The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1911-12-09
USE FOR CANAL EQUIPMENT.

ficent Machinery Employed in
Construction Of Panama Canal
Could be Used in Vast Reclama-
tion Work in United States.
At the recent annual convention of
the Inland Waterways Association
held at Montgomery, ] Ala, Congress
imam Robert C. Wickliffe of Louisiana
addressed the association in the in
terest of his bill pending in con-
gress, providing for the utilization of
the equipment employed in the con-
struction of the Panama Canal, af-
ter the completion of that work, for
the improvement of waterways and
the prosecution Of reclamation work
in the United States
In laying the measure before the
association Mr. Wickliffe said he
would be glad for anyone interest
ed in the subject to write either to
| him or the chairman#Of the commit
tee on interstate and foreign COM
merce, offering suggestions which
would aid in perfecting the measure
Or in demonstrating any lack of mer-
it in the proposition. 81
Equipment Cost Millions.
Mr.. Wickliffe said it was not pos
sible to estimate accurately what
the government had expended or
| will expend for equipment in con-
structing the Panama Canal, though
q rough estimate of from $4,000 900
to $50 100000 might be approximately
correct. Included in the equipment
is the most modern, improved and
costly machinery of the kind ever
used.
UNLESS the idea of#utilization sug-
gested is adopted, what will be the.
fate of this machinery?" said Mr.
Wickliffe. ''The onlysexisting law on
the subject is found imbedded in
the Sundry Civil BilI,sa measure MAX
ing certain appropriations, ETC., for
the fiscal year ending June 8, 1912
Section of said act contains the
following clause: 9Ihat until the
close Of the fiscal year 1912, when
any material, suppliesEa and equipment
heretofore or hereafter purchased or
acquired for the construction of the
lsthnlian Canal is naIlonger needed,
or is no longer serssleeable, it may
be sold in such manner as the sec
retary Of war may direct, and with
out advertising in Meh classes of
sses ay tIorizsd hyhiEns,s, ms,
! naVe 10 cIam to make Of
this clause so long as the work on
the canal is in progress, as I do not
think the war department and Col
onel Goethals Should be tied down
too closely by red tape during the
constructive period of that great
work But with the completion of the
canal in sight, and considering the
further fact that the above legisla-
ton is only temporary in effect, it
people and their representatives to
consider the question of what shall
be done with this magnificent equip
ment.
"The grand total OF canal excava-
tion down to the end of the last
fiscal year June 80, 1919 was 142,-
,554 cubic yards, leaving yet to
be excaVated only SO, ,570,212 cubic
yards, or less than one-fourth of the
nal. Striking an average say of g.
750 900 cubic yards Of excavation per
month as the capacity of the present
skillful organization on the 1sthmus,
we can, therefore, see that with on
" 39,570,212 cubic yards remaining to
be excaVated on July 1, 1911, four
teen months from that day or sixteen
at the furthest, that is by Nov |,
1912, practically all excavation, both
wet and dry, will be finished. Al
ready some Of the largest and heavi-
est iredges have been laid aside on
account Of the nearness Of the COM
pletion of the work.
Congress Should Act.
Eve see quite clearly that the COM
ing session Of congress should con-
slider the problem of what to do with
the Panama Canal equipment, and
LEGISLATION Of some kind should be
passed to take effect not later than
July 1, 1912.
"Unless legislation along the lines
herein suggested is adopted, what
will be done with this magnificent |
equipment for which we have paid
cut millions of the taxpayers money?
Under existing law it is possible to
sell it as Old junk and scrap at pri-
vate sale to any Individual or cor |
poratjon, without benefit Of appraise-
ment,
Il have heard of no r'an suggested |
for it's disposition or future use by |
way of legislation proposed in con-
gress; and in the absence Of the sug-
gestion OF a better plan I shall con-
tinue. TO insist that utilization Of this
equipment: in the states is what /
should be- done.
1T is my belief il the general idea
/ have advanced is carried out, not |
only waterway, but other internal i'm
fostered by 10th state
and nation, will receive considerable
impetus.
1--WE need more equipment today
in our waterway improvement upon
those projects already authorized by
and certainly if any of |
those large and useful projects such |
a- 4,a+ contaminated hV the MjsSiS- /