The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-02-17
ROOSEVELT SUBMITS REPORT OF
ENGINEERS, WHO VISITED
CANAL, TO CONGRESS
Says Any Attack Made Hereafter the Lock Type Panama Canal
"Is in Reality Merely Attack Policy of Building Any
Canal at AL"=Report of Experts Indicates That
Sea Level Canal Would Not Be Practicable

Culebra cut, they estimate Will in
crease the cost of the work by about
$l3,00O,000. but they say 1t Will not
delay the completion of the canal that
1t will permit ships to pass one an
other In this portion of the canal. and
will otherwise facilitate navigation.
! If slides occur after the completion
of the canal" they say. the wider
canal is not as likely TO be blocked
as a narrower one" They approve
the change In the proposed location
OF the breakwater at the Atlantic end
| Of the canal.
Their estimate Of the complete cost
of the canal is $360.000,000. They say
ii Is incorrect to state that the orig
inal estimate Of cost was $4,000 900,
! as this does not include sanitation
and zone government" They esti-
mate the expense of sanitation and
zone government at S27,00O.O00, while
| payments TO the Republic of Panama
| and to the new Panama Canal COM
| pany amounted to S50,000. 900, which
would make the difference between the
! present estimate and the previous est-
mate, with cost Of sanitation and zone
! government and payments added, only
Sl43,000.000. "Of this amount" they
say, nearly one-half can be account
cd for by the changes in the canal and
appurtenant works already referred to,
and the remainder is 10 be attributed
mainly to the higher unit cost Of the
different items Of the work"
Commendation is expressed at the
present condition of the work and the
other great construction work has so
much been done for employees in the
way of furnishing necessities. COM
forts and lrxuries of life at the cost
of the work as has been done in this
work. This is one reason for the high
cost of the canal.
In their opinion, "the work is we'll
organized and is being conducted en-
ergetically and well"
They commend the medical and
sanitary department. "for its success
in exterminating yellow fever and con-
trolling malaria
I'VE see no reason" they add why
the canal should not be completed. as
estimated by the chief engineer, by
January ], 1915: in fact, it seems that
somewhat earlier completion is
probable II ali goes we'll"
Considering the cost and time of con-
struction of sea level canal as COM
pared with the lock type. they held
that, most OF the factors. which have
operated to increase the cost of the
lock canal. would operate with SINH
lar effect tojncrease the cost of the
sea level canal. and at the present
time there are additional factors OF ev-
en- greater importance to be consid-
cred as affecting the time OF compile
ton and cost of a sea level canal"
One of these they find in the Gam
boa dam, the work on which is to be
started as soon as possible. They
declare 1t could not be completed un-
I'll after the time required for the
completion of the lock canal"
Further than this. they say a chang
ed type would result in abandoning
work which represents large expendi-
lures.
They claim that. by the change, the
river Chagres and the rivers on the
isthmus tributary thereto, Instead of
being allies would be enemies of the
canal. and floods In them would great
ly interfere with the work"
Replying to the criticism that the
canal region Is liable to earthquake
shocks. and that a sea level canal
would be less subject to injury by
earthquake than a lock CANAL they
assert that. dams and locks are struc-
tures Of great stability and littlo sub.
1ect TO damage by earthquake Shocks
but that even If they could regard
earthquakes as a source of serious
damage to any type OF canal on the
isthmus. their effect upon the dams,
locks and regulating works proposed
for the sea level canal would be mach
the same as upon similar structures
Of the lock canal"
AS TO the question OF water supply.
they say, 1T Is so much greater than
any need that can be reasonably an
ticipated. that the best method of Sc
curing more water when the time OF
need arrives does not require tc be
considered now" They report that
they can find no reason to apprehend
important loss Of water by seepage
through the ridges surrounding Gatun
dam, which In our Judgment" they
add, the bed of the lake will be prac
tically imperyious to water"
The engineers who compose the
board are Frederick Steers, James G.
Schuyler Arthur p Davis, Isham Ran
delphi. Henry ID. Allen. John K. Free
man and Allen Hazen