File No. 819.154/23
Lieutenant Colonel Brown to Mr. Stabler 8
Washington, June 20, 1917.
Referring to our recent conferences with the Panaman Commissioners with regard to the construction of military roads in Panama, the following program has been approved by the War Department: [Page 1202]
Southeast Area: Radial road from Sabanas Police Station into the Chagres Valley and up to San Juan on the Pequeni—25 miles. Road parallel to and in rear of the position Old Panama-Cerro Pinon, 12 miles. The Panaman Government should surface the stretch of road from the Tapia River to Pacora, built by the military, and extend same to Chepo.
Southwest Area: Radial road from Corozal via La Boca-Far Fan Beach permanent ferry (to be installed as a part of the communication system recommended) to Chorrera, via Cabra Mountain-Calera Mountain Saddle; with branch to Arraijan; thence to Compana, terminating in rear of the position Cermeno-Compana—36 miles. Lateral road from Capira to Protrero—2 miles.
Northeast Area: Radial road from the present Mount Hope-Fort Randolph road, hear Majagual, to Porto Real—8 miles. Lateral and intercommunicating roads along and in rear of the Santa Reta position—6 miles.
Northwest Area: Radial road from Gatun Dam to Cano Saddle—8 miles. Roads paralleling the Lagarto and Indio positions—12 miles.
In accordance with the request from the War Department I am forwarding the papers in the matter to the Governor of the Panama Canal with request that he prepare estimates of the cost of the construction of these roads with a view to having such estimates presented for the action of Congress at an early date, and I will advise you when same is received.
Corps of Engineers, U. S. A., Chief of Office.
P. S.—You will probably recall that Mr. Morales suggested that in addition to the above the United States extend the road from Panama to Pacora as far as Chepo on the Bayamo River. I am requesting the Governor to include this extension in his estimate of cost and if the expense is not too great, the extension will probably be granted. I would suggest that for the present you inform the Commission that this extension is under consideration and the decision will not be arrived at until estimates of cost have been prepared.
- By a memorandum dated June 23, 1917, the contents of this letter were communicated to the Panaman Commission.↩