THE 



POPULAR SCIENCE 



MONTHLY, 



MAY, 1909 



THE TYPE OF THE PANAMA CANAL 



Br C. E. GRUNSKY 



MEMBER OF THE ISTHMIAN CANAL COMMISSION OF 1904 



T~"rNDEE the law of June 28, 1903, generally referred to as the 

 v-^ Spooner act, which authorizes the construction of an inter- 

 oceanic canal President Roosevelt appointed, in March, 1904, the fol- 

 lowing commissioners : Rear Admiral John G. Walker, U. S. Navy 

 (retired), chairman; Major Genl. Geo. W. Davis, U. S. Army (retired) ; 

 Col. Frank J. Hecker, of Detroit ; Major Benjamin M. Harrod, civil 

 engineer of New Orleans; Professor ^Yillam H. Burr, of Columbia Uni- 

 versity, New York; Wm. Barclay Parsons, of New York; and the 

 writer, of San Francisco. 



The Spooner act empowers the president to purchase the canal 

 properties upon the Panama route at a cost not exceeding $40,000,000, 

 or, in the event of failure to do this, to enter into negotiations with 

 the republics of Costa Rica and Nicaragua for a right of way on what 

 is commonly known as the Nicaragua route. 



Provision was made for the prosecution of the work of canal con- 

 struction by the president, acting through and with the aid of a canal 

 commission. An appropriation of $10,000,000 was carried by the act 

 for use upon either of the two routes, and Congress was pledged to 

 make additional appropriations as required up to $135,000,000 in case 

 the Panama route was adopted and not to exceed $180,000,000 for 

 work on the Nicaragua route. The secretary of the treasury is author- 

 ized to borrow from time to time, as funds may be required, the sum 

 of $130,000,000, issuing therefor coupon or registered thirty-year bonds 

 in such form as he may prescribe, redeemable after ten years, bearing 

 interest at two per centum per annum. 



The passage of the Spooner act by Congress, followed the submis- 

 sion of a report by the canal commission of 1899-1901, which recom- 



voL. Lxxiv. — 27. 417 



