The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-02-26

New Haven, Feb. 25.-Before the clos
Ing session to-day OF the ninety-sixth
annual meeting OF the American Insti-
tute of Mining Engineers. at the Sheffield
Scientific School, attention was again d.
.rected By Henry G. Granger. Of Colon
bia, South America, 10 the Panama Canal
and the recent trip Of President-elect
Taft and his. board Of consulting en-
gineers 10 Tie Isthmus to inspect the
works.
Mr.. Granger is in favor Of a sea-level
canal instead Of the lock canal that IS
being built by the United States govern
ment He said. in part:
President Roosevelt. although he
asked fora frank statement Of the sit
uation. has received a biased report filed
with errors Mr. Taft also is led 10 be-
Heve in the reasonsbIeness and good faith
OF the report In his case II does not
make so much difference After March
4 he wiz have plerfty Of time 70 change
around and carry through ses-ievel
construction under his administration.
whereas President Roosevelt IS made the
victim Of an attempt 10 uphold a de-
cision that has been proven unjustifsbie-
II this stands until March 4. as President
Roosevelt was led to recommend Il, he
| will go down IN history as having rec
commended and strongly Endorsed an ut
| terly imprecticable project whereas ne
clearly showed his willingness TO be fair
/ in his statements 10 the public and n
! his charge 10 the engineers
FavOrs sea Level.
capt. Cakes IS one Of those who, IN
/ fortunately. depnves the administration
OF The benefit Of his true opinion under
mistaken ideas OF duty. but 10 any one
who can read, the captains lock talk
( throughout his discussion is utterly and
entirely subverted by his last four Ines
I in which ne says that he prefers the
sixty-foot level because II could be more
easily changed 10 sea-lcvel canal IN the
future than ore with an eighty-fve-foot
/ level Thus ne clearly shows he realizes
that the only canal for the American
nation is a sea-level canal
] Il have received from Senator kittredSe
the fun text OF the report OF the board
/ OF engineers who recently accompanied
Flr. Taft 10 the isthmus Every one an
ticiDated the nature OF the report. as
those who were not already committed
10 he lock plan were men who could no
more be expected 20 reply against dam
construction at Panama than could
suffragette OF New York be expected 10
request the disfranchisement Of her sex
( in Colorado CT could Schlitz be expected
20 vote for prohibition
1T is exceedingly 10 be regretted that
these eminent engineers affixed their
names 20 a report a careful and complete
ANALYSIS OF which VIII demonstrate 70 be
absurd az the present time. and II the
I plans are carried out their descendants
viii regret that they made a report on
/ this great subject, whose means OF
/ accomplishment ana whose essential con-
I dition they are incapable OF comprehend
I ing
sample of Report.
/ Y viii just touch hastily upon three o.
/ four points o. their comprehensive report
as q sample OF its entire reliability.
/ The estimate was 100000 yards per
month; the results are only 100000 yards
! per month. Is their reference 10 this
great administrative achievement OF
/ Col. .Goethals and his able assistants, as
being somewhat more. either a fair or
/ reasonably true statement Of the situa-
Z ton. and does IL evInce fairmindedness
or an answering determination against
/ all consideration OF Jbe overwhelming
/ arguments IN favor Of sea Level?
"On page 2 Of their report they mention
+ the construction OF a Charges regulation
+ dam AT Gambes as an essential prehmi-
! nary 70 excavation, with g sea-ievel canal
CT 600 feet minimum width. which does
away with all question Of a menacing
/ reservoir on the Chagres- This point was
/ apparently not considered by them, al
though it was favorably passed on By an
{ engineer whose record. standing. and pO-
sition are such that any other engineer
( in the United States must take OF his
hat 70 him