PANAMA CANAL SENSATION.

New Zealand Herald, 29 June 1914, Page 11

PANAMA CANAL SENSATION.

S ERICH'S CHARGES MADE

[FROM ocr; OWN correspondent.! 1- Sis Francisco, .May 26. HiTUZtIC tl,<-r. has been no question raised as to 1!:•- competency of the workoaneL.j' 1:1 < nnnfrlion with tlio building of the Panama CVial, or as to the quality 01 the material/ used. but a sensational disclosure has jus! been made in Pittsburp, the great steel manufacturing centre of Pennsylvania, regarding the steel fura:ihe<) fur the immense locks. I'ivt ofhc.ais of the Carbon Steel Company have been i'duted by a Federal grand jury "u a thai _'e nf conspiring to defraud tlio er.'.m. m. Much exaggeration was contained .11 the original press accounts of the afia.r, a::.! it was stated, amongst other thing.', that it had been discovered that the rl'-el 111 the locks was of such ; inferior ij.ukt;. thai they were liable to collapse at ain tine, causing •'■ loss of pr< rrtv anil 'v,th great risk to life. I Majoi iJoggf. who is 111 charge of the canal i officer in Washington, states, however, | that the attempts to deliver defective steel v had been discovered by the Government inspectors before tin* material was worked into the locks. These locks, he insists, U. art as strong as engineering skill can f; make them, and there is not the slightest is? danger to life or property in their nse. '•I? Though the attempt to overreach the H_ Government failed, it was devised in dass■' tardly indifference for con sequences, if the •t information presented to the Pittsburg |j! grand jury is dependable.. It is 'alleged ft that through the machinations of the superft- iatendent and metallurgist of tho -corpora '& tion, the ends of the large beams and plates fe'-Vire tempered highly, 'and that when the Government inspector would chip off an eii>l few'analyse the steel he would get a sample tVat was of the best quality, but that nevertheless the balance of the beams and p. jplateii was inferior.