The Detroit times., 1910-12-07

clary BY providing for the appointment
OF the municipal Judges Is eNcelleht,
and l recommend that step Iurthe
be taken by providing therein Tor the
appointment OF secretaries anu mar
shals Of these courts
| believe that the provision In The
bill for q partially, elective senate, the
number OF elective members being pro
gresslvely Increased. Is Unwiss, anu
that the composition OF the senate a.
provided Ia the bill as introduced Ia
the house lar better meets conditions
existing in Porto Rico. THIS In All In
poTtant measure. and recommend IT.
early consideration and passage
Rivers and Harbors.
have already expressed my opin-
ION To congress In respect 10 tho chhI
which should he enacted into law. and
4 have exercised as much power AS I
have under the law Ia directing I'M
chief OF engineers TO mike his reports
To congress conform To the needs OF
the committee framing such blll Ia
determining which OF the proposed I'M
provements is the more important and
ought TO be completed nrst' anu
promptly.
Panama Canal.
At the instance Of Colonel Goethais.
the army engineer onicer In charge OF
the work on the Panama canal, nave
Just made visit To the lsthmus IL
inspec, the work done and TO consult
with him on the ground AS to certain
problems which age likely To arise Ia
the near future. The progress OF the
work is most satisfactory IL no uh
expected obstacle presents itself, the
canal Will be completed wen wlthln
the time liked by Colonel Goethals. In
wit, Jan. /. 1915, and vithin the estt-
mate OF cost. 1915. 100000
Pr~ss reports have reached the United
states from time 10 time giving ac-
counts OF slides OF earth OF very large
yardage In the culebra cut and else
where along the line from which II
mis- be inferred that the work has
been much retarded and that the tins
of completion has been necessarily
postponed.
The report OF Doctor HAYES. Of the
geological survey, whom ! sent within
the last month 20 the Isthmus To maxi
an investigation. shows that this see
ton OF the Canal Zone Is composed or
sedimentary rocks OF rather weak
structure and subject 10 almost imme
aiate disintegration when exposed to
the air. Subsequent TO the deposition
OF these sediments, ieneous rocks.
harder and more durable. have been
thrust into them. and being cold a.
the time OF their Intrusion united bot
indlfferently with the sedimentary rock
at the contacts. The result OF these
conditions Is that as the cut Is deep
ened. causing unbalanced pressures.
slides from the sides OF the cut have
occurred. These are In part due to ~
flowing OF surface SOIL and decomposed
sedimentary rocks upon inclined sun
faces OF the underlying undecomposed
rock and in part by the crushing OF
structurally weak beds under excessive
pressure. These slides occur on ono
side or the other OF the cut through
distance OF or 5 miles. and now that
their character Is understood. allow
ance has been made In the calculations
OF yardage for the amount OF slides
which will have to be removed and TIE
greater slope that will have 10 be given
TO the bank In many places IN order -
prevent their recurrence, Such allow
yards. Considering that the number OF
yards removed from this cut on an
average Of each month through the
year 10 100000 and that the total re-
naming TO be eNCaVated. Including
slides Is about 3O.0O00O0 yards IL ~
seen that this addition to the -xcava
ton does not offer any great reason
for delay.
While this feature OF the material to
be eNcavated In the cut will not seri-
ously delay or obstruct the construc-
ton OF canal OF the lock type, the
Increase or excavation due to such
slides In the cut made SIS feet deeper
! for sea level canal would certainly
have been so great TO delay It's
completion TO time beyond the pa
thence OF the American people.
Among questions arising for present
solution Is the decision whether the
stated to the congress that I strongly
favor fortincation and now reiterate
! this opinion and ask your consideration
OF the subject In the lleht OF the report
already before you made by a compe-
i tent board
IT, In our discretion, We believe mod
| Continued ON Page Three.)