulted in a promise to cease publication in the face of an amendment by Senator Culberson to abolish the bu7 reau.
 Senator Culberson today intimated that the promise had not heen kept.
 While Colonel Goethals was being ques- toned as to the canal work by various members of the committee, Senator Gull person asked to have the remarks in the Senate in 1905, concerning the literary bu- reau of Bishop placed in the record of the hearings, and he handed up copy of his remarks for that purpose. After reading them, Colonel Goethals told why the paper had been established and said that it was now being run to show the men on all parts of the line what was being done at other points
 Good of a Newspaper.
 'It does good,' said the colonel, ''be- cause it keeps the men informed of of- ficial movements and fosters a spirit as to the amount of work that is daily ac- e0nllyfs4sed tt different pafnds. t-
 ''Why do not all branches of the canal work get out newspapers to show what they are doing?r asked Senator McCum- Der.
 Other members of the committee an- swered that practically all bureaus did get out information about themselves through their regular reports. Colonel Goethals asserted that there was scarcely branch of the government, including the army and navy that did not have it's means of getting press publicity and keeping it's own members informed as to what they were doing.
 Former Senator Blackburn, mem- Der of the commission, who was wait ing to testify here, entered the discus sion at the invitation of Colonel Goe- thals and asserted that the canal was being constructed 2000 miles from home, and that it was quite fitting that there should be some means of ac- quainting it's employees, and even con gressmen as to what was going on in regard to the work.
 Senator Flint took a similar view of the matter and inquired with some animation: "How about the state de- partment and it's daily consular re- ports. Is anw fault found with the de- partment?"
 He directed his query to Senator Culberson, who replied:
 cuIberson's Objections.
 "This proceeding in Panama is an innovation, and assurances were made In the open Senate that the publica- tion would not be continued.
 "The senator is assuming that the canal record is of the same character as what we term the literary bureau that formerly existed" interjected Sen- ator Black burn.
 Culberson. Ut is many times worse than the original institution that was condemned in the Senate by the com mittee on appropriations. At that time Bishop simply made weekly report and gave information to the press, for which he was paid an annual salary of s1O,O00. Now he gives it out by pub fishing weekly paper.
 That is where I dissent from the senator" said MT. Blackburn.
 Senator Flint expressed himself as heinz in entire accord with the canal record proposition. Colonel Goetha als promised to deliver to the committee some figures concerning it's cost. Sena- for Brundidge questioned Colonel Goe- finals closely as to the price of the canal and it developed in the opinion of Goethals 1t may possibly be built at a figure a trine less than $500, ,000.- ooo He simply said that he was in the babit of estimating the cost of pro- jects at a high enough figure to in sure their being accomplished within Mtbe price. He said that the Gatum dam [ and locks were being constructed two ar three times better than necessary. This was due to public opinion, Which demanded all proper precautions In the building of the canal. Ihe nearing Wi'i continue tomorrow.
 Goethals' Report.
 Jieutenant Colonel Goethals, chairman ana chief engineer of the isthman canal commission. told the Senate committee on interoceanic canals today that great deal of attention had been paid to the daan formations at the Gatun dam site 4 and at other points of the canal where T locks are to be erected. By series or drill holes and test pits it was finally de- termined to the complete satisfaction or the engineers that underlying material was of sufficient strength to noiu the foundations for the lock. Tn Culepar cut the chairman informed the commit tee, a great deal closer inspection was necessary as the foundation sandstones at that point were varied in nature ana at some points very soft sandstones un- derlie the harder material. ..
 sTt has been determined however said the chairman, that the oVeriyihs q sandstone is of ample strength to up- hold the lock structure
 Tn the Culebra lock, Colonel Goethals