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U OFF LIBRARIES

D. P. McAULIFFE

Administrator

FERNANDO MANFREDO Jr. Deputy Administrator

VICTOR G. CANEL

Information Officer

ABOUT OUR PHOTOGRAPHS-A

camper's bright red tent adds a spot of

color to the tranquil scene photographed

for the cover by Mel Kennedy who is also responsible for most of the beach scenes

including the "Gold Coast "sunset at left. On the following two pages a panoramic

view from atop Ancon Hill shows ships

moving through the Canal past the port

of Balboa which, along with Cristobal,

is operated by the Panama Port Authority. Panama Canal Commission head

quarters is in the right foreground. In- side the back cover, a Norwegian dry

bulk carrier, followed by a U.S. oil tanker, passes through Gaillard Cut on

a misty rainy season morning. Both

photos are by Don Goode. Kevin Jenkins visited Charco Azul to photograph

the new terminal for the update on the North Slope oil story, page 28-33. The

sensitive portrayal of two small children and their father on an outing, pages 42- 44 is by Arthur L. Pollack. The centerfold, showing the "QE2" moving through

Gaillard Cut, is by Adrian Stallworth. The "QE2", which holds the toll record,

paid $89,154.62 on her seventh transit January 25, 1980.

fra PANAMA CANAL g RevieV OCTOBER 1, 1980

WILLIE K. FRIAR

Editor

VlCKI M. BOATWR1GHT

Assistant Editor

Writers Fannie P. Hernandez, Janet Len-Rios

In This Issue

THE PANAMA CANAL COMMISSION, THE NEW AGENCY WHICH

operates the Panama Canal, is one year old this month. This edition of the

Review is part of the observance of that anniversary and reflected in its pages are some of the many changes resulting from implementation of the new Panama

Canal treaty which created the agency.

A close look reveals a change in the Review itself. The logo, which appears on

the cover and above, has been slightly modified while a new insignia is being

created to replace the Canal Zone seal, which had been included in the name

from the time the first issue appeared May 1, 1950. The cover story is a special tribute to the Atlantic side employees. Written by

Susan Stabler, who lives on the Atlantic side, it emphasizes the great diverstiy of outdoor life and the beauty of the unspoiled beaches on the "Gold Coast." A

nostalgic look at an Atlantic side landmark of yesterday is provided by Canal pilot

Norman Werner who writes of Colon's most famous saloon. Graphic Branch photographers whose work appears in this edition are: Mel

Kennedy, Don Goode, Kevin Jenkins, Alberto Acevedo, Arthur L. Pollack, and

Bob Rogers. All artwork, unless otherwise credited, is by Carlos Mendez'.

Panama Canal Commission Board of Directors 8

Organization Chart 10 Canal Happenings 11 The "Other Side" 12 Remembering Bilgray's 22

The QE2 Moves Through Gaillard Cut 26

A New Link in the Oil Line 28

The Locomotive Component Repair Facility 34

The Changing Scene 40

Exploring the Gentle Jungle 42

The Canal's Underwater Work Force 45

REVIEW RECEIVES AWARD-Although the 30th anniversary of the

Review passed quietly in May, there was cause for celebration a month later when the October 1, 1979 edition won third place in the "house organ" category

of the Blue Pencil Awards for outstanding publications. The Blue Pencil

Publications Contest is sponsored by the National Association of Government Communicators, a non-profit organization devoted to education and

professional development at the local, state and federal levels. This year there were 525 entries and 73 received recognition. Credit for this noteworthy

achievement goes not only to the editorial staff, but also to personnel of the

Agency Press and Duplicating Center who were responsible for the typesetting

and composition.

Official Panama Canal Publication

All articles and illustrations in the Panama Canal Review may be reprinted in full or in part without further permission by crediting the Panama Canal Review as the source. The Review is normally published twice a year. Yearly subscription is $3 for regular mail and $6 for airmail. The price

for back issues is $1.50 for regular and $3 when sent by airmail. For subscriptions, send check or money order made payable to the Panama Canal Commission to Panama Canal Review, Panama

Canal Commission Public Information Office, A.P.O. Miami, Fla 34011 The editorial office is located in Room 100 Administration Building, Balboa Heights, Republic of Panama.

The Panama Canal Review

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From

The Administrator

and the

Deputy Administrator

of the

Panama Canal

Commission

T.he year that has passed

since the last issue of the

REVIEW appeared has been a time of change, but also a time of continuity and

achievement. The enduring

mission of the Panama Canal,

of course, has not changed.

Now in its sixty-seventh year,

the waterway continues to

carry the ships of the world

safely and efficiently across

the Isthmus. Larger ships and

more tonnage are transiting

the Canal than ever before in

its history. Also unchanged is the ceaseless effort which

goes into maintaining and

improving the Canal—the

multitude of tasks involved in straightening and deepening

the channel, renewing and

overhauling the equipment,

protecting the banks, and

preserving the lakes and

watershed which sustain the

Canal. The uninterrupted

service which this immense

and complex enterprise has

continued to provide to the

world stands as a tribute to

the dedicated and skilled work

force of the Panama Canal

Commission.

This past year has been

remarkable because of the

innumerable changes and

innovations we have been

challenged to carry out by

virtue of the new treaty with

Panama, while also sustaining

the operation of the Canal.

We have made good progress

in adjusting our management

and the entire operating

organization to the new

situation, as well as in restoring stability to our work

force. Our financial footing is sound. Training of our employees, which has always

been an important objective,

has received renewed

emphasis. It is the key to

fulfilling the treaty requirement to increase the number

of Panamanians at all levels

and in all areas of the

Commission.

Panama has cooperated

with us and assisted fully in carrying out the treaty's

provisions. The channels of

communication and coordination by which the new

partnership arrangements are put into practice have been

established. The binational

Board of Directors has

assumed its responsibilities in a spirit of cooperation and

practicality, and the other

binational bodies created to deal with day-to-day problems

pertaining to the canal and

our work force are functioning

effectively.

The Panama Canal

Commission is off to a good

start in the new treaty era. Future prospects are bright.

October 1, 1980
A,,11 during the treaty

negotiations and even after

the signing of the Panama

Canal treaties of 1977, which

went into effect just a year

ago, there were many who

predicted that the very

concept of a partnership

between Panama and the

United States would not

work. They cited cultural,

political, economic differences

and memories of many past

incidents between the two

countries as their reasons.

After a year of operation

under the new pattern, it is clear that those predictions

were unfounded. The Canal is operating effectively and effi- ciently and we have evolved

during that period of time an even stronger sense of

partnership, which is the most

crucial element of the

transition period for the next

20 years.

Nevertheless, we must

recognize that the risks were

there and it was only through

the good judgment, sense of

responsibility and maturity of

those involved that the

dangers were avoided. Credit

must go especially to the

officials concerned with

binational relations and to the

thousands of Panamanians

and U.S. workers, many of

whom have had to face a number of sacrifices due to

the Treaty implementation.

We are living through a

particularly challenging time.

But the past year has proved

that the maritime nations of

the world can rely on the new

treaty-created agency

to operate the Panama Canal

in the same efficient manner

in the future as it has

operated for the past 66

years.

Above left: An Alaska oil tanker

transits south as Administrator D. P. McAuliffe, left and

Deputy Administrator Fernando

Manfredo discuss operations

at Miraflores Locks. At right: The Panamanian flag flies

in the place of honor in front of the Administration Building

reflecting the new relationship

between Panama and the United States.

The Panama Canal Review
Panama Canal Commission

Board of Directors Meets

By Fannie P. Hernandez

THE NINE MEMBERS OF THE

binational Board of Directors of the Panama Canal Commission, the

United States agency that operates

the Panama Canal, met for the first time on June 2 in the Administration

Building at Balboa Heights.

During the historic three-day

meeting the five U.S. and four

Panamanian board members, for the

first time, together assumed

responsibility for policy-making and

supervision of the affairs of the

Panama Canal Commission.

The U.S. members of the Board

are Assistant Secretary of the Army

Michael Blumenfeld and John A. Bushnell of Connecticut; John Clark

of Louisiana; Clifford O'Hara of Connecticut and William Sidell of California. The Panamanian members are Edwin Fabrega, Roberto Heurtematte, Ricardo A. Rodriguez and

Tomas Paredes.

Among the actions taken by the

Board at that first meeting were the

approval of regulations which

govern the functions and responsibilities of the Board as specified in

the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977; the election of Blumenfeld as Chairman of the Board; and the

designation of Executive, Budget

and Finance, and Personnel

committees, and the Committee on Long Range Canal Improvements.

Chairman of the Board

Blumenfeld was named Chairman of the Executive Committee, whose

other members are Bushnell.

Deputy Assistant Secretary of State

for Inter-American Affairs; O'Hara,

Director of Port Commerce, New

York and New Jersey Port

Authority; Rodriguez, Panama's

Minister of Government and Justice;

and Paredes, Executive Director of Panama's Treaty Affairs Office. Members of the Executive

Committee, with the exception of the Chairman, are elected each year

by the Board.

