The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1913-09-16
CHAT OF
B. AND o. AFFAIRS

and reported to the PRESIDENT on Jan.
10, 1906. The majority, composed OF
eight engineers and comprising all of
the foreigners, recommended a sea
level canal Messrs. Davis, Burr and
Parsons were the three Americans
who signed the majority report. The
minority OF i've Americans recon
mended lock type canal with a lake
at eighy-fye feet above sea level form.
ed by dam across the Chagres river
at Gatun. They estimated the exca.
walton at 108, T95. 600 cubic yards and
the cost, exclusive OF sanitation and
civil government, at $139, 705.2o0
Nine years, or until 1915, was the time
estimated for completing the canal
There were to be three locks in flight
at Gatun, each 95 by 100 feet disable
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 a second artificial
lake. The Culebra cut was to be zoo
feet wide for FIVE miles and 800 feet
wide for four miles.
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, and
President Roosevelt consistently had
favored 1t.
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 a sea level canal and to ad.
yocate the minority report for a lock
type. canal was a responsibility OF un
usual magnitude for an executive who
protested to have no technical engi
neering knowledge. Yet President
Roosevelt made the momentous deci
sion without hesitation, sending 9
strong message recommending the mi
nority report.
Congress debated the issue until June
81, when the senate by the close vote
of SO to 81 decided for a lockstype, and
on June % the house concurred, the
bill becoming law on-June 20, 1906.
Two years and two months had pass
ed from the time the Americans came
to Panama in May, 1904. to July i
1906, before this decision was made
and at last the commission knew That
plan Of canal was to be followed. Ii
I, September. 1906, Mr.. Stevens started
the excavations in the sites for the
Gatun locks, the Pedro Miguel loci
and the Gatun dam spillway. Surveys
were begun for relocating the Panhml
railroad. which for a considerable dis
lance would be swallowed up byI the
completed canal. The fifteen months
preparatory work was beginning t.
tell in the increased excavations In the
j 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 haC
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 sc
per cent of what would be needed t.
complete the canal. health conditions
were admirable, and the whole dtua.
ton was shaping for the real work OF
building the canal.
President Roosevelt paid the canal
zone visit in November, 1906. It was
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 spiek 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 or 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, 1906. The summer and fall Of 1906
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
tile popular opinion Of the inefficEenoy
nj the government was so strong that