Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-10-21


A Dynamite Explosion In CuIebra Cut.
sometimes conditions in the canal zone
were pictured a little roster than the
facts warranted.
AS secretary Of war William Howard
Taft had the immediate direction Of
Panama canal affairs. Every time he
touched the project he manifested the
high order Of ability that made him so
admirably equipped for the presidency
later on.
Almost coincidental with the begin
ming Of American operations Panama
began to feel how absolutely sovereign
| 1t had made the Americans right in the
heart Of the republic. The canal zone
was being managed with complete In
dependence from the republic, as much
so as the republic Of Costa Rica to the
north.
Governor Davis had corresponded at
length with the officials Of Panama
over the question Of sovereignty, the
Jurisdiction Of the courts, the issues
Of the tariff, postage, customs and cur
rency, until II was deemed advisable
for Secretary Taft in person to visit
the isthmus to arrange q working
agreement on these differences.
Secretary Taft arrived on Nov. r.
1904. and remained until Dec. Z. On
the question of sovereignty. which
seemed to be especially delicate to the
republic. the treaty was peculiar IN
that it did not cede the canal zone final
ly to the United States. but gave the
Americans all the powers they would
exercise IF they were sovereign"
Panama contended that final SOW
ereignty was vested in 1t. and Secre'
tary Taft being after the substance
rather than the form, did not bubble
over this distinction without q differ
ence. but later expressed the opinion
that Panama sovereignty over the ca
nal zone was barren ideality." Ger.
tainly 1t has proved so to be- The Is
sue passed Off In talk.
An agreement was reached on the
currency question whereby the United
States would accept the money Of Pan
anna ut one-half the value Of American
currency that Is, the peso. worth In
trinsically only 40 cents. would be ex.
changed with United States money mt
80 cents. although 1t was In size and
face value the same as our dollar. The
same system was In vogue In the Phil
ippines. To meet the needs of the ca
nal paymaster the circulation Of pesos
was increased from 100000 to 4,0O0.-
900. Out of this grew the custom In
the canal zone of referring to United
States currency rs gold" and to Pan
ema currency as SILVER" and in the
stores articles are priced in both cur.
rencies.
Stamps were selling In the canal zone
for slightly less than in the postoflices
of the republic. with the result that
the republic was losing revenue. Sec
retary Taft settled this just complaint
by arranging for the canal zone to buy
Its stamps from the republic for 90 per
centum Of their value. the 40 per cent.
um remaining to the profit Of the canal
zone offices.
On June "a. 1904. President Roose.
velt had made the Dingley tariff ap
plicable to the canal zone. This work
ed badly. and Secretary Taft agreed to
have the order revoked, so that the ca
nal zone ever since has enjoyed the
freest Of free trade. All other issues
were cleared up without the United
States yielding any freedom Of action
as to importing materials, executing
Justice, operating ship terminals and
supplying canal employees with the
necessaries Of life through commits
saries and hotels.
While Secretary Taft and Chief En-
glneer Wallace were working In their
spheres, Governor Davis was institut-
Ing the various departments of civil
government which today are noted
with admiration by the tourist Chief
Of Police Stanton was engaged In rid
ding the canal zone Of its bad men
and bringing population long without
restraint under the control Of regula-
tions that the Americans considered
essential to orderly existence.
From the first Mr. Wallace had kept
close tab on the cost of excavating dirt
In the Culebra cut The type to bs
chosen being still an unknown factor.
he was In some measure working In
the dark, except that the material re-
moved would be useful for any type.
provided the dumps were selected so
Us later not to get in the way OF any
route chosen. In 1912 the Americans
had to remove q French dump near
| Culebra to prevent Its slipping down
into the cut. He finally announced
unit cost of 80 cents q cubic yard tor
either a sea level or lock type canal.
Messrs. Parsons and Burr. the engi-
neering committee Of the commission.
after personal inspection Of the canal
zone and taking Mr.. Wallace's esti'
mate, recommended sea level type OF
canal. It was to cost. exclusive OF I'M
proyements in Colon and Panama and
| civil government in the canal zone.
$3.50, 100000. Mr.. Wallace had caused
surveys to be made for lock type or
canal, and he estimated the cost OF
such a canal. with summit level OF
sixty feet elevation, to be $17sOl3,4oo.
All estimates missed the real cost OF
the respective types widely. Mr.. wal
lace's estimate of 90 cents a yard Tor
excavation was far too low. As mat
ter Of record, the cost reached 81 cents
under Chief Engineer Stevens, rose
to 91 cents under Chief Engineer
Goethals and only once fell below
the fifty cent estimate, in March, 1911
when it fell to At cents yard. The
average for the period from 1904 to
1911 was sS cents. The mistake was
made because. solid rock underlay the
surface, necessitating continuous blast
Ing before 1t could be handled by the
steam shovels. while the working day.