Fabrega, Director General of Panama's Institute of Hydraulic

Resources and Electrification, was named Chairman of the Budget and

Finance Committee. Members are J. W. Clark, President of Clark

Maritime Associates, Inc. New

/.-. safety garb. Assistant Secretary of the Army for

Civil Works Michael

Blumenfeld, Commission

Administrator D. P. McAuliffe, right, and

Locks Division Chief

Lawrence Barca, left, are followed by Lt. Gen. W. H. Nutting,

Commander-in-Chief,

USSOUTHCOM, and

Lt. Gen. Welborn Dolvin, a member of the Consultative Committee,

during a tour of Canal

operations.

Orleans; O'Hara and Paredes.

These same four Directors

constitute the Committee on Long

Range Canal Improvements.

Clark was named Chairman of the Personnel Committee and

members are Panama businessman

Heurtematte; Sidell, former General

President of the Carpenters and

Joiners Union; and Paredes.

The Board of Directors appointed

Michael Rhode Jr. as the Secretary

of the Panama Canal Commission,

the head of the Canal's Washington,

D.C. office. President Carter appointed the

members of the Board of Directors on April 11, following the Senate's approval on April 2 of his choice of candidates announced on January 7. Assistant Secretary of the Army

for Civil Works since May 1977, and

former Deputy Undersecretary of the Army, Blumenfeld served on the

board of directors of the former

Panama Canal Company and as chairman of the Canal Zone Civilian Personnel Policy Coordinating

Board. In his capacity as Assistant

Secretary of the Army for Civil Works, he also oversees the water

resources development program for the Army Corps of Engineers.

Bushnell, Deputy Assistant

Secretary of State for Inter- American Affairs since January

1978, has been a Foreign Service

Officer since 1959 with experience

in several Latin American countries.

He also served as Deputy Assistant

Secretary of the Treasury for Developing Nations, Finance.

Clark is president of Clark

Maritime Associates, a New Orleans

shipping firm, and a member of the

board of Commissioners of the Port

of New Orleans. He is a retired captain of the U.S. Merchant

Marine and a 1940 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

8 October 1, 1980
Clark was president and director of the Delta Line from 1959 to 1979

and served as chairman of the

Committee of American Steamship

Lines. He also was president of the

New Orleans International Trade

Mart for five years and coordinated

the development of the New

Orleans international trade complex.

O'Hara has served as director of Port Commerce for the Port Authority of New York and New

Jersey since 1962, and as chief of the Port Commerce Division from

1953 to 1962. He is president of the

American Association of Port

Authorities, past president of the

North Atlantic Ports Association,

president of the Containerization

Institute, and serves on the New

York Chamber of Commerce and

Industry's World Trade Committee,

and Harbor and Shipping

Committee.

Sidell, who retired last year

as general president of the United

States Brotherhood of Carpenters

and Joiners of America, a position

he held since 1972, is a member of the Executive Council of the AFLCIO and chairman of its Housing

and Urban Development Committee

and a member of the committees on

Civil Rights, Legislative and Political Education. Sidell is also a member

of the Executive Council of the

Maritime Trades Department and

the Executive Council of the

Building and Construction Trades

Department.

Fabrega, an architect and former

Minister of Public Works, was a member of Panama's negotiating

team regarding "Lands, Water and

Administration." He has served as

rector of the University of Panama

and was the principal member of the

firm De Diego and Fabrega, S.A.,

Consultants and Builders. He held

the position of Deputy Director

Board members from left, Tomas Paredes, Ricardo A. Rodriguez, Michael

Blumenfeld, John A. Bushnell; back row, Roberto Heurtematte, Edwin Fabrega,

John Clark, Clifford O'Hara and William Sidell

General of the Planning and

Administration Office of the

Presidencia and has served in a number of other government posts.

Heurtematte served as ambassador to the United States and was concurrently Panama's

ambassador-representative to the

OAS. He is a prominent

businessman with a long public career and was a negotiator of the

1955 Remon-Eisenhower Treaty,

Controller-General of the Republic

and ex-officio board member of Panama Government autonomous

institutions such as Social Security,

Economic Development Institute,

and the Highway and Waterworks

commissions. He served as United

Nations Commissioner for Technical

Assistance, as Associate Managing

Director of the U.N.'s Special Fund

for assistance to under-developed

countries, and as Associate

Administrator of the U.N.'s Development Program. After retiring

in 1969, he returned to his business

activities and local affairs. An attorney, Rodriguez is

currently serving as Panama's

Minister of Government and Justice. A former member of the law firm of De La Guardia, Arosemena and

Benedetti (1961-69), Rodriguez was

on two separate occasions a member of the Legislative

Commission. He has served as

Presidential advisor, and legal

advisor to the University of Panama

and to the former Panama Canal

Authority. Rodriguez was also Minister of Government and Justice

from 1974 to 1976. Paredes, an engineer, was

appointed in February as Executive

Director of Panama's Treaty Affairs

in the Ministry of the Presidencia.

He was the director of the former

Panama Canal Authority and served

also as its deputy director and as

director of Planning and Development. Paredes was previously

finance manager of Corporaci6n

Financiera Nacional (COFINA), and

taught engineering at the University

of Panama. He also has served on

the board of directors of several business firms in Panama.

The Panama Canal Review
Shown above is the organization chart of the Panama Canal Commission, the U.S. Government agency, which operates the Canal. The Commission has a binational supervisory board of nine members. The chief executive officer, the Administrator, is a U.S. citizen; the Deputy Administrator is a Panamanian citizen. Beginning in 1990, the positions will be reversed with a Panamanian serving as

the Administrator and a U.S. citizen as the Deputy. The Commission has about 8,000 employees, the majority, Panamanian.

The Commission replaced the former Panama Canal Company on October 1, 1979; on that date also the Canal Zone and its Government were disestablished.

Heavy traffic in Miraflores and Pedro Miguel locks shows that the Canal is "a highway of water" in this scene taken with a telephoto lens from Ancon Hill. During the first six months of FY80, 7,192 vessels transited the Canal.

10 October 1, 1980
THE PANAMA CANAL OPENS

its gates to many different kinds

of watercraft during the course of a year—from sailboats to supertankers —but 1980 was something special.

This year, two "princesses" and a

"beetle" made their way to the locks,

creating a stir of excitement for Canal

watchers.

The Princess Line's Island Princess, a regular Canal customer and now the

setting for the popular U.S. television series "Love Boat," was filmed on

location at Miraflores Locks earlier

this year. The weekly TV show concerns the lives and loves of passengers

aboard the cruise ship and features a new cast of stars each week, in addition to the regulars who play the

captain and crew. Aboard the "Love

Boat" on this trip through the locks were Debbie Reynolds, Peter Graves

and Ted Knight. Camera crews set up

their equipment at the side of the lock

wall at Miraflores to film the vessel

in transit. Eight months out of the year the

Island Princess cruises the Caribbean,

carrying 670 passengers on a tour that includes Acapulco, Aruba and San

Juan, Puerto Rico.

Another princess that cruises the

Caribbean took her maiden voyage

through the Canal this year. The

Cunard Princess, little sister to the Queen Elizabeth 2, was on an odyssey

that started out in San Juan and cul- minated with a first-time journey

northward to Alaska. Like the QE2,

the Cunard Princess is a floating

city, complete with elegant dining

facilities, a beauty shop, hospital and

even a night club, where passengers can disco the night away.

Happenings at the Canal

It was "lights, camera, action"

at Miraflores Locks

for the filming of the "Love Boat,"

at left, and the

"love bug" Herbie,

at right; and below, a star of the Cunard fleet, the "Cunard Princess,"

makes her Canal

debut.

The sleek, white vessel, about onethird the size of the QE2, eased its 75-foot beam through the locks

effortlessly as passengers filled the

decks to get a look at one of the

man-made wonders of the world.

And speaking of man-made

wonders, the little Volkswagen beetle "Herbie" motored through the miter

gates at Miraflores for a scene from

Walt Disney's latest movie about the

peripatetic little car that thinks and

acts on its own. This particular Herbie

(there have been several hundred

used in making the popular, Grated

films) was an aquatic version consisting of a VW body mounted on a styrofoam float equipped with a small motor and two propellers. Personnel

and equipment of the Locks, Dredging and Transit Operations divisions and the Panama Canal Information

Office assisted the Disney Productions crew with the project, which

involved lowering Herbie into the lower west chamber by crane during

a lull in ship traffic. Out of camera view

in the back of the car was Herbie's

keeper, special effects man Hans

Metz, who controlled the VW's move- ments while sitting waist deep in the half-submerged vehicle. "Herbie Goes Bananas" was re- leased in the United States during the summer and featured some Isthmian

residents in its cast, including a couple

of Panama Canal control house

operators.

The Panama Canal Review 11

The "Other Side":

the way it is

By Susan L. Stabler

THOSE OF US WHO LIVE ON

"the other side"—that is, around

the Atlantic end of the Panama Canal—are reputed to suffer from something called the Atlantic side syndrome, brought on by the isolation

of living there. Now a syndrome is a pattern of symptoms, which suggests illness, and

from the sound of the word one might expect an Atlantic sider to have a nervous twitch and an unhealthy

pallor. But the truth is that except for an occasional bout of exasperation

accompanied by deep sighing. At

lantic siders manifest a remarkable

vitality. In fact, the Atlantic side is often referred to as the Gold Coast, and many of its residents prefer to live there rather than on the more

populated Pacific side. No, the Atlantic side syndrome isn't

an

6 It is a measure of Gold Coast uniqueness to look out

across the lake and

see solid and striped

sails of yellow,

orange, blue, green and purple

frolicking around

the ships at the entrance to Gatun

Locks."

