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President Roosevelt notifies Allen Hazen that President-Elect William H. Taft will shortly be making a trip to investigate the Panama Canal in the company of several engineers, and that he would like Hazen to be one of those engineers. Roosevelt additionally lists the other engineers who will be accompanying Taft.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-28
President Roosevelt notifies Isham Randolph that President-Elect William H. Taft will shortly be making a trip to investigate the Panama Canal in the company of several engineers, and that he would like Randolph to be one of those engineers. Roosevelt additionally lists the other engineers who will be accompanying Taft.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-28
President Roosevelt notifies James D. Schuyler that President-Elect William H. Taft will shortly be making a trip to investigate the Panama Canal in the company of several engineers, and that he would like Schuyler to be one of those engineers. Roosevelt additionally lists the other engineers who will be accompanying Taft.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-28
President Roosevelt notifies F. P. Stearns that president-elect William H. Taft will shortly be making a trip to investigate the Panama Canal in the company of several engineers, and that he would like Stearns to be one of those engineers. Roosevelt lists the other engineers who will be accompanying Taft.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-28
President Roosevelt sends President-elect Taft a number of letters, including one from Edwin C. Burleigh, the former governor of Maine, on behalf of William Wingate Sewall. Roosevelt reminds Taft that Burleigh is a strong friend in Maine, and has informed him that Taft already said that he was going to reappoint Sewall. Another of the letters which Roosevelt has forwarded deals with Taft’s upcoming trip to Panama, and he says that unless Taft objects, he will contact the named engineers to accompany Taft on his trip.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-23
President Roosevelt informs George W. Goethals that he plans to send William H. Taft to visit the Panama Canal zone early in 1909, along with several engineers, to investigate the matter of the Gatun dam. Many rumors currently exist in opposition to the construction of the Gatun dam, but Roosevelt tells Goethals that he is not beholden to anything but completing the canal in the safest and best manner. Roosevelt additionally tells Goethals that he would like to send a man named William Stickney to Panama to work on the canal, and asks if there is a position where Stickney might be able to show his merits.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-12-13
The information President Roosevelt has received corroborated reports he already had. Reports on the Panama Canal’s construction and engineering are overwhelmingly positive, while those on the living and subsistence conditions of the workers are poor. Roosevelt fears they are on the verge of an “ugly scandal” in this regard and recommends taking up the measures outlined by Secretary of War William H. Taft. Roosevelt thinks it would be wise for George W. Goethals to ask for the resignation of Jackson Smith and put General William Penn Duvall in charge of labor and quarters.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-16
President Roosevelt advises Secretary of War William H. Taft that they should wait to open any bids on carrying cement until pending legislation on the use of American bottoms in Panama is voted on.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-16
President Roosevelt informs Colonel Hodges that he reluctantly approves the Panama Canal Commission rejecting all bids and re-advertising for contracts. Roosevelt urges the Commission to be mindful that rejected bidders often do not bid again, and other bidders sometimes benefit. The Commission should not do anything that will arouse suspicion and discourage honest contractors from bidding on government work.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-04-09
President Roosevelt has received Secretary of War Taft’s letter and approves the proposition to widen the Panama Canal’s locks to 110 feet.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1908-01-15
President Roosevelt tells Secretary of War Taft that he will have Frank H. Hitchcock come to see him about comments he had made against Taft’s candidacy for president. Roosevelt says William Loeb has the same suspicions Taft does, but on the other hand, an enclosed clipping reports Hitchcock being attacked for appearing to promote Taft’s candidacy. Roosevelt will appoint Taft’s selection for Quartermaster General, James Buchanan Aleshire. In a lengthy postscript, Roosevelt says he is annoyed with complaints that the construction of the Panama Canal is being mismanaged, and reminds Taft to send him information about John K. Beach.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-07-01
President Roosevelt is convinced that John F. Stevens must leave the Panama Canal project, and wants to consult Secretary of War Taft about it before he visits Panama. Should Stevens change his mind about leaving, Roosevelt will insist.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-02-12
President Roosevelt accepts John F. Stevens’ resignation as Chief Engineer on construction of the Panama Canal, and Stevens will be relieved as soon as he can be replaced. The government has not yet decided how to proceed on the work.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-02-14
President Roosevelt returns John F. Stevens’ letter to Secretary of War Taft, adding that he believes Chinese laborers should be introduced to support the construction of the Panama Canal.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1907-02-01
President Roosevelt informs chief engineer of the Panama Canal John F. Stevens that he has received his message. Roosevelt asks Stevens when he will return to Washington, and asks him to prepare a report on the feasibility of establishing the dam and locks required to create the canal.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-03
President Roosevelt thanks Representative Watson for his willingness to help the Congressional Committee in the upcoming election, and outlines what he thinks are some of the major accomplishments of Congress and relevant points of the Republican platform. Roosevelt believes that the “real evils in our industrial and economic system” have been and will continue to be addressed by “resolute and intelligent legislation and executive action.”
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-18
President Roosevelt has recently spoken with a number of people regarding the Panama Canal Zone, and while he feels that Chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission Theodore P. Shonts and Chief Engineer John F. Stevens are too hard on Governor Charles E. Magoon, it may still be best for Magoon to be reassigned elsewhere. He tells Secretary of War Taft that he is inclined for Shonts to take the role of administrator himself, as long as Taft deems such a thing wise. That being said, he also would like William Franklin Sands to be appointed minister in spite of opposition from Shonts and Stevens, as he would better be able to work with foreign governments. In a postscript, Roosevelt also refers Taft to some letters he received from Francis B. Loomis he would like him to look into, as well as an editorial he would like Stevens to comment on.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-14
President Roosevelt authorizes Secretary of War Taft to use funds to stable the cavalry at Boise, Idaho as General Fred C. Ainsworth mentioned. Roosevelt additionally comments on several appointments, saying he believes that Walston H. Brown should be allowed to carry out his proposal, that he has decided to appoint James Shanklin Harlan to the Interstate Commerce Commission, and that he is inclined to appoint Horace H. Lurton, which will necessitate appointing a new Circuit Court Judge. Roosevelt also writes at length about some recent articles by Poultney Bigelow which contain some “slanderous falsehood,” but about which he believes some response should be made.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-17
President Roosevelt sends Secretary of State Root a letter of greeting and congratulations on the success of his recent trip to Central America. Roosevelt has enjoyed the rest he has had over the summer and is now beginning to work on the fall electoral campaigns. While the recent Congress has been very productive, Roosevelt fears that “the time has about come for the swinging of the pendulum,” and mentions some areas he believes the Republicans are weak. Secretary of War William H. Taft has decided to not accept a position on the Supreme Court, which may put him in the ranks of possible presidential candidates. Local New York elections for governor have shown Benjamin B. Odell as having an advantage over Governor Frank Wayland Higgins.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-08-18
President Roosevelt confirms with Secretary of War Taft that he will ask the Mayflower to be sent to pick up Secretary of State Elihu Root and his family. Regarding the Panama Canal, Roosevelt reiterates that quick and effective construction is his first priority, and that as the current laborers from the West Indies have not been satisfactory, they should try the experiment of hiring Chinese laborers.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-07-31