CONTRACTS CANAL culebra cut contains cubic yards of soil oct 24 A dispatch to the new york tribune aiom washington D C says 1 i the great panama canal may bo built partially by private contractors when the type of waterway to be constructed has been decided that is to say whether it shall he a sea level or lock canal the president and ary taft will take up seriously with the commission and especially with tho chief engineer at panama ha question of awarding dirt removing contracts to a number of proved american firms what a tremendous job this will be may be appreciated when it is known that aiom the culebra cut alone it will be necessary to cart away cubic yards of soil engineer members of the commission cannot estimate the value of such contracts hut say they would reach into millions of dollars they believe however that the policy of private contractors would be 0 o expedite tho work because they work would be thear 1 friy secretary tatt was reported yesterday as declaring be believed it probable that part of the canal work would be done by contract