La Guayra

,- Nombre de Dids

Portobelo

Maria Chiquita
a health problem; but perhaps one

could call it a problem of "perception."

For its primary symptom is the

perception among residents there that planning and provisioning are done by

Pacific siders with the Pacific side in mind and with Atlantic side needs and

concerns attended to only as an

afterthought. Although they recognize that the Atlantic side communities taken together have a tiny

population compared to the Pacific

side, they interpret the by-the-book

dollars and cents approach to the

provision of health care, schools and

commissary services as lacking the

empathy extended to the Pacific side.

It is this perception shared by

Atlantic siders that tends to dis- tinguish them from their cousins on

the Pacific side in relationship to how

they view day-to-day occurrences in the community or on the job.

To deal with this problem, to keep

the avenues of communication open,

the Canal organization has tradi- tionally assigned a top official to act as

unofficial "mayor" of the Atlantic side community to try to add the needed

personal touch. The Administrator's

representatives push for greater rec- ognition of Atlantic side concerns, but

many of the drawbacks of Atlantic

side life are not amenable to change.

The Canal administration can't do

anything about the overabundant

rainfall that makes getting around on

the Atlantic side a matter of keeping one eye on the clouds, and it would

take an Act of Congress to get a bridge built to span Gatun Locks so

that we wouldn't have to sit in our cars and wait for the lock gate bridge to clear when we are on our way to Shimmy Beach or Fort San Lorenzo.

But this brings us to another aspect

of the Atlantic side syndrome, the

positive aspect that Pacific siders are prone to overlook. In having to accept, or at least tolerate, what

cannot be changed, whether it's too much rain or too little attention from

Pacific side planners, Atlantic siders are bound together in a close-knit,

caring community, sharing each

other's concerns and meeting each

other's needs.

Oddly, when comparing the two

sides of the Isthmus, the fundamental

similarities are very striking. Housing on both sides is comparable. Both

have their share of vintage housing

interspersed with newer, more modern dwellings. Playgrounds abound

in all areas and most communities

have ready access to swimming pools. Streets are wide and well lit at night,

whether you're in Gatun or Los Rios. So where do the differences lie? On the Atlantic side, one is struck

immediately by the wide open spaces, an abundance of and proximity to both fresh and salt water, miles

between communities, small population and minimal traffic. Although

comprised of several civilian townsites — Gatun, Mindi, Margarita,

France Field and Coco Solo—and

various military areas, the total population size on the Atlantic side is so limited that the entire area seems

rather to be one amiable, sprawling

small town. It is this small-town

atmosphere, coupled with distance

from officialdom, limited access to city

life and an easy closeness to the

outdoors, which makes the Atlantic

side unique.

6. . . miles and miles of

natural and easily

accessible beaches,

untamed jungles,

gorgeous reefs and

unparalleled beauty. 9

All Commission employees know

that collectively they have an un- disputed task —that of putting ships

through the Panama Canal. Atlantic

siders are particularly focused on this responsibility because by occupation

most have a direct association with

locks, ships, tugs, launches and

channels. The grass roots loyalty they

feel to the mission of the Canal is echoed in their attitudes toward each

other as well. As a result, it is more myth than fact to say that Atlantic siders long for life on the more largely populated Pacific

side. Bob Lessiack, retired assistant

financial vice president of the erst- while Panama Canal Company, tells a

story of his then 7-year-old granddaughter, who, with him, engaged in a conversation one day with former

Governor H. R. Parfitt. The Governor

asked Leslie, an Atlantic sider, whether

she would like to live on the Pacific side where her grandparents lived.

Leslie displayed her amazement at the

suggestion and replied, rather cryptically, that she and her mother did not want to move across the Isthmus.

When asked why not, she said simply,

"Our side is much more peaceful . . ."

Adult impressions of the Atlantic

side do not vary greatly from the

youthful observations of the 7-yearold. Slow, easy, peaceful, friendly, and

unharried are apt descriptions of life on the other side. There is but one

traffic light on the Atlantic side,

located at the transisthmian entrance

to all points. One expects and finds uncrowded commissaries, small

schools, and people who almost all know each other's first names. Nearly

always, a relaxed, small-town at- mosphere prevails.

This atmosphere isn't generated; it plainly just exists, and distance from

Panama Canal Commission hierarchy

is, at least, a partial contribution,. It is the nature of life around the Panama

Canal that a surface distance of only

50 miles, or an air distance of only 36

miles, can so isolate one end of the

Canal from the other. Gatun boasts

the most dramatic set of locks, and, at one time, the Atlantic side was

intended to be the Canal headquarters, yet somehow along the way,

the hierarchy established itself on the

Pacific side. In fact, only one division,

the Industrial Division, has its headquarters on the Atlantic side. Headquarters for all other facets of Commission living are far removed

from the everyday life of Atlantic

siders; and although this aspect of Atlantic area living contributes to the

syndrome, it also contributes to a

surprising esprit de corps. The

absence of administration breeds an atmosphere of unstrained independence and a deep dedication to the

job.

The very distance from the central hubbub, however, also dictates a need

for Atlantic siders to travel frequently

between the two sides of the Isthmus.

Consequently, it is a private joke

among Atlantic siders that the reach

from Cristobal to Balboa is shorter

than that from Balboa to Cristobal.

Residents of the Atlantic side must more frequently travel far from home

to attend meetings on the Pacific side than is true in reverse. It is a way of life and, oddly, contributes still further to the unity that exists.

If the absence of main offices gives

16 October 1, 1980
The Panama Canal Review 17
$A spirit hovers that

is understood, appreciated and treasured by

native Atlantic siders.

9

rise to a closeness among employees on the Atlantic side, the mere size of the population magnifies it. Numbering only about 1,356 employees as compared to an approximate 7,230

employees on the Pacific side, Atlantic siders as a group are closely knit. Any

Atlantic area celebration can easily

accommodate a maximum crowd in a

setting about half the size of a football

field. One is reminded in particular of the annual Holy Family Catholic

Church Carnival. Here Atlantic siders

join hands to put on and patronize a

charity event. Always the same faces

abound on either side of the counter,

and always patrons and workers alike are eager that the charity be a success. It is ever thus, year after year, and no one expects it to ever be any

different. Something else Atlantic siders never expect to be different is their Christmas Eve celebration, replete

with a truck-drawn sleigh carrying

Santa, his elf, his helpers and piles of

gifts. The Cristobal High School stage

band and many truckloads of caroling

youngsters follow the sleigh, while a

police car leads the entourage from

townsite to townsite delivering gifts to eager children.

Celebrations and tragedies, too,

bring together more than just friends. A spirit hovers that is understood,

appreciated and treasured by native

Atlantic siders. They embrace and

support one another in a way

reminiscent of Canal construction

days and earlier, nearly forgotten

times in American life. One of the most cherished aspects

of Atlantic side living is its schools. Parents personally know teachers,

and teachers personally know the

students in their classes. Cristobal

High School usually graduates a class

of one hundred seniors or less. The

students are fiercely loyal to each

other, and the teachers look on their graduates with pride. It is interesting

to note that on the Atlantic side there

is a combined Junior-Senior High

School comprised of students in grades seven through twelve, with a

total of approximately 630 pupils. On

the Pacific side, on the other hand, one finds Curundu Junior High

School (grades 7 through 9) with a student load of 1,350 and Balboa High

School (grades 10 through 12) with

students numbering 1,300. With such

a striking difference in the total enrollment picture, it is easy to see

18 October 1, 1980
why Atlantic side schools have a

special aura. Although there are more and larger

schools on the Pacific side than on the

Atlantic, their curriculums are essentially equal. Cristobal Junior-Senior

High School, however, because of a diminishing number of students, is finding it increasingly difficult to offer as many course selections as are

offered on the Pacific side. But quality

education remains, and, perhaps

because the teachers are concerned

about equal education on both sides of the Isthmus, one finds a great deal of teacher sharing in ideas and methodology. Students are students every- where, and Atlantic side kids behave

like any other as they travel that bumpy path of school, athletics, romance and friendship that we call adolescence. In a small community,

however, they are ever under the

watchful eye of their teachers and

their parents and their parents'

friends. Little goes unnoticed.

Not only is there a significantly smaller Commission population on

the Atlantic side, but also poignantly

different are the Panamanian cities of Panama and Colon. On the Pacific

side, Panama City has a tremendous

offering of recreational activities. There are abundant theaters, in- numerable restaurants, entertaining

shows, ample hotels, and frequent

cultural offerings. Colon on the

Atlantic side, conversely, has been

hampered for decades by an inability to spread out and develop. Consequently there is little in that city of an

entertainment or dining nature. Restaurants can be numbered on one hand and there is but one inviting theater. The Hotel Washington is

lovely, but has nothing of the allure of the night spots in Panama City.

