The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-11-24
TAFT HAS BIG JOB.
President VIII spend the Next Five
Days on His Message.

Washington Nov. 24--President Taft
has returned TO Washington after hav-
ing stopped d day at Richmond. Va,
on his way from the Ischnus Of Pan
ANA
The president announced soon after
his arrival that he would make no en-
gagemenCs in the next five days In
that time he hopes To have his mes
sage to congress completed
Only cabinet officers and others with
when the president desires to consult
regarding his message viii be formal
Iy received at the White House The
document viii be ready either the night
OF the 2tsh or early on the 18th
The president viii deal in the message
with his visit to Panama. making rec
Jects which he desires considered and
discussed with view to early leg1sla-
tiOu-
Cofncident with the presidents re-
turn It was learned there IS not the
slightest chance for an extra session
Of congress following the coming short
session Mr. Taft, II Is said, sees 10
necessity for calling congress TO SIT at
ter March l.
The presidents Panama canal speech
at Richmond was listened to with the
greatest interest. He attempted in q
brief way to describe the satisfactory
/ conditions he found and aroused in
tense enthusiasm by his prediction that
| the canal would be open well in ad-
/ vance Of the official date OF opening,
/ January / 1915. He declared that If
| necessity demanded, he believed Amer
/ lean battIeships could De sent through
/ the waterway by January L 1913.
( What the American people want"
said Mr.. Taft. If I understand it. is the
I prompt completion Of the canal; and
( they are willing to pay fairly for IT. It
/ does not require the imagination Of the
! engineer to see that the canal is there
and being put through and that II VIII
| be a great canal
The president went into some detail
/ IN dealing with the problem presented
by the Chagres river and declared the
/ locks and lake plan finally adopted was
| the only feasible ore for controlling the
turbulent stream
We are engaged in taking out of the
| CuIebra cut" continued the president,
an average per month Of 100000 yards.
We are taking out Of the other parts
| 900 geo cubic yards. II II were exca-
walton only. we would not have so much
difficulty. because It would then be COM
pIeted about January l, 1913, but there
are those great lock structures, for in
stance at CTa.tun which are nearly a
mile long and 500 feet wide with 4
wall on the outside 40 feet IN width.
and 4 wall in the middle Of so feet in
width
I'VE are engaged now in laying that
Yards q day on each side The men IN
each division are full OF the spirit OF
competition, to see which group can do
more yardage IN a day and at a lower
cost Between them. they do about g.
/ OOO cubic yards in g. day
IF YOU viii calculate that you VIII
find it makes d mass OF concrete that
! it Is difficult to imagine any machinery
viii lay IN 4. day Of from to L hours.
I The sides Of one lock On the G7tun side
| have been practically completed 50 that
We were able TO look at II and realize
what If was.
| L think generally the people OF the
I United States favored & sea level canal
| They thought OF q lock and its gates
as difficult and complicated machinery.
and they thought the lifting Of 4 vessel
| Of 25 ag0 tons by water and machinery
would present obstacles every time a
steamer went through
| But the advantage Of visiting the
Isthrnus is TO confirm the Judgment OF
| the engineers in the mind Of the lay
| man that that thing is now easy II
| Is shaping itself. The dam which seem
/ ed such 4 tremendous work Is 4 long
l way toward completion. and when you
" ak over It you do Ret realize that II
/ is 4 dam II is 50 long IT seems as II
| It we're a work Of nature itself