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Secretary of War Taft presumes that President Roosevelt has seen the criticism of the Panama plans by Lindon W. Bates. Taft encloses a memorandum from Theodore P. Shonts which shows the character of Bates’s evidence and the motive of his criticism.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-14
Theodore P. Shonts writes to Secretary of War Taft about a pamphlet titled “The Crisis at Panama” written by Lindon Bates, which is seen as an attack on the Panama Canal. Shonts asks General Hains, a member of the Isthmian Canal Commission, for a dignified reply to the criticisms in the pamphlet. Shonts also says The New York World wrote a long article about the pamphlet. Shonts had a reporter of the newspaper come to his home and told him although he could not quickly give an answer to the pamphlet, he could explain the motive of it and point out how the conclusions in it are incorrect.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-12-11
John F. Stevens tells Theodore P. Shonts to read Brigadier General Peter C. Hains’s letter regarding the specifications for the work to construct the Panama Canal. With two revisions in the amounts of material to be moved at the entrance and in the lake section, Stevens believes the specifications are ready for publication.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-29
John F. Stevens tells Theodore P. Shonts to read Brigadier General Peter C. Hains’s letter regarding the specifications for the work to construct the Panama Canal. With two revisions, in the amounts of material to be moved at the entrance and in the lake section, Stevens believes the specifications are ready for publication.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1906-10-29
President Roosevelt issues an executive order outlining the reorganization of the Isthmian Canal Commission in Panama. The order details the way in which the commission will now function, how contracts will be issued, and how reports will be made. It also appoints new members to the commission.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-04-01
In this journal article, George W. Crichfield proposes a plan for the completion of the Panama Canal. He begins by describing the environment of Panama and the current plans suggested by Admiral John Grimes Walker and the Isthmian Canal Commission before dissenting from these opinions due to his studies of the canal in January and February. Crichfield believes the canal should be divided into sections that are bid on by different contractors, as he does not think the Panama Canal should be in the hands of a single corporation. Based on his calculations, he recommends fifty-eight separate contracts. Crichfield also recommends that the canal is a tide-level canal rather than a lock canal. He disagrees with Brigadier General Peter C. Hains that African Americans are the best laborers for the job and instead recommends using people from the area. Crichfield encourages the government to guard against red tape and suggests the construction of the canal should be as serious as the prosecution of war: “The sooner it is finished the better.” Crichfield believes it is better to spend more and finish sooner than to spend less money but more time.
Library of Congress Manuscript Division
1905-01