All this means that Atlantic siders

either have to do without the bright

lights and city people or they have to

travel further to enjoy them. Sometimes they travel, but as a rule they do

without, and instead provide their own

entertainment.

On the Atlantic side, everyone

listens for word-of-mouth notice that there is going to be a fish fry at the

Tarpon Club, a play, talent show or concert at the high school, steak

night, sailboat races, or a St. Patrick's Day celebration at the Gatun Yacht

Club, a dance at the Elks Club, or a

kite-flying contest in Coco Solo. And

not only do they listen for the notice,

but the turnout is always good. Any

gathering draws a substantial crowd,

and conversations are picked up

where they left off the last time.

Atlantic siders often feel that they

have the best of both worlds. Whereas

they zealously enjoy their life styles,

they know always that the Pacific side

is there for an evening out, a shopping

spree or a change of pace. Pacific siders seldom make a trip to the

Atlantic side for like purposes. But ah

. . . what they are missing.

It's not by accident that the Atlantic

side is fondly called the "Gold Coast."

The fisherman, the sailor, the botanist, the biologist, the birdwatcher, the

diver, the beachcomber, the water

skier, and the surfer, exist on the

Atlantic side in an abundance equalled

but few places in the world. A mere

half hour at most from any front door

there are Gatun Lake, Limon Bay, the

Chagres River, the Atlantic Ocean,

miles and miles of natural and easily

accessible beaches, untamed jungles,

gorgeous reefs and unparalleled

beauty.

No one lives on the Atlantic side for long without becoming something of an outdoor person. Where else in the

world could one fish for bass early in

The Panama Canal Review 19

^Moving slowly through

the waters of the Chagres,

the dense jungle of the

river banks on either

side, one feels a oneness with nature that

thrills the soul. 9

the morning, go sailing before lunch, motor down the Chagres River in the afternoon and have a cookout at Pifia Beach in the evening? Better still, because of their nearness to nature,

Atlantic siders can do any of these

things in the time they have after work

in an afternoon. Venture out to the Gatun Yacht Club on any afternoon and you will undoubtedly encounter some spirited windsurfers, riders of what is essentially a surfboard with a sail. Wind

surfing, fast becoming one of the most

popular sailing sports in the world, was introduced into Panama at the Gatun Yacht Club. The first rig was

brought to the club by Gary Smith,

senior control house operator at Gatun Locks. In less than a year a sort

of windsurfing club has grown, and

there are now about eleven boards and fifteen proficient windsurfers. It is

a measure of Gold Coast uniqueness

to look out across the lake and see

solid and striped sails of yellow, orange, blue, green and purple

frolicking around the ships at the entrance to Gatun Locks. Not too

long ago, a visitor went so far as to windsurf from the Gatun Yacht Club

to Pedro Miguel. Dry season and heavy winds are

especially appreciated on the Atlantic

side. Laser sailboat races are held every other Sunday at the Gatun

Yacht Club. There is a fleet of about

fifteen boats, crewed by people of all ages, sizes and both sexes. They

compete in rigorous but enjoyable

races out across the channel to Navy

Island and back. At the club a youngster can learn to sail under the

tutelage of able adults, and club members act as lifeguards for each

other and for their young people.

On some alternate Sundays, larger

sailboats as well as some venturesome

small ones race out from the Cristobal

Yacht Club into Limon Bay. Limon

Bay is an anchorage for ships waiting

for bunkering services or expecting to

begin a Canal transit. It is a calm,

sheltered body of water excellent for

its intended purpose, as well as

delightful for the day sailor or motorboat enthusiast. It is protected

by a breakwater which is a few feet

less than two miles long and which was

built at a cost of $5,500,000 with rock

especially quarried at Porto Bello. Walking the breakwater is a thrill. Not terribly dangerous on a calm day,

it can erupt into a battle against the

raging sea when winds grow high. Waves crash over its firmly placed

rocks, and the breakwater then becomes a bitter reminder of its own

necessity. None of the Cristobal harbor and port areas nor the shores

of Colon, Coco Solo, or Fort Sherman

could exist as they are without it. There is only a two-foot tide on the

Atlantic side, but the ocean is seldom

calm.

Down the coast from Limon Bay are

the Atlantic beaches. Unless one

encounters a syndromatic wait at the Gatun Locks Vehicular Bridge,

getting to the beaches requires very

little time. Shimmy Beach, located at Fort Sherman, is a public beach

replete with lifeguards, snack bars, soda machines and the like. It is protected by a shark net and is a

favorite spot for family outings. Further down the coast, however, are

the raw beaches that Atlantic siders regard as their real bonanza.

Devil's Beach has something for everyone. Surfers hang ten on its dry season waves, beachcombers seldom

go away disappointed, divers delight in

its underwater beauty, and bathers bask in its warm water and bright sunshine. And there is a "secret" area

of Devil's Beach which one can reach by walking through a small jungle

path. Beyond Devil's Beach are the more

hidden beaches, which can be reached

only by trek through thick jungle. At

least one of them can be approached

only by fording a couple of streams

and negotiating a small waterfall. It is

at these beaches where privacy is almost sacred. More often than not, patrons respect the claim made by the

first automobile parked at the cleared space at the end of the road in. Probably the best-known beach on

the Atlantic side is Pifia Beach. It is

also probably the most dangerous and

therefore, the most respected. The

undertow at Pifia Beach can unnerve

and frighten even the hardiest swimmer. Americans and Panamanians alike have built beach cottages

at Pina Beach and have on its shores

the same sort of hideaways that abound on the shores of the Pacific Ocean at San Carlos, Gorgona, Rio Mar and Santa Clara. Yet the charm

of Pifia Beach is that its visitors are

usually only half an hour away from

home. Enjoyment of the outdoors on the

Atlantic side is certainly not limited to

its beaches. Wildlife enthusiasts find

the Atlantic side to be a virtual wonderland. So unspoiled are the nearby jungles that wildlife hobbyists and professionals rejoice in the

beautiful and rich fauna. On the

Atlantic side sloths, possums, and

gato solos still abound and are seen

regularly making their way across not- too-busy streets. Recently in Gatun a jaguarundi was spotted as it darted

quickly from one side of the road to the other, a fleeting reminder of our untamed tropical surroundings. The lush vegetation on the Atlantic

side provides a perfect haven for hundreds of species of tropical and

migrating birds. Bird watchers are guaranteed good luck any time they make an outing, for the Atlantic side holds a record for sightings in the Audubon Society's yearly Christmas

bird count. The same lush vegetation which

harbors the birds and wildlife is a study

in itself. Atlantic siders seem to be surrounded by jungle, and the botanical beauty of the jungle creeps

readily into Atlantic siders' backyard. There are orchids and bromeliads in abundance and houseplants can be found readily by the sides of jungle roads. Over the years the jungles have remained virtually untouched.

Nowhere on the Atlantic side do the two great beauties of jungle and water come together more exquisitely than on the Chagres River. Motorboating

down the river during the daylight or moonlight hours is a favorite pastime

of many Atlantic siders. Moving slowly through the waters of the Chagres the dense jungle of the river banks on

either side, one feels a oneness with nature that thrills the soul. And yet

getting to the Chagres River is no more complicated or time-consuming

than getting to a little league baseball game. And that's how it is on the Atlantic side—in the absence of bright lights and city people, Atlantic siders provide their own entertainment; because of their virtual isolation from

the powers-that-be, they rely greatly on their own ingenuity; due in large part to their small population size, Atlantic siders draw together in a spirit of loyalty and supportiveness; and,

with their townsites nestled so deli- ciously close to the ocean, the lake, the river and the jungle, they embrace

the tropical outdoors.
Remembering

Bilgray's

by Norman A. Werner

Sketches by

John B. Morton

ON THE CORNER OF 10th

Street and Bottle Alley in the

Panama Canal terminal city of Colon stands an aged two-story

building of European design. The

upper story houses living quarters

open to balconies cluttered with

laundry drying in the warm

Caribbean breeze. The ground level

is occupied by a commercial

enterprise advertising Asian-made

electronic equipment. Passersby seem unaware that the building was

for fifty years the Gold Coast de

facto civic center and gathering spot

for the famous and powerful who

had occasion to visit the Isthmus of Panama. From 1924 to 1974 the

antiquated building housed the

world renowned Bilgray's Tropic Bar

and Restaurant, an oasis alongside a major ocean trade route.

Bilgray's Tropic Bar was a saloon

in the finest tradition of the term. Like similar establishments located

where shipping lanes constrict, such

as the Cabo de Homos Hotel on

the Magellan Straits, it welcomed

travelers and local patrons alike, as

there were few other reputable

places in town.

N The Tropic Bar shunned juke

boxes, bright lights, and flashy ladies

at a time when across the Isthmus

in Panama City, Kelly's Ritz, the

most well-known cabaret during

Panama's boisterous era, packed

them in to hear "a thousand pounds

of harmony," four pleasingly plump

girls who could really sing.

