Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-17
VIEWS OF EXPERTS
SENT TO CONGRESS
President Transmits Report
on Panama Canal.
APPROVE THE LOCK TYPE
Executive Says It Would Be Folly
to Change Plan.
MENTIONS EXCESS OF CAUTION
Asks Careful Consideration of the
Conclusions Submitted-Work
to Be Finished by Jan
uary l, 1915. i
Executive Says It Would Be Folly
to Change Plan.
MENTIONS EXCESS OF CAUTION

Any attack made hereafter on the lock
type of Panama canal. according to the
opinion expressed by President Roose-
welt in a message transmitting to Con-
gress today the report made by the engi-
neers who recently visited the Canal
Zone with President-elect Taft, 'is in
reality merely an attack upon the policy
of building any canal at ALL" The report.
in Mr.. Roosevelt's opinion. shows in
clearest fashion that the Congress, was
wise in the position 1t took. and that 1t
would be an inexcusable folly to change
from the proposed lock canal to sea-
level canal
II commend to YOU" he says to Con-
gress, 1.-The most careful consideration
Of the report. They show that the only
criticism that can be made of the work
on the isthmus is that there has some
times been almost an excess OF caution
in providing against possible trouble AS
to the Gatun dam itself they show that
not only is the dam safe. but that, on
the whole the plan already adopted
would make it unnecessarily high and
strong, and. accordingly. they recon-
mend that the height be reduced by
twenty feet, which change in the plans
I have accordingly directed"
President Roosevelt says that the en-
gineers who made the report ARE OF all
the men in their profession, within or
without the United States. the men VINO
are on the whole, best qualified to pass
upon those very questions which they
examined"
Report by Engineers.
The engineers report that as the Gatun
earth dam was the central point or dis-
cussion. they gave it, under instructions
from Mr. Taft, first consideration In
the light of all new evidence" and they
add that ''the type of dam now under
construction is one which meets with our
unanimous approval They say they
are satisfied that there will be no dan
serous or Objectionable seepage through
the materials under the base of the dam:
nor are they so soft as to be liable to be
pushed aside by the weight Of the pro-
posed dam so aS to cause dangerous sell
Element. We are also satisfied that the
materials available and which 1t Is pro-
posed TO use are suitable and can be
readily placed To form tight, staple
and permanent dam
Dams and locks. lock gates and all 9TH
er engineering structures involved In the
lock canal project are feaslole ana
safe according to the engineers. ''and
they can be depended upon to perform
with certainty their respective functions.
They report that they do not find any
occasion for changing the type or
canal that has been adopted A change
to sea-level plan at the present time
would add greatly to the cost and time OF
construction without compensatlng ad-
vantages, either in capacity of the canal
or in safety of navigation. ana hence
would be a public misfortune.
We do find. they say. lin detailed de
signs that have been adopted, o: that
are made under consideration. some mat
ters where other arrangements than thosA
now considered seem worthy of study.
AS these proposed changes are of a tenta-
tive nature and do not i'll any case effect
the main questions herein discussed they
are not taken up in this report.
Possible Slipping and Sliding.
They declare that the most practical
question in the construction of the Gatun
dam is the possible slipping and sliding
of the materials underneath and in the
body of the dam" In regard 10 this
question, they have reached the conclu-
sion that "the design upon which the
work is now being prosecuted abundantly
fulfills the required degree of stability
would be regarded as sufficient and safe
i'm any less important structure.
In regard to the slips which have oc-
CURED at several times, they assert that
either in the practical execution of the
work OF in the ultimate stability Of the
structures.
Having considered the proper height for
the crest of the Gatun dam, they con-
cluded that lit could be safely reduced
tue fppI PROPOSED.
namely. to an elevation of 115 feet above
sea level, OF thirty feet above the normal
level OF the water against the dam.
This change. they say. will facilitate
the work of construction and will reduce
somewhat the cost of the proposed work.
No Reason to Doubt Stability.
As to the change OF the lower locks on
the Pacific end Of the canal from La
Roca. on the shore of Panama bay. IN
M:raflores. about four miles inland, they
report tha: the settlements which occurred
as result of the change cause. no rea-
on to doubt the stability of the proposed
dam. This change having been made be-
.ause objection might be made from
military point of view TO placing locks
on the shore of the bay. exposed 10 guns
of hostile ships. the board of engineers
estimate that il will increase the cost by
about Si0,W0.O0a. but that it will greatly
lessen the cost of fortificatfons.
Another change. that of increasing the
minimum width of the bottom OF the canal
for about IL miles in the Culebra cut.
tl,ny estimate will increase the cost or
the work by about SI3.cO0.000, but they
say It will not delay the completion OF
the canal, that il will permit ships 10
pass one another in that portion OF the
canal and will otherwise facilitate naviga-
ton. IF slides occur after the compile
ton of the canal they say. the wider
canal is not likely to be blocked as a
narrower one" They approve the change
in the proposed location Of the break
water at the Atlantic end of the canal
Complete Cost of Canal.
Their estimate of the complete cost Of
the canal is Sa60. 10000. They say it Is
incorrect to state that the original esti-
mate of cost was $l4O,OOo.00O as this did
not include sanitation and zone govern