The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-02-02
CANAL DONE
JAN. |, 1915
This Promise Made by Col,
GOethals
-----
THE ENGINEER In CHARGE
Nothing to Be criticiEed--Experts with
Taft Declare Work Is Progressing in
Good Shape-culbera Cut Is
Inspected.
THE ENGINEER IN CHARGE

Culebra, Panama, Feb. 2.--"I can prom
Use that ships will be passed through the
Panama canal on New Years day, 1915,
said Col Goethals, chief engineer Of the
isthmian canal commission, to President
elect Taft yesterday, on the completion
Of their inspection Of the Culebra work,
which is nine miles long.
Il am more than delighted with the
progress OF the work" said Mr.. Taft in
reply THE plans are working out just
as they should, and the work is going
ahead as ii ought 70. The engineers tell
me that there is nothing to be criti-
ciked.n
Col. Goethals's statement is the first
in which he has definitely promised that
the canal will be completed by the first
OF January, 1915. lie has before said
that If nothing untoward happened, com
pletion might be anticipated by that
time. Yesterdays statement can only
mean that he Is thoroughly satisfied with
the underlying strata, and with the
plans and progress Of the work, and
that he feels that he can predict the fin
ish of the work with the same accuracy
that he might that Of any other eugi-
neering work of equal MAGNITUDE.
Yesterday marked the practical COM
pletion OF the inspection OF the canal.
Mr.. Taft has been able to make speed
in this, as be has been thoroughly fanil-
lar with every detail Of the plans, and
previous visits have been made almost
every inch OF the ground known to him.
He was accompanied by the consulting
engineers on a special train, which left
Panama early yesterday morning. The
engineers, with Mr.. Taft, made a detailed
examination of every inch OF the four
teen.mile Culebra cut following the for
mer examination Of the Gatun dam.
There had been some fear here that
as consequence 10 the criticism OF the
lock canal project change might be
ordered at the last moment. The declara-
ton that the Gstun dam Is all that 1t
should be, and that no fear need be
entertained that the sub-5trata is not
staunch enough to bear the weight OF
the dam produced feeling Of optimism.
The party was received with ovations
all along the line, the men at work on
the ditch waving their hats in air and
cheering as the special train passed.
The train was taken through the Guile
bra cut at very lew speed, frequent stops
we're ordered in order that Mr.. Taft might
be told Of the conditions met at various
sections Of the work The engineers were
unanimous in their approval OF what had
lsaen done and of the plans outlined, and
Mr.. Taft was equally optimistic. He
made for publication the broad state
ment that he Is satisfied with the plans
for the future. and delighted with the
progress that has been made.
Mr.. Taft intimated that he had ex-
pected to find just what he did find. He
has had the most complete confidence
throughout in the plans made and the
engineers in charge, and any other result
would have been a disappointment. at
the same time, he came here prepared
to insist upon change If the project to
create lock canal failed to Ard favor
with the men who are at work upon the
ditch and are in close touch with condi-
tions.
An informal ioilifcation followed HIS.
commentator, and the statement OF Col.
Goethals. Immediately aftcrward Mr..
Taft went on to Panama to visit former
President Amador, who il III.