Bilgray's Tropic featured a fifteen- foot long, stand-up bar of heavy

dark mahogany, paralleled by a brass foot rail, where a thirsty

customer could perch and be sure

of getting his money's worth. Below

slowly revolving ceiling fans were

circular mahogany tables twenty-six,

inches in diameter standing on the

tile floor. Bartenders and waiters in white shirts, black ties, and black

trousers attended the customers at the tables, scurrying in with food

from the adjacent restaurant. The

restaurant was operated by a Chinese concessionaire who had

remained in Panama after his people

had finished their contribution to the

creation of the Panama Canal.

The walls of Bilgray's Tropic were hung with autographed photos of the great and near great who had

22 October 1, 1980
passed through the doorless

entrance. Among them were stars of the silver screen, such as Dick

Powell, Joan Blondell, and the

swashbuckling Errol Flynn. There

were also photos of two of the

Pentagon's greatest stars: Admiral

"Bull" Halsey and General Dwight

Eisenhower. Ike cashed his paycheck at Bilgray's when he was a

junior officer stationed at a nearby

base. Later he visited the Tropic as

a full general on an official tour of the Isthmus.

Most first-time customers to

Bilgray's, the ocean-weary seamen,

yachtsmen, or passengers from ocean liners in port, crowded in to have a tall, cool drink at a fair price.

Local customers, who ranged from

Latin American politicians and U.S. servicemen and businessmen to beachcombers, were drawn to the

Tropic to pass the time of day with

its proprietor, saloonkeeper extra- ordinarie Max Bilgray.

Bilgray was an expatriate in Panama by way of Chicago and

California. He was a remarkable

human being. Beloved by the people

of Colon for his generous

6 Many a Canal worker stranded in

the U.S. could depend on Max Bilgray to cable funds for the return passage.9

philanthropic contributions, he was

considered a living legend by his many friends. He could frequently

be found sitting at his corner table,

always attired in white clothes and

white shoes, entertaining Latin

American heads of state, past,

present or exiled (Argentina's Juan

Peron cooled his heels at the nearby

Washington Hotel during the 50's) or Panama Canal Company

employees whom he termed

collectively "canal diggers." Often

this klatch would attract so many

friends that a second or third table had to be brought to his corner. Max Bilgray's name became

synonymous with the port of Colon.

Renowned as a good Samaritan, he

welcomed all to the Tropic Bar. During the war years his tenet was

to give the serviceman an even

break, while other cantinas were

bent on detaching the GI from his modest paycheck as quickly as

possible. Servicemen, in turn, made

a point of telling their comrades

throughout the world to patronize

Bilgray's when in Panama. And

many a Canal worker stranded in the U.S. could depend on Max

Bilgray to cable funds for the return passage to the Isthmus.

One of his favorite charities was

the Nursing Sisters of Mercy, a

semi-cloistered order in Colon.

When one of the sisters would come

to the Tropic seeking a charitable

donation, tenderhearted but toughtalking Bilgray would cajole his cronies to ante up, with a stream of profanity that would leave the sister blushing.

His friends like to recall Bilgray's

pungent aphorisms. Once, when he

spied a bejeweled patron trying

vainly to (it an ashtray from his bar

into her purse, he quipped,

"Alfonso, get the lady a proper bag

for her ashtray." When an old friend neglected his bar bill for several months he received a lyrical note from Btlgray, "Hi Mo, how about some dough." A Latin American

chief of state, experiencing

administrative difficulties, asked

Bilgray for his opinion. The retort was brief and to the point: squinting one eye, Bilgray said, "Kid, you're

trying to play in the major leagues

with sandlot ball players." During the construction of the Panama Canal, Colon was a

frontier style boom town. To North

Americans, Panama was the western hemisphere equivalent of East of Suez to the British—a place where one could disregard the regulations and restrictions of conventional society. One incognito

visitor to Bilgray's during the 30's who let her hair down was well- known evangelist and temperance

leader Aimee Semple McPherson.

Bilgray's impish imagination was up

to the occasion. To mark the event he concocted a special drink in her honor and dubbed it the "Hallelujah Cocktail."

Babylonian grape brandy

Ice from the crest of Mount Sinai Lemon from the desert of sin Gomorrha and Sodom vermouth Rum aged in Noah's ark Add Cain's syrup from the Garden

of Eden You then giue it the Hebrew shake, and

say "Hallelujah" after drinking

Aimee's husband at the time, David Hutton, sued Max Bilgray for

slightly less than a million dollars. The suit was subsequently dropped

after generating sufficient publicity. Those were the days when a horse drawn buggy on the streets of Colon was more common than an

automobile. Carriages, driven by

blacks of West Indian origin known

as "cocheros," would regularly discharge their fares at the Tropic. One evening as enormous sheets of

tropical rain were slanting down, a buggy pulled up to the saloon with

the laughing "cochero" sitting like a

6 Songbird and Alfonso had to wrap the

horse's hooves with burlap. 9

potentate in the back. Driving the

rig through the deep puddles was

famous, bushy-browed corfiic Groucho Marx.

During the years of World War II Colon had the dubious distinction of being one of the most boisterous,

freewheeling, wide-open seaports in the world. Ships of war, troop and

supply ships had to wait at anchor

(or their turn to traverse the

elevated belt of water called the "big

ditch." The Tropic, which was open

twenty-four hours a day, enjoyed a heyday of activity. Soldiers and

sailors emptied glass after glass in the saloon or had their shoes shined

or hair cut at the outdoor enterprise

set up against one wall of the

building. Occasionally, a free-for-all would break out among the hard

drinking servicemen. After the

military police had returned the

revelers to their ships, Bilgray, surveying the damage and gesturing toward the cash register, would say,

"I don't mind as long as that

'typewriter' keeps clicking." The

Tropic "typewriter" made a wealthy man out of Max Bilgray. Longtime Tropic bartender

Alfonso once recalled a night when

the bar was dead as a tomb. A jovial black man whose face seemed

poised to explode into hearty

laughter at the least provocation, Alfonso was checking his receipts when he heard some customers come clopping in from Bottle Alley behind him. He turned and was

greeted by Canal employee

"Songbird" Palmer, who said, "Let's have a couple of drinks." Songbird had brought his horse into the bar. Startled, Alfonso threw up his hands, spooking the horse, whose

legs flew out from under him on the

slick tile floor. Songbird and Alfonso had to wrap the horse's hooves with burlap so that the animal could

regain his footing. Following the war years Colon's growth was tied to standard Canal commerce. Shipping agents kept funds in the Tropic's safe so ships could be serviced twenty-four hours

a day. Atlantic-side residents continued to consider Bilgray's the community center, even holding wedding receptions in the saloon. Since the Tropic was located midway between the U.S. residential

district of New Cristobal and the commissary, which stood across from the present Colon train station, it was a favorite place for Canal employees to stop off after a shopping trip.

In Colon, the Free Zone was

created and expanded rapidly. Saloonkeeper Max Bilgray, who was

recognized as an astute business- man, was appointed chairman of the Board of Directors of the Free Zone, where he served until he was

incapacitated by failing health.

In 1955 the govenments of the United States and Panama signed

the Remon-Eisenhower treaty. One

proviso of the treaty turned over New Cristobal, including the huge

commissary, to the Republic of Panama. The document also eliminated the restrictions on the

sale of alcoholic beverages in the Canal Zone, which had allowed only

3.2 percent beer. This change made

fraternal and military clubs in the Canal Zone popular with the U.S. community, and Bilgray's business

declined accordingly. When Max Bilgray suffered a stroke he decided it was time to close out his ownership of the renowned old Tropic Bar and

Restaurant. He sold out to Archie Leon, a restaurant concessionaire, and cancelled over $40,000 in yellowed IOU's left by customers

during his more than thirty years of business. Cherished as one of Colon's

leading and most illustrious citizens, many honors were conferred upon

the barkeeper from Chicago.

President Ricardo (Dickie) Arias awarded Max Bilgray Panama's

highest decoration for civic contribution, the Order of Vasco Nunez de Balboa—doubtless a unique honor for a saloonkeeper. The Tropic continued to operate under several different managers

until 1974, and a parched seaman

could still slack his thirst or order an incomparable shrimp curry and

rice while listening to a selection on

the recently installed juke box. But when Max Bilgray left the Tropic,

the spirit went out of the place. Many Atlantic side residents of Panama, however, still remember

Colon's famous saloon and grow

nostalgic at the mention of Bilgray's name. One Colon old-timer said, "Sure, I remember Bilgray's. It was

the very best."

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Terminal At Charco

Azul on Panama's

Pacific Coast Provides A New Link in the Oil Line

The Alaska Pipeline stretches from Prudhoe Bay to Valdez where

supertankers take on

oil for shipment to the terminal at Panama.

