The Washington times., 1909-02-09
GoethalS and Associates
Can Build Lock or Sea-
Level Type.
CHIEFS OPTIMISM
PERVADES THE ZONE
President Obaldia Wants No
Locks, Because It viii Cost
More; Take Longer.
By JAMES HAY, Jr.


PANAMA CITY, Panama. Feb. At
required the visit of President-eIecL
Tart and his consulting engineers 10 the
canal zone TO demonstrate with what
remarkable case the big ditch can be
aug.
1t would not be at all surprising II
some person should at any moment
throw q cup OF black coffee into his
system, ana, under the Inspiration Of
tbs beverage. run out and complete
the canal overnight. It is the simplest
proposition IN the world Even child
could do it.
It takes Jine2
Yes but wave OF the cigarette and
snTug Of the shoulders removes every
obstacle Canal building has come. to be
a science, an ola art in this part OF the
world
The sea level IS as easy as the lock
type, the only difference being that
The sea level is the more expensive OF
the two.
This confidence in the ultimate com
pleti0n OF the canal is not confined to
The native Pauamaniaus The Ameri-
cans are themselves as convinced of the
mai success OF the undertaking as are
the natives Colonel Goethals is on
record as saying.
IF they want lock canal win
build II. II they want sea-level canal
/ VIII build that"
Optimism Is Echoed.
His associates on the Panama Canal
Commission echo his. optimism They
cIothe themselves in white suits and
Panama hats, and take white outlook
on current events. Every problem has
been solved, or win be solved IN due
time. There is absolutely no doubt on
the part OF any one on the zone or
near It that the canal is as E0Od as
successfully completed.
AZ ma IrTfa1 IL
dark COmnle XiOns and rapactOus in
stincts. Ths = are good hnguists. and,
as soon as LEY learn the English Ian
guaGes they use it as a lever to raise
prices on articles to double their former
value They are richer now than they
ever have BEEN and they know If. The
little ore-hOrse carriages they use in
place of street cars have multiplied until
they find difficulty in passing each other
IN the narrow streets. Naturally. the
Panamanians want a sea-leveI canal.
because that type would take more than
twice as long TO build as the lock type
They want the money 10 continue in its
present glittering and lavish streams
Wants Sea-LeYeI Cana
President Obaldia. OF the Republic OF
Panama, Is frank ia his statement that
he would like to see a sea-leveI canal
undertaken because of the riches Il
would bring to his famous bat some
what GAALilliul4hE county
The Americans, on the other hand. do
o not care at all. They say they can build
any canal at all. and, as Congress has
ordered a lock type they win 90 through
with II. Every employe of the Isthmus
Canal Commission sits on his veranda
every night and dreams large and cOpi-
Gus dreams Of the white sails OF the
worlds commerce gliding past his dO6r
in the tropical moonlight
If Il IS pointed out that the founda-
lions Of the Gatun dam are unsafe be-
cause they are on a porous rock, the
porous rock can be covered with clay,
which VIII prevent the water flowing
through.
The Gatun dam has been made the
storm center of interest and specula-
ton and knowledge. 1t has been studied
in front, behind, and on all sides. Every
person down here old enough 90 speak
English knows that the Gatm dam IS
safe. so safe that il could bear the
weight Of every ship, granite monument
and sZyscrSper In the world.
Taft Has Explored It.
The President-elect has explored it.
The engineers have gone down under IL,
and the population Of the zone has
studied IT closely from the top of a
ueighboring hill. There is, therefore.
nothing more 90 know about IL
II IS there.
1T is safe.
When the remark is made that Buuau-
Narilia has called 10 one Of history S
greatest ruins the answer Is a laugh
that smacks rather Of ridicule than mer
rimeut. Bunsu-Narilla's popularity here
does not correspond 90 the engineering
knowledge which he says he has.
In line with the general enthusiasm
over the prospect of success everybody
works.
On the canal zone each man is on
the job. This may be helped along by
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