The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-23
B|G SUM NEEDED FOR PANAMA CANAL Colonel GoethaIs Says Locks
 Will Hold Fleet GOVERNMENT IN TIE ZONE. Former Senator Blackburn Tells of Departments That Have Been
 Established For the Benefit
 of the Workers.
GOVERNMENT IN TIE ZONE.

Washington, January 22-At the hearings of the Senate committee on in ter-oceanic canals, which continued to- day, Colonel Goethals gave ass1lra nee that the Panama canal, when completed would be reasonably safe from military invasion, and said that the chances of the crippling of the canal by spies armed with dynamite will be very small providing armed guards are maintained at the Mirahores and Gatun locks. The locks themselves, Colonel Goethals explained, are located suffi- ciently far from either coast to render them safe from naval attacks Colonel Goethals said that perhans the most vital point along the canal will be the Gatum lock where an injury to the sluice gates would cause the water to be let out of the lake. This point could be easily guarded. how ever
 The change of plans concerning the locks on the Pacific side resulting in their removal to considerable dis tance from the coast was approved by Colonel Goethals as a military neces- sity
 In response to questions by Senator
 
 average ships would probably be able to pass through the canal In less than eight hours. He said there would be plenty of room for ships to pass ex- cept possibly in Culebra cut and also that more than one vessel could occupy lock at the same time.
 The entire United States feet said he can be accommodated at one time in Gatum lake when completed" ho lG pay h ic mi ion that the prevalence of slides" and 'pinches" at different points the route of the canal would not greatly hinder the canal construction, and he added that the engineers were gradual ly overcoming them. He also said he had little appreh ension about earth
 quakes in view of the fact that there had been no serious seismetic disturb . ances at Panama since the seventeenth century.
 Of the French equipment turned over to the United States, use had been found for 100 locomotives. between 200 and 300 cars and four dredges In discussing financial needs of the canal commission during the next fiscal year, Colonel Goethals said that it was necessary to have s32, ,403,763, an n- crease of more than $5,000,000 over the appropriation of last year. The en- largement is mainly due to increase of work.
 At the afternoon session of the com mission former Senator Black burn, who O is at the head of the civil administra- . tion In the canal zone, gove an account of the civil government under the Americans on the isthmus. The vari- ous branches under the department. he said consisted of the judiciary, police and fire departments, customs service. postal service, public works depart ment and public schools. Concerning the work of the customs bureau, MT.
 Blackburn said few, if any, customs fees were collected The head of tn e bureau devoted most of his time to the collection of internal revenue. There are 34 saloons on the isthmus l'paying license of s1200 per year; also one or two distilleries The establish
 ment of money. order offices in the | postal service of the canal zone has resulted in the utilization of that ser | vice to a remarkable extent by the em- | ployes in, sending their savings home From June 1906. until November. 1907 l the value of money orders purchased l rose from $50,066 to $381,561. If the postal service continues to in 1 crease it's revenues at the rate it has | been increasing" said MT. Blackburn, l ''It will result in the service becoming self-supporting within the next two years"