Below, at left: Tanks at Petroterminal de Panama process ballast water. Below: The

"Overseas Chicago"

takes on oil at Charco Azul

By Willie K. Friar

A'

FTER COMPLETING ITS 9,800- mile journey from the Arctic snows of Prudhoe Bay, Alaska oil comes ashore briefly among the

tropical palms of Panama before resuming its voyage through the Panama Canal to the East Coast and

Gulf ports of the United States. The oil, transported in super

tankers down the west coast of the United States from the pipeline terminal at Valdez, is pumped ashore

at Charco Azul near Puerto Armuelles where a new terminal facility has been

built. The new terminal, Petroterminal de Panama, which cost $60 million, is a cooperative venture of Northville In- dustries Corp., and Corp. Financiera

Nacional, the economic development

agency of Panama. Completed in 15 months by a construction workforce

of 1,000 Panamanians, it opened April 1 1, 1979. Prior to that time, the oil was

handled by two British supertankers anchored in Parita Bay to serve as

offshore terminals. Petroterminal de Panama, S.A. is located about 20 hours by ship from

Supertankers from

Alaska and smaller

vessels able to

transit the Panama

Canal anchor in the

tranquil waters of Charco Azul to discharge or take on

oil at the transshipment

facility operated by Petrotermmal de Panamd. while a tug with special equipment cleans up

a small oil spill.

the Canal. Storage facilities consist of three tanks of 833,000 barrels capacity each for handling oil and three smaller tanks with a capacity of 120,000

barrels each for receiving and treating

ballast water. The ballast water is processed through a series of sepa

rators which remove the oil and then

discharge the water into the sea after careful monitoring to make sure it meets the pollution control regula

tions of the petroleum industry. In the

past, ballast water had to be returned

to Valdez for processing. There are berthing facilities de- signed to handle very large crude

carriers and smaller vessels. Pier No. 1 can service supertankers of 270,000 DWT tons, Pier No. 2, vessels of 120,000 DWT tons, and Pier No. 3

ships of 60,000 DWT tons. Floating equipment used in the operation includes three very powerful tugs, three launches and an oil skimmer. The terminal has its own water

treatment and electrical generation

plants and an access road suitable for use by buses and taxis. The latter makes it possible for the crews to come ashore and travel to nearby towns for recreation or shopping while

the ships are discharging or taking on

cargo. Careful attention is given to the prevention of oil spills and quick clean- up is begun immediately with the

slightest spillage. The tugs have

special equipment for handling spills and as a backup, assistance is available from United Brands which

has facilities in the area and has equipment that can be used for spraying chemicals. Jose Arosemena II, General Man

ager of Petroterminal de Panama,

S.A., considers the on-shore operation a safer way to handle the oil and

points out that it also makes a greater

contribution to the economy Panama than the off-shore operatic since it provides more than 40 dire jobs and about 300 indirect or ancilla ones. Of the workforce, all a Panamanian except for three Ami

ican engineers and three British pilo Since opening last year, the t< minal has handled more than 5 vessels. The transportation of oil throu

the Panama Canal involves two fief

U.S. flag ships. About 30 ships are

'aged in transit cycles of laden and

ast voyages between Charco Azul

the East and Gulf coasts ports of United States, Puerto Rico and the

lin Islands. Supertankers too large

ransit the Canal bring the oil down

n Valdez to Charco Azul. There it umped into the storage tanks of oterminal de Panama for transfer mailer tankers able to fit into the ^y 1,000 feet Panama Canal locks.

30 October 1, 19f Panama Canal Review 31
PRUDHOE BAY OIL FIELD

/

/

/

VALDEZ

PANAMA CANAL
The "Overseas New York," which

set a new Canal cargo record

April 28, 1978, when she transited with 64,603 long tons of Alaska oil, moves through Miraflores Locks

on a northbound vovage.

Because of the draft restrictions of the Canal, tankers larger than 50,000

deadweight tons normally cannot

transit the waterway when fully loaded

and most vessels over 90,000 deadweight tons cannot transit even when

only partially loaded.

North Slope oil is the largest single

commodity moving through the Canal.

From August 31, 1977, when the

Washington Trader transported the

first North Slope oil through the Canal, to May of this year, 2,023

Alaska oil tankers have transited

carrying 46.1 million long tons of oil and paying $63.8 million in tolls. The average toll paid by these

tankers for the first eight months of FY 80 was $42,267 laden and $33,592

in ballast.

AVERAGE DAILY SHIPMENTS OF NORTH SLOPE

CRUDE OIL THROUGH THE PANAMA CANAL

FY-1980

thousands of barrels

ii —

I

^PR

The Panama Canal Review

Top left, a windlass unit shaft is lifted to the shop mezzanine under the watchful eves of foreman Joe

Carlisle, right, and David Castillo; top right. Castillo has a "close encounter" with a windlass unit component; above, the crane boa! "At/as" transfers a

locomotive from one side o/ the locks (o the other and right, working locomotiues finish the task of guiding the "Dock Express" through Pedro Miguel Locks

6 One feels that here exists an easy companionship between human and machine. 9

The LCRF—where

Canal 'mules9

get TLC

Transiting vessels depend on Commission toaiing locomotives

to guide them safely through the locks chambers. The towing

locomotives, in turn, depend on the Locomotive Component

Repair Facility to keep them running at peak efficiency.
By Janet Len-Rios

THE WIDE FRONT DOOR

rolls up and a flatcar trundles in carrying a huge, gray hunk of machine. As workmen cluster about, an enormous crane whispers across

the room on ceiling-high rails to pause

above the flatcar. A large, shiny metal

hook slides down to deliver a harness

that will be fastened to the machine for

lifting. When all is ready the workmen

stand clear. At the press of a button

the crane lifts, giving a slight shudder

as it connects with its load and flexes

its mechanical muscles. White-gloved

hands and strong arms turn and

steady the machine as it is hoisted to

its assigned location and lowered into position. The crane, once delivered of

its load, murmurs back across the

ceiling, the flatcar rattles out, and the

door slides shut. The activity just described takes

place regularly in the Locomotive

Component Repair Facility (LCRF) at Pedro Miguel. The LCRF overhauls,

reconditions and/or modifies various

component parts of the electric locomotives or "mules" that run along

the rails on both sides of the locks

chambers to control the ships as they

pass through, and is one of the many

indispensable ingredients that go into the operation of the Panama Canal.

Delays caused by malfunctioning lo- comotives can seriously affect ship

traffic, so the work performed by the

LCRF is a vital part of the whole

maintenance program that is so

essential to the efficient functioning of the waterway.

Six craftsmen, one leader and one

foreman are currently employed in the

facility. The crew also regularly

includes several apprentices.

The idea for the repair facility took

root in the early 1960's coincidental

with awarding of the contract for construction of the new locomotives.

The building itself encloses a 6,000

square foot space which includes a work area, office, storeroom, sanitary

facilities and a mezzanine for storage.

An outside covered area provides

additional storage and a disassembly

area as well as a location for steamcleaning parts.

The building contains a 10-ton bridge crane, which runs on tracks the

length of the building and bridges it from side to side. This crane is used

for lifting the heavy components,

some of which weigh over eight tons. There are also seven two-ton cranes

with projecting arms that are used to

transfer lighter loads from place to place within the shop. Railroad tracks

lead into the building to facilitate transportation by rail of the locomotive component parts.

Anyone anticipating a hot, noisy,

dirty, offensive place will be agreeably

surprised to find that it is none of these. In addition to being air- conditioned, the building has special

acoustical insulation to mute sounds

so that under normal conditions there

is no need for the workers to wear

hearing protection. And, although

there are oil spots staining the floor, the facility is very clean considering its function.

% Delays caused

by malfunctioning

locomotives

can seriously

affect ship

traffic. 9

The locks locomotives were made

in Japan with the manufacture and

assembly of the component parts

taking place in various Japanese

cities. Robert D. Donaldson, now

assistant chief of the Panama Canal

Commission's Engineering Division,

and his family spent a total of five years

living in Japan while he was the

resident inspector overseeing the

manufacture and assembly of the

locomotives. Fifty-seven of the new

locomotives were acquired by the

Panama Canal Company between

1959 and 1965 and eight more have

been received since that time. These

locomotives replaced the original ones

that had been in service since the

opening of the Canal in 1914. The new

locomotives, which are both faster and more powerful than those they

replaced, have been a major factor in making it possible to transit a greater

number of ships, as well as larger

ships, through the Canal.

The locomotives are designed so

that the large component parts are

"plug-in" units, that is, they are- self- contained so that an entire unit can be

removed and brought in for repair.

This feature of the locomotives greatly

facilitates their repair since the work

can be more efficiently sent to one

specialized central shop rather than

sending the workers and the necessary equipment to each of the locks. Should anything go wrong with

either a traction unit (the part that allows the locomotive to maneuver

along the rails or track) or a windlass

unit (the part that controls the cables

to the ships), of any of the sixty-five

locomotives presently deployed at the

three Panama Canal locks, the unit is removed and brought by truck or rail to the Pedro Miguel repair facility. When a unit arrives at the shop, it is drained of oil, steam-cleaned, and

inspected to find the cause of its malfunction.

