Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-09-26

Of estimates continued until l9OS.
when Colonel Goethals faced the situ-
atien frankly and announced the cost
for n lock type to be $375,0O0O 900.
which was fur ahead Of the highest
estimate for sea level canal. In
1909 Colonel Goethals said a sea level
canal would cost S5GS. 100000 and take
six years longer TO build than lock
canal. which was before the slides In
the Culebra cut became 10 formidable
and sea level canal had been shown
thereby to be ull but impossible.
President Roosevelt took charac-
teristic step to end the dispute. On
June "a. 1907. u few days before the
appointment OF Mr.. Stevens as chief
engineer. he named an international
board Of advisory engineers to recon-
mend a type OF canal.
Out Of this board FIVE were foreign
ers and eight Americans. The board
visited the isthmus in October, 1905.
and reported to the president on Jan.
10, 1906. The majority. composed OF
eight engineers and comprising all or
the foreigners. recommended a sea
level canal. Messrs. Davis. Bur- and
Parsons were the three Am l-ans
who signed the majority report. The
minority of Eve Americans recon-
mended lock type canal with lake
at eighty-five feet above sea level form
ed by a dam across the Chagres river
at Gatun. They estimated the exca-
vation at 10S.T95.OO0 cubic yards and
the cost. exclusive Of sanitation and
civil government, at $139,705.2OO.
Nine years. or until 1915, was the time
estimated for completing the canal
There were to be three locks In flight
at Gatun. each 90 by 100 feet usable
dimensions and on the Pacific side one
lock at Pedro Miguel and two at La
Boca, at the entrance. the distance be-
tween Pedro Miguel and La Boca,
eight miles. to be second artificial
lake. The Culebra cut was to. be 200
feet wide for FIVE miles and 300 feet
wide for four miles. , 4.-,.
Chief Engineer Stevens and all but
one member of the commission con
CURED in the minority report. secre-
tary Taft's visits to the isthmus had
converted him to the lock type, ana
President Roosevelt consistently had
favored It.. n e. =. ;r.,. fs,..f
The situation was one where the
choice would be decided by the weight
the president should throw to either
report. To reject the majority report
favoring sea level canal and to ad-
vocate the minority report for a lock
type canal was responsibility Of un-
usual magnitude for an executive who
professed to have no technical engi-
neering knowledge. Yet President
Roosevelt made the momentous deci-
sion without hesitation, sending
strong message recommending the mi
nority report.
Congress- debated the issue until June
q, when the senate by the close vote
Of SO to 81 decided for lock type, and
on June % the house concurred, the
bill becoming law on June %. 1905. :;
Two years and two months had pass;
ed from the time the Americans came
to Panama In May, 1904, to July !,
1905, before this decision was made,
and at last the commission knew what
plan Of canal was to be followed. In
September, 1905. Mr.. Stevens started
the excavations in the sites for the
Gatun locks, the Pedro Miguel lock
and the Gatun dam spillway. Surveys
were begun for relocating the Panama
railroad. which for considerable dis
lance would be swallowed up by the
completed canal. The fifteen months
preparatory work was beginning to
tell in the increased excavations In the
Culebra cut, as the organization was
getting its stride. Commissaries, which
sold everything the canal employee
needed, were in operation In the prin-
cipal towns, the hotels for the bache-
lors were well organized, quarters had
been erected until all were housed,
though at times rather crowded; ma.
chinery. supplies and equipment were
on hand or ordered to the extent Of 80
per cent Of what would be needed to
complete the canal, health conditions
were admirable, and the whole situa-
tion was shaping for the real work Of
building the canal. g..
President Roosevelt paid the canal
zones a visit In November, 1906. 1t was
a trip Of exploration for him, and the
way he ignored the formal plans for
his entertainment delighted the en-
ployees. Subordinate officials were
rather anxious that he should inspect
Just the things they had spick and
span for him to inspect, but from the
time he landed at Colon he ate and
nosed in and out Of every part Of the
canal and led them a merry chase.
The enthusiasm for the daddy" Of
the project was boundless, and the
shortcomings he noted resulted In bet
ter conditions Of employment for the
men.
One evidence Of the growing luxury
Of living conditions in the canal zone
was the installation on Jan. /, 1907, Of
electric lights In the quarters Of the
married and bachelor employees at
Empire and Culebra. Other towns
soon were furnished with electricity.
The first public school had been open
ed year before this event, or on Jan.
2, 1905. The summer and fall Of 1905
and the winter Of 1907 saw another
great controversy raging around the
canal. which. like the battle of the
levels. was to be decided arbitrarily by
President Roosevelt.
Chairman Shonts long had entertain
ed the opinion that the canal should
be constructed by private contractors.
He pressed the plan so vigorously and
the popular opinion Of the ineficiency
Of the government was 80 strong that
the president authorized Secretary
Taft to ask for bids on Oct. 9. 1905.
Bids for constructing the canal by
private contract were opened at Wash
ington on Jan. l2, 1907. and rejected
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