The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-11-22
Commission Details Problems
 Met In Construction
REORGANIZATION OF WORK
Sanitary Conditions on the lsthmus Have Greatly Improved-Esti- mated Cost of Canal Is
 $375, GOO, ,ooo or More.

ma canal Is shown in the annual report of the Isthmian canal commission for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1909, made public by the Secretary of War today.
 The report deals with the organization of the work, construction and engineer ing problems which were solved, the civil government of the canal zone. the sani tary conditions which were greatly i'm proved and the estimated cost of the canal. The report in part Is as fol- lows:
 As anticipated in the last annual report MT. Jackson Smith vacated his position a a member of the commission by resig- nation on September IA, 1908, and the vacancy was filled by the appointment of Lieut.. Col. H. F. Hodges, corps of en- gineers, United States army.
 A complete reorganization of the work was lnaugurated on July 1, 1908, and brought about gradually through the year with a view, as previously stated, to subdepartments of the department of transaction of business. to secure better coordination, to fix more definitely the responsibility in any particular case, and to reduce the cost of administration. The suddepartments of the department of construction and engineering were abol- ished and three construction divisions substituted the Atlantic division extending from deep water in the Caribbean to in- clude Gatun locks and dam the cen traal division extending from Gatun dam to Pedro Miguel locks, and the Pacific division from Pedro Miguel locks to deep water in the Pacific. To these divisions were also assigned municipal improve ments and the construction of buildings prior to July l, 1909, on which date all work of construction and repair of build ings was transferred to the quartermas- ters department The division engineers also took charge of the execution of all sanitary engineering work that may be required by the sanitary department. rThese changes resulted in the elimination of the department of municipal engi- neering, motive power and machinery and building construction, and the construc- ton forces of the sanitary department. The main work connected with motive power and machinery was assigned to a new division styled the mechanical di- vsion," which reports to the chief en- gineer directly.
 The work formerly embraced under the department of labor, quarters and sub sistence was subdivided and assigned to two new departments, the quartermas- ter's and the subsistence departments. the latter taking over the subsistence of par,f r1T fnIc messes and kitchens. and the control of the Panama railroad commissary. The former. in addition to matters relating to quarters, to recruitment of labor and to corrals, absorbed the division of ma terial and supplies and the operation of the printing plants of the commission and railroad. Tn connection with polic- ing in the vicinity of quarters, the work os removing garbage and night soil and of cutting of grass and brush for sani- tary purposes was transferred to the quartermaster's department from the san- itary department, the latter directing what work shall be done.
 standard wage scale for employees on the silver rolls was adopted and put in- to effect. A similar wage scale for em- ployes on the gold roll is being brought about gradually. The preparation of time and payrolls has been simplifed. and the accountability and responsibility for property has been placed on the same basis as prescribed for the army. The most radical change has been the sub stitution of advance audit for all pay ments in lieu of examination after pay ment the final audit remaining, however, with the accounting offices of the treas ury.
 Construction and Engineering.
 With the reorganization resulting in the establishment of the three construc- ton divisions the work in the office of the chief engineer, who is the head of the department of construction and engineer ing was subdivided into three divisions. The first is under Lieut.. Col. H. F. Hodges, who, as assistant chief en- gineer, has charge of the design of the locks and dams and their appurtenances: he also considers and reports upon all questions of a civil engineering nature that may arise in the progress of the work The second is under MT. H. H. Rousseau, United States navy, who has charge of all mechanical questions that may arise, looks after expenditures, the preparation of estimates and supervises cost-keeping. The third is under MT. c. M Saville, who, as assistant engineer, has charge of Photographic and 1nete- orological work, such general surveys as are not embraced within the limits of any of the construction divisions, and makes such special investigations as may be assigned to him.
 During the year the designs for the up- per locks at Gatun and the locks at Pedro Miguel were finished. The locks in pairs, separated by a wall 60 feet thick, are 11O in xNiH with Ia lengths The method of filling and empty ing adopted is by longitudinal culverts in the side walls operated by Stoney valves; from these culverts water passes through laterals under the floors and perpendicular to the axis of the locks, from which openings upward admit water to or draw 1t from the lock cham bers. A longitudinal culvert is placed in the center wall also connected with the lock chambers by laterals, but in this case, while the water in the main cul- vert is governed by Stoney gates flow through the laterals is controlled by cylindrical balanced valves capable of withstanding pressure from either direc- tion The arrangement permits the pass age of water from one lock to the other of any pair.
 Gatun Dam--As noted in the annual report 1907, the s-section of the dam as originally proposed was changed by making the slopes fatter. modifying in part the general dimensions so as to con form to this modification. The dam was to be constructed of two rock piles 1900 feet apart and made of spoil from Culebra cut. the lock site and the excavation for the spillway, between which piles selected material was to be deposited hydraulic ally, forming the impervious part of the dam Work on the south rock pile across