The massiveness of the machinery

is impressive. A windlass unit weighs

over eight tons and a traction unit over

six tons. When it comes into the

facility, the unit is lifted by crane onto a stand where it remains during the

overhaul while the smaller parts are removed and taken to other locations

in the shop for individual disassembly,

cleaning and repair. When the in- dividual parts have been repaired or

replaced, the unit is reassembled,

shafts are realigned, and the unit is painted. The process is not complete,

however, until the unit has been

bolted down to the test stand and

tested to assure that it will, indeed,

function properly in the field. For testing the windlasses, the

cables that would be attached to the

ships as they pass through the locks are anchored in place to a large

"double bitt" where the unit can be

subjected mechanically to the same

stresses endured under actual working conditions. While the shop has no

facility to subject the traction unit to

loading, the unit is connected to a motor and run to insure that it is operating properly. When a unit has

passed final testing it becomes a spare

and will be placed back into service

when it is needed as a replacement

unit in another locomotive. Records

are kept on each job to provide

information that may help in future improvements, repairs or modifications. The facility is equipped to repair or

36 October 1, 1980
Left, Wilford Smith

discusses a modification

to the traction units with Japanese engineer Katsuro Fukumoto of Mitsubishi Heavy

Industries, builders of the locomotives. Below,

Elmer Anderson

operates the controls of the bridge crane to lift and move an

overhauled traction

unit.

The Panama Canal Review 37
rehabilitate about three traction units and one and a half windlass units per month. Some of the units have been in the field for many years without major

repair, a fact that attests to the

reliability of their complicated design.

At the present time the facility is just

keeping up with work on a demand

basis. However, plans are under way

to place the locomotives on a regular

overhaul program which will mean

that at the scheduled time the traction

unit and the windlass units will be

removed from the locomotive for reconditioning at the repair facility. At

the same time the frame, together with

the electrical and pneumatic systems

it contains, will be overhauled in the

field. In effect, each locomotive will be

completely rebuilt from the rails up. It

is expected that through this program

twelve locomotives will be rebuilt each

year. The traction units are currently

being modified to what is called "dry

sump" operation. In the original

design, the machine's oil was stored in a reservoir below the gears with the

lubricant pumped up and fed down

over them. In the modified design,

while the oil is still fed down over the gears for lubrication, it is immediately

pumped back up and stored above the

gears. The new system eliminates

most of the current leakage and will cut down considerably on the $50,000

in man hours and materials consumed

per year to clean up the oil from the

locks walls, in addition to the cost of the oil itself. The first dry sump was

installed in November 1978. The average cost of overhauling a

traction unit is $30,000 and $40,000 for a windlass unit, including parts and

labor. That may seem like a lot of money, but the figure is understandable when you consider that the

last locomotives purchased cost $588,000 each and a single replacement gear can cost up to $2,500.

Both new and reconditioned re- placement parts are used at the

facility. While a complete supply of spare parts is maintained by the

Division of Storehouses at Balboa, a

large number are stocked at the

facility in what is known as the "back

room." On rare occasions it may be

necessary to have a part made locally.

Safety is a prime concern at the

repair facility, a place where, ac- cording to foreman Joe Carlisle,

"everything is dangerous," and safety

meetings are held regularly. The

movement of heavy equipment is routine in the shop, and everyone

watches out not only for himself, but

also for his co-workers. It's "heads up"

as a huge crane glides overhead

carrying a part that may weigh from a couple of hundred to several thousand

pounds. A notice reads, "work safely,

you are a valuable person." With such

a positive attitude toward safety, it is no wonder that the shop has never had a disabling injury or that there has

not been a lost-time injury among the

craftsmen now employed.

For anyone who appreciates machines, the shop is a fascinating place

to visit with its clean, well-run atmosphere and its storeroom stocked

with shelves and bins full of various

sized bolts and washers, warm

colored brass cylinders, gleaming

bearings in shiny races, and with fresh new gaskets hanging on the wall. The

cranes are painted bright sunshine

yellow, and interesting-looking tools are seen everywhere. One feels that here exists an easy companionship

between human and machine. There

is an aura of awareness among the

craftsmen about the value and impor- tance of what they do and their pride

in their work is obvious. A quotation

that Carlisle has placed above the

office door in both Spanish and

English typifies the attitude of the

facility's employees, it reads, "the

priceless ingredient of every product

is the honor and integrity of him who

makes it."

38 October 1, 1980
Working in what is no longer

exclusively a man's sphere,

machinist apprentice Myrna del Cid, at left, checks the hydraulic

system of a windlass unit; above, Helio Alves and Jose Gonzalez take a look at drawings depicting a windlass

unit's inner workings; while,

above right, machinist

apprentices Ethelbert Mapp,

Alvin Lim and Marcos Gutierrez

listen attentively as Enrique

Cumberbatch explains the unit's operation. At right, a traction

unit is checked by machinist

apprentice Jorge Moreno and

machinist leader Jerzy Bressel during final testing before it is put back into service.

The Panama Canal Review 39

The Changing Scene

Commission police officers and members of the Panama National Guard

share responsibility for protecting the lives of atizens in Canal townsites. The movie marquee at the Balboa Theater, the signs above the entrances

to the piers and the logo on the sides of railroad cars appear in Spanish, an indication of new management. Panama Canal official vehicles sport

the name of the Canal entity, the Panama Canal Commission, on their doors. The last Canal Zone stamps are pulverized. These and other scenes below

reflect some major changes that have taken place over the past year

following the disestablishment of the Canal Zone and are evidence of the new relationship between Panama and the United States.

TO BE

A CHILD IS TO SEE

the world through eager eyes and with a mind innocent enough to

believe what it sees but inquiring enough to ask why. Nature teases

the child's curiosity witha world of

delightful colors and shapes. In the

tropical climes, there is no end to the array of remarkable plants and

trees which invite closer observation and admiration. An outing to look at these wonders of nature can appropriately be called child's play. V

X3rowing up in

Father and sons

explore the

gentle jungle of the

Canal area

Panama

By Jan Meriwether M

Ted Anas is not

a child, but he

enjoys sharing his love and knowledge

of tropical plants with his two sons

Trey, age 6 and Donovan, age 4. Ted

is

a competent guide because his work leads him to spend more time in the jungle and on the rivers than behind a desk. As a hydrological tech

nician for the Meteorological and

Hydrographic Branch of the Engineering Division, Ted is out in the

field

a great deal of the time, working on such projects as watershed conservation, river gauging and rainfall measurement. After a lifetime in Panama, Ted can tell you the names

of tropical plants, which ones are

edible and how to prepare them. A nice thing about knowledge is that

it can be shared, and Trey and Donovan learn a lot on outings with

their father. Of course, the learning

is just

a happy consequence of having

a good time together. Picking canned fruits and nuts off shelves in a grocery store may be

convenient, but it is not nearly as

interesting or as much fun as going to the source and taking the prize with your own two hands. Growing up in Panama, Trey and Donovan have

learned that almonds and pineapples do not have tin can shells; and

cannonballs are not always made of

iron, but can also grow on trees. Like most Isthmian children they know

thata cashew nut is attached to the end of a reddish, pear-shaped fruit and

is safe to eat only after being roasted. And they have observed that bananas

start as tiered rows of tiny flowers

insidea pinkish bud and that the plant

dies after it has fruited. While people

living in colder climates might find mangos, papaya and breadfruit strange and exotic, to Trey and Donovan they are as familiar a sight and a taste as apples or peaches.

(Far left)A bunch of bananas can bea whole bunch of fun- (Top row, from left) The breadfruit is easy to spot once you know what to look for. Some tropical curiosities such as the land crab

require

a firsthand look.

A closer examination of the blossoms of the cannonball tree can be a prickly problem (Second row, from left) Donovan and Trey ponder the novelty of almonds fresh off the tree. To pluck an avocado from a sea of green is well worth the climb. A sprawling cashew tree provides a comfortable perch as well as delicious cashew nuts (Bottom left) A calabash in the hand is worth two on

the tree unless you have

a taller brother to help out
Homeward bound

Perhaps the best part of the day is the end, when Ted and the boys

return home to show off their delicious finds and to enjoy the fruits of their labors with Ginny, the woman

in their lives.

Below left: Ted

frequently

works against a backdrop of

lush tropical

vegetation.

Below right: Ginny Arias

bestows a . of approval for

the fresh papaya which

the boys offer as proof of an afternoon

well spent.

