New-York tribune., 1909-02-14
ENGINEERS OPPOSE SEA
LEVEL TYPE
Toek WaterrUay Nay Be Finished
Wifhin Sir Years, at Cost of Less
than 500 900, 900.
IRON The Tribune Bureau J

t,,,,5i,s the original purchase OF the French
.sas and the lease Of the Canal Zone. will be
.,,siderably under s40o. 100000. The cost Of
90 level canal would be something over so per
zen, more than the lock type. The engineering
s,-srrries in the way OF a sea level canal, chief
:. -hsch would be the construction of a dam 10
s.s, nigh to control the Chagres River. op-
-,sss 70 the Gatun dam, which viii be only IS
ss. high viii in the opinion OF all who have
,s,sorslr investigated conditions in the Canal
zo,s prevent any change from the lock plan
These facts and various others became known TO
high Official Of the administration here to-day.
ENGINEERS BACK FROM PANAMA
rolonel Goethals chief engineer OF the canal
I'D chairman Of the Ist1nlisn Canal Cornrnis-
e,an and al the consulting engineers who ac-
.o,,nsnied Presidert-eiect Taft TO the Canal
-o,s arrived here to-day Colonel Goethals
.,,5 that conditions in the zone were entirely
satisfactory
q rspsat what I said to you q year ago." de-
,,sred Colonel Goethals. and that is, that the
r.nsI VIII be completed and ships will be ira
vsrsinE it by January l. 1915 Work on the
waterway is going ahead splendidly. I am to
suvear before the House Committee on Appro-
pr.sticns on Monday. when viii be prepared to
give an estimate Of what in my judgment the
canal viii cost 70 complete
IN nv Judgment he continued, ''the charac-
Ter Of the canal TO be built has not changed in
the least The most acceptable plan is that OF
the lcck canal which is that now under con-
straction. Any danger TO ships humping Into
the gates or other parts Of the locks, about
which some apprehension has been expressed,
viii be entirely averted by electrical devices by
which the vessels will be kept under control at
sn tines
Colonel Goethals refused to give any further
information in regard TO the canal
The consulting engineers declined TO talk
for publication, saying that as they were
busily engaged in completing their report for
The President, II would not be proper for them to
make preliminary report through the press
The engineers discussed the situation, however.
with their superiors, although the discussion
vas informal Al the engineers agree with re-
gard 70 the general plan Of the canal. and IT is
doubtful If their report win contain a single
recommendation IN favor Of the sea level type
The engineers regard as almost teo obvious
for EXCLAMATION the proposition that the Chagres
dam, which would be made necessary by the
adoption Of the sea level plan. would be as much
more dificult 20 construct with safety as the
proportion OF 10 10 s.. although the novice may
need 10 be reminded that only the height of a
body OF water controls the pressure of the dam
with which it is sought TO restrain it, and that
that it constitutes the retaining wall of lake
tventy-three miles long, will be no greater than
e the lake were only a mile or half mile long.
The result is that the pressure against the
Gatun dam would be 5,3125 pounds lineal
foot. as against a pressure on the Chagres dam,
which would be made necessary by sea level
canal Of 1o.625 pounds q lineal foot
The argument that an earthquake may de-
stroy the Gatun dam or ether works OF the lock
type, while not regarded as particularly force
ful by the engineers. becomes. il is pointed out
by them. Of increased force when applied TO a
sea level canal which would involve the con-
struction of q masonry dam 10 feet high OF
course, all these arguments will be fully set
forth. both in the report Of the engineers and
the testimony OF Colonel Goethals, before the
committees Of Congress.
COLONEL GOETEALS TO TESTIFY.
Colonel Goethals has been called 70 Washing
ten az the request OF committees Of Congress.
and it is expected that he Will be subjected 70 a
Searching cross-examination, especially as sew
srai Senators and probably some members o1
The House are committed TO sea level canal
twill not take the chief engineer long. however
70 demolish such arguments as that presented
recently BY Mr. Kittredge in the Senate
Fer instance. Colonel Goethals viii not only
nsn attention 10 the unfairness Of citing the
original estimate Of S247. 100000 as the cost Of
The sea level canal. because that omitted all the
expense Of sanitation and civil government, but
ne win also point out that IL has been necessary
tc dc about 80 per cent more work in the cut
ssn the engineers estimated originally. that the
prices Of work per unit are 20 per cent greater
man estimated by the engineers originally, and
mat Congress is largely responsible for part Of
NE Increased cost. because it has enforced the
Efp-s - 2 he
work Colonel Goethals win be prepared to
snow inst wherein lie the reasons for the in
creased expenses, and TO submit a pretty accu-
fste estimate of the cost and the time necessary
for ne construction Of sea level canal
CANAL ZONE GOVERNMENT
II is learned that one Of the chief objects Of
ffesident-eaect Taft in coming. 70 Washington
next Tuesday is 10 head off the agitation in
ssFer Of sea level canal and TO obtain the
passage Of the Mann canal government bill,
saich has already passed the House. As has
seen told in these dispatches, the. President IS
s1ercising executive authority in the canal
1oae not provided for by legislative enactment,
sno II is this legislative authority which the
essan bin parpozes TO supply The President
sleci being lawyer regards as repugnant a
situation which makes necessary the exercise
y ne President of an authority which neither
congress nor the Constitution has conferred on
am ard he hopes that this situation win be
tired by the passage Of the Mann bill
= has been told IN these dispatches the
Prospects for the Mann bin in the Senate are
not bright especially as Senator Kittredge.
chairman Of The Canal Committee, Is strongly
sppesed 10 the Jock type Of canal. II is pos
s9ie therefore that It VIII be necessary 20
aoandon the Mann bin and 10 seek 10 supply
'as lack of executive authority by the adoption