The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-02-12
In a Speech to New Orleans Audi.
ence He Reviews Panama Canal
Work and Favors the
Lock style.
THE WORK IS THOROUGH
His Inspection convinces Him That
Work is Being Well Performed
Attended One Of the
Carnival Balls.

NEW ORLEANS, La, Feb. 12.-
President-elect Taft landed here shssrt-
ly before o'clock Thursday after
noon from Panama and was enthus-
Iastically received by the entire city,
whose guest he is to be until Saturday
morning.
Taft made a brief speech this after
noon in which he heartily approved
the present lock type of the canal
across the isthmus. He reviewed a
parade mile in length and last night
attended one Of the carnival season
balls. Saturday morning the presi-
dent.elect will Fr to Cincinnati, from
where, on Monday, he will leave for
Washington, returning again to Gin
cinnati Wednesday.
On the trip from Panama Taft made
the first draft of his inaugural ad
dress. This he intends to submit to
certain friends in Washington next
week.
To Approve Construction.
The inability of the board of civil
engineers to complete their report on
questions regarding which their ad-
vice has been asked regarding the Pan
anna canal made the Washington visit
planned by Taft necessary. The en-
gineers will go at once to Washington
to complete their work. 1t may be
stated their ro- =. will be a complete
approval of the present plans and
methods On the isthmus. They will
not only recommend the construction
Of the Gatun dam. but give it as their
Judgment the dam will be perfectly
safe if built to height of 115 feet
instead of 1876 feet, thus saving ex-
pense in construction. Other features
Of their report will deal with the
thickness of the cement required for
the walls and floors of the locks; de-
vices for handling ships in locks, and
approval of the $10,O00,000 breakwa-
tiers at Colon the construction of
which will create tlo harbor out of the
present open road tead. The failure
Of the engineers to complete their re-
port was said to be their desire for
careful consi6 .'c regarding the
just manner of stating their conclus-
ions. rather than any disagreement
regarding what those conclusions are.
! In his speech on the steps of the city
huil hSi6 dlL lHduG NudI liS ooid F" eAS
his summing up of his recent trip.
Taft --eaks Hopefully.
a am here on my way from great
constructive work." he said. THE
greatest entered upon by any nation
during the present two centuries, and
am glad to say to you. who perhaps
are more interested in that work than
any other part of the people of the
United States, that the work is going
on as you would have it go on. That
on the first of January, 1915, at least
II not beforehand / am very much
interested in having it within the next
four years-that canal will be com
pleted. And when that time comes
You will see loading down this river
your great commerce bound through
those straits to the west coast OF
America, to the west coast of South
America, to the Orient and to Austria
liza.
The board Of engineers that ac
eompanied me have examined the
whole work and they say it's good;
mat 1t shall go on as it has gone on;
that the organization on the isthmus
American push and good feeling thai
Is there commends itself to them as
men who understand great works OF
mat class, and convinces them that
the canal is now an immediate pros
pect,