imi/e

October 1, 1980
Commission Divers

Canal's underwater work force

v

While the repair of damaged

commercial vessels is normally done

by commercial enterprises, Commission divers, may, under special circumstances, be asked to assist. They are also involved in the task of controlling erosion under the locks and in keeping the waterway clear of sunken debris. The job performed most often by

the divers is the routine support given

to other divisions in maintaining the Canal's floating equipment. Additionally, the divers clean a lot of "sea

strainers," the screens over the water

cooling systems of ships' engines. The

job the divers like least, and which

fortunately occurs infrequently, is the search for bodies after an accident. The Industrial Division operates a

diving school to supply personnel for the division's various underwater

projects. Though the diving course is not regularly scheduled, the school is called into session on the average of once a year as it becomes necessary

to replenish the diving staff due to

attrition, promotion and retirement. The school is under the direction of

Kenneth H. Willis, supervisor of salvage and diving. Candidates for the school are

selected from among craftsmen employed by the Industrial and Locks

divisions and are drawn from such

skills as machinist, welder, electrician and pipefitter. The Locks Division and

the Industrial Division like to maintain

a minimum force of about ten active divers each. Willis and Elbert T. Chappel, assistant supervisor of sal- vage and diving, are the only two

assigned full time to the diving unit. The other divers.who must apply and

be accepted for training at the school, work at their regular jobs until they are needed for a diving assignment. Diving

is an "additional pay assignment," that

is, during the time that a person is assigned to diving duty he receives a

higher rate of pay. Students at the diving school learn basic salvage theory, diving physics, underwater physiology, first aid and

cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). They also learn how to prevent, recognize and treat air or gas embolism and decompression sick- ness. Above all, they learn to respect

their limitations as land-dwelling, air- breathing mammals. The diving facility is housed in a wooden structure most of which is a

big open storage area for equipment and supplies. Large tables hold seemingly miles of hoses laid out in neat array, while on shelves in a small room toward the back of the building stand a variety of masks and helmets

in orderly file. The room is heated to keep it dry and to prevent the growth

of mold and mildew. All equipment is kept in top condition at all times so

that when heading out on a job divers need only grab what they need and go

to work, having no worry as to whether or not equipment will function properly. The school's office and classroom

are located to one side of the building, where nameplates salvaged from sunken ships decorate the outside

walls. The Industrial Division currently has seventeen active divers, including

the two diver supervisors; ten are Panamanian, seven are U.S. citizens. There are also sixteen diver tenders, those who help dress the divers, run

the compressors and generally handle

the above-water equipment. Diver

Far left, a dtuer tender waits and

watches topside while a diver performs an underwater inspection on the "Lloyd

Liverpool"- above left, a diver gets an

assist as he suits up for a dive: bottom,

the red and white flag signifying "use extreme caution, divers in the water" flies from the diving barge as

divers prepare to descend

tenders are recruited from the ranks

of the craftsman helpers. The diving course consists of six, 40-hour weeks and begins with a rigorous physical examination which

includes an oxygen tolerance test. During this test students are seated in the recompression chamber and are "taken down" to a depth of sixty feet where they breathe 100 percent pure oxygen for thirty minutes. "Taking down" means that the air pressure

within the chamber is altered to simulate the pressure encountered when diving to a particular depth. Ninety-nine percent of the candidates pass the test, but the one percent who

cannot would encounter serious

trouble as divers and are not per- mitted to enter the program.

While it sometimes happens that an

applicant is an ex-Navy diver, for example, and after the physical examination needs only to take a

qualifying dive to become a member of the team, most candidates are novices and start the training from the very

beginning. Divers, are trained to use

all types of diving equipment from deep sea to light gear. Most Commission diving is done with air supplied by surface air compressors located on

barges. Actual diving begins in a special 10- foot deep, 10-foot in diamater tank which is equipped to allow communication between student and

instructor and also observation through

glass portholes. It is in this tank that the divers, already skilled craftsmen,

learn to use the tools of their trade underwater. After becoming proficient in the tank, student divers are graduated to practice in Gatun Lake, where training takes place at depths between 10 and 65 feet. Actual diving depths range from very shallow to about 160 feet, while the average is around 40 feet.

October 1, 198 E Panama Canal Review 47
At left, divers examine the barnacle- encrusted "Tairona" after it is raised from the sea; left below, the Diving and

Salvage Depot on the shores of Gatun

Lake; below, the recompression

chamber.

One of the reasons why this particular site on Gatun Lake was

selected for the diving school is the

availability of a sunken ship, the "M. V. Brion, " for making practice dives. The

ship sank in January of 1934 about

thirty feet off shore. Due to the slope

of the bank, the ship, which is lying on

its port side, has its bow in 12 feet of water and its stern in 65 feet. This

gives students the opportunity to test their skills in an authentic situation and to become aware of the problems

they will face.

It would be difficult to overestimate

the importance of the practical

training the divers receive. Since

diving is, in and of itself, a dangerous

operation, adding a variety of hand

and power tools can only increase the danger. Although most ofthetoolsare

pneumatic, both electric arc and flame

welding equipment are used under- water by the divers. Besides using tools with which they

are already familiar, students must

also learn to use the various types' of

48 October 1, 1980
OCEANGOING COMMERCIAL TRANSITS BY NATIONALITY

Nationality Belgian

British Chilean Colombian

Cypriot

Chinese, Nationalist Danish

Ecuadorian French Greek German, West Honduran

Italian Japanese

Liberian Netherlands Norwegian

Panamanian

Peruvian

Philippine Singaporean South Korean

Spanish Swedish

United States USSR

Yugoslavian

All other

Total

OCEANGOING COMMERCIAL TRANSITS

OVER PRINCIPAL TRADE ROUTES

6 6 Months Months FY FY

Trade route 1980 1979 East Coast United States—Asia 1,515 1,531 East Coast United States— West Coast South America 745 765 Europe— West Coast South America 655 573

East Coast United States— West Coast Central America 636 608 Europe— West Coast United States/Canada 464 452 West Indies— West Coast South America 232 160

East Coast United States. Canada—Oceania 192 185 United States Intercoastal (including Alaska and Hawaii) 191 192 South America Intercoastal 160 179

East Coast Canada—Asia 160 166 Europe Oceania 103 112

All other 1,516 1,564 Total 6,569 6,487

OCEANGOING COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC BY MONTHS

To//s (In thousands

of dollars) 1

6 Months FY 1980
PANAMA CANAL TRAFFIC

6 Months

1980 1979 TRANSITS (Oceangoing)

Commercial 6,569 6,487

U.S. Government 40 47

Free 4 7

Total 6,613 6,541 TOLLS , Commercial $140,269,644 $105,617,016 US Government . . . 619.490 452,425

Total $140,889,134 $106,069,441 CARGO, (Oceangoing) Commercial 78,722, 167 79.605.442 US Government . . . 189.486 92.992 Free

Total 78,911,653 79.698.434

1 Includes tolls on all vessels, oceangoing and small

1 Cargo figures are in long tons.

Statistics compiled by Executive Planning Staff

facilities can be reached. Since

drydocking is very expensive, the

ability to perform maintenance work

underwater with as little interruption

in service as possible results in considerable savings. This is true not

only for transiting vessels, but also for Commission floating equipment such

as barges, tugs, cranes, launches and

dredges on which routine underwater

inspection and maintenance are regularly scheduled.

Most diving is done with very little

visibility, usually a foot or two, and

often it must be done by feel alone

when there is no visibility whatsoever.

About 25 percent of diving work is done at night, sometimes due to its emergency nature and sometimes

because of scheduling convenience.

Willis enjoys the fact that a Commission diver's work is constantly changing, that even jobs

appearing to be routine never really are because they are seldom done

twice under the same conditions.

A very special feature of being part

of the diving crew is the close camaraderie, the esprit de corps, that develops among members of the group. Theirs is a special, shared

elation when a difficult task is successfully accomplished, for they

are perhaps the only ones who fully comprehend the difficulties involved

in the job, its dangers, the cooperative

effort needed for its completion, and

the sensation of having to depend on

and to trust, in a very personal and

immediate way, the skill and concern

of others, for your very life.

PRINCIPAL COMMODITIES SHIPPED THROUGH THE CANAL

(in long tons)

Atlantic to Pacific

6 Months Commodity FY 1980 Com 6,003,810 Petroleum and products 5,924,963 Coal and coke 5,786,899 Soybeans 3,683,640 Phosphates 3,052,916 Sorghum 1,641,871 Chemicals and petroleum chemicals 1,284,548

Metal, scrap 1,057,776 Wheat 962,815 Manufactures of iron and steel 863,326

Fertilizers, unclassified 717,055 Ores, various 559,729

Caustic soda 540,502 Sugar 507,426 Paper and products 346,457

All other 6,232,769

Total 39,166,502

Pacific to Atlantic

6 Months Commodity FY 1980 Petroleum and products 16,028,921 Ores, various 3,098,519 Manufactures of iron and steel 2,967,477 Lumber and products 2,440,626 Coal and coke 1,065,064 Food in refrigeration (excluding bananas) 970,094 Sugar 944,819

Sulfur 866,269 Pulpwood 808,940

Metals, various 787, 145 Wheat 746,200 Autos, trucks and accessories 658,882 Bananas 599,164 Molasses 484,072

Salt 392,486

All other 6,696,987

Total 39,555,665

6 Months FY 1979 7,126,998

5,643,842

5,624,675

3,363,955

2,795,941

1,446,366 1,119,858

1,937,733 2,851,969 816,912 567,414

696,038

403,210

735,883

281,420

5,752,866 41,165,080

6 Months FY 1979 16,370,359 2,364,664 2,761,109

2,707,316

1,562,542 933,267

933,722 633,396

868,870

692,966

396,348

549,006

755,764 379,850

456,742

6,074,441 38,440,362

CANAL TRANSITS-COMMERCIAL AND U.S. GOVERNMENT

6 Months FY 1980

Atlantic Pacific

to to Commercial: Pacific Atlantic Total Oceangoing 3,463 3,106 6,569 Small 1 291 122 413

Total 3,754 3,228 6,982

U.S. Government:

Oceangoing 21 19 40

Small 1 126 44 170

Total 147 63 210 Grand Total 3,901 3,291 7,192

6 Months FY

1979 6,487 485

6,972

47

148

195

7,167

1 Vessels under 300 net tons. Panama Canal measurement, or under 500 displacement tons Statistics compiled by

Office of Executive Planning

50 October 1, 1980
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