Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-10-19
COMMISSION TO RECOMMEND
RATES THAT WILL REMuN.
crate GOVERNMENT.
DESIRES EARLY NOTICE
TO SHIPPING OF WORLD
Government to Be in Charge Of Every
Vessel During Its Fassaee-Commis.
sion Reports on Progress Of Work
and 10 Preparing for Opening Of
Canal.

Washington, Oct. 1e.-Foreshadow-
OF the Panama canal, the isthmian
canal commission, il its annual report
made public TO-DAY, recommended con-
gressicnal legislation governing canal
tolls. organization for The operation OF
Tie canal and for government of the
canal zone. utilization OF canal reve-
nue. to pay operating expenses and to
repay the capital Invested, and other
action. Expedition was urgently de-
mercial world OF the use it may make
sending ships thru it and just when
1t will be opened.
The commission wished to give at
least eighteen months notice Of the
rates to permit the worlds maritime
interests time to readjust their routes
and to build new ships and organize
new transportation companies. 1t was
also deemed desirable to put the canal
secure financial returns on the eno--
nous capital invested, but to make
possible the passage Of the worlds
Coed prcsrer. in Building.
The report showed tina. the engi-
neers' board mas already found that all
the concrete in the great Gatun locks
viii, be laid by June I, 1912. and Ave
months later the locks on the Pacific
side will be finished except the gates.
which WIFI be ready June 1. 1918.
Meantime by April /. next, the giant
spillway At Gatun would be at the nifty
foot elevation and the entire dam
there would be completed by the fol-
lowing winter. The excavation thru tbs
Cuiehra cut. the greatest earth digging
enterprise the world has ever seen.
will be completed July I. 1913. II the
slides are not in excess OF the esti-
mates. In that case the exterior chan
mel will be sufficiently advanced TO
pass the shipping that would use the
canal.
Tho these estimates were made a
year ago. the commission states that
there is no occasion to make any con-
siderable changes. Tho the concrete
laying In the Gatun locks will be NOV
ed back a few months to Jan. 1. 1918.
this will not delay the erection Of the
gates or the completion Of the work
as a whole.
Planning 70 Establish Rates.
Time can be saved by making pub
Tic announcement of the rates to be
charged and the formulation oc rules
by which the tonnage OF ships is to be
determined. The commission is al
ready preparing such information on
these points for the guidance OF con-
gress In leEislatins next session.
The commission expressed the belief
that II can secure the best operating
force for the canal from among the
workers now employed on the canal.
High wages were paid at the outset
when 1t was difficult to obtain men
on account Of the bad reputation OF the
country and the temporary character
OF the employment But the commits
sion contended that as the death rate
on the zone il much lower than for
most parts Of the United States and as
the operating work will ne permanent,
= much lower wage scale can be adopt
ed. The commission regarded it As
essential that the cost OF operation
shall be reduced to a minimum con-
sistent with efficiency II reasonable
tolls are to be es:a blished.
Cost Of Maintsn ,nes.
The total outlay for maintaining the
canal will be for wages OF the oper-
alive force. engineerinE work. santa
ton and civil administration. The
counnission was insistent that the rev.
eNue Of the canal should 30 to pay
not only the operating expenses. but
to repay the capital invested. Every
legitimate means for raising revenue
should be adopted, said the report