The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1911-03-27
THE COST OF
PANAMA CANAL
Appropriations So Far S2e3, SOS. 600
Canal Will be Fortifed-Gam-
bers Of Panama.

Panama, March IS, Via New Or
leans, March 27.-Appropriations fol
the Panama Canal made to date
amount to 1898, 565, 900, and this
amount will carry the work up to
July |, 1912. When Colonel Goethals
told the members of congress during
his visit to Washington, in February
that the canal would be in disable con-
dition by September, 1918, it is likely
that he did not mean all the work
would be done, but merely that ships
could pass through if it became neces-
sary for them to do so. The expendi-
ture of money will not be over by
that time, but the outlay of large
sums will be. In fact, only one more
big appropriation will be necessary,
and that will probably bring the
amount to $3.50, 1000, about $25 ,OOO,-
900 less than the estimate of cost
made in October, 1908.
This prospect of completing the
work at so much less than the esti-
mated cost is due to the fact that the
concrete in the locks is costing less
/ than was expected lin the case of the
Pacific locks nearly 80 per cent less,
and in the case of those at Gatun
well within the estimated, and that
excavation is constantly growing
cheaper. A big saving has been eff
fected also in the rapidity with which
the work is advancing. A very ordi-
nary mathematician can figure it out
that it is cheaper to finish a certain
piece of work in two years than in
four, especially where the overhead
charges are as high as they are in
the canal zone, practically 20 per cent
The amount appropriated for the
coming fiscal year is $45,560, 900, the
largest appropriation yet made for
one year. OF this amount $21 900 900
is for wages and S2O,0OO,OOO for ma
terials.
SdHdi VIII De fOrtlTled.
The question of fertilization was
probably settled for all time, when
the congress appropriated $4,000 900
in the last days of the last session to
begin work. OF this amount $4,000
900 may be spent on the isthmus in
preparing for-the guns at either en-
trance of the canal and the balance
in the United States in the manufac-
ture Of the guns. An outline of the
plans has already been published from
Washington. They provide for fortifi-
cations and coast artillery stations at
either entrance to the canal, land
works for the protection of the locks
and dams, and an army post on the
east bank of Culebra cut, near EN-
pire, point easy of access from both
ends of the canal, both by water and
rail, and at the terminus of the rail
road which the Republic of Panama
is to build from the northwestern
part of the country to the canal. The
project provides for an expenditure of
$12,000,00O, which is $7,OOO,OOO less
than was requested originally, the de-
duction being due to the elimination
of one battery at the Pacific entrance.
and to more economical methods of
installation of the guns and of erect
ing quarters.
The determination to fortify the
canal implies that the canal zone will
become military reservation. This
is not inevitable. but it is reasonable
1t is also reasonable to expect that
the work of carrying on the govern
ment will be done by army officers.
This is interesting to several hundred
American men now in the zone, who
would like to make the isthmus their
permanent home, because it is an in
dication that there will be no chance
here for civilians who wish to occupy
positions above those of clerk or ar.
tisan. The moral Is to quit playing
bridge and put your money in the
bank, so that when the force lay-off
comes next year you will have enough
surplus to last until job in the states
comes your way.