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Surfing.

Qovernor W. P. cQeber

M-ercado Qrande

MAY 1967

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W. P. Leber, Governor-President

H. R. Parfitt, Lieutenant Governor

Frank A. Baldwin

Panama Canal Information Officer

0,-let^ii

Official Panama Canal Publication Published quarterly at Balboa Heights, C.Z

Printed at the Printing Plant, La Boca, C.Z. Review articles may be reprinted in full or part without

further clearance. Credit to the Review will be appreciated. Distributed free of charge to all Panama Canal Employees.

Subscriptions, $1 a year; airmail $2 a year; mail and back copies (regular mail), 25 cents each

Robert D. Kerb, Press Officer Publications Editors Morgan E. Goodwin and Tomas A. Cupas

Editorial Assistants Eunice Richard, Tobi Bittel, Fannie P. Hernandez, and Jose T. Tunon

cAbout Our Cover

THE PHOTOS on the cover depict scenes found in many

nations of the world, almost any country that has a seacoast. These pictures, however, were taken on some of Panama's finer beaches.

Surfing is a sport that captures the imagination of

participants, photographers and less ambitious, but fas- cinated, observers. An illustrated article on page 18

focuses on the intricacies of this sport which has gained

considerable refinement since it was originated in the

South Pacific. An extended article on the Canal Zone's new chief

executive, Governor W. P. Leber, begins on page 11. Gov. Leber's assignment to the Canal Zone returned him

to some old friends, made when he served here previously as Lieutenant Governor. The article takes a close look at the Governor and reflects many of his most

noteworthy impressions.

Some of the other features of this issue of the Panama

Canal Review are stories on Barro Colorado Island,

Panama's Mercado Grande, the Canal Zone training

programs that benefit individuals and the Republic of Panama, and the first auto trip across the Isthmus.

3nd(

Russ Herrington eyes the wave ahead and waits patiently for the

correct moment when he can walk forward for a good nose ride.

ex

Barro Colorado Island 3

Mercado Grande 6

Benefits to Panama 8

Governor Leber 11

Canal Telephone System 14

Transisthmian Auto Trip 16

Surfing 18

Shipping Trends, Statistics 20

Anniversaries 22

Shipping Notes 23

Canal History 24

2 May 1967
Animal behaviorist Dr. Michael Robinson peers at a spider which has built its web on a circular wooden frame placed inside the cage.

Barro Colorado Island

Draws Eminent Scientists

A MERE mention of the Isthmus of Panama suggests to many of the world's leading scientists an inconspicuous,

3,600-acre island sitting in Lake Gatun.

Rarro Colorado Island, which some

Isthmian residents are barely aware

exists, is a biological reserve and re- search station where scientists may

study, observe and experiment in ideal surroundings.

The island was formed in 1914 during

the Canal construction days when the Chagres River was dammed and the entrapped water became what is now

Lake Gatun, the principal source of water for the Canal. For the past 21

years, the Island, as the Canal Zone

Riological Area, has been operated by

the Smithsonian Institution.

It is part of the Smithsonian Tropical

Research Institute which includes also two marine biological laboratories and

a small forested area, all in the Canal

Zone. Director of the Institute is Dr. Martin H. Moynihan.

More than 100 scientists visit the

island each year to carry on work that keeps them there for periods ranging

from a few hours to several months.

Rich tropical foliage growing without

restriction, an outstanding selection of

wildlife, especially mammals, that can be observed in their own habitat, plus

laboratory facilities, and simple but

wholesome living conditions are some

of the characteristics making the pre- serve so valuable to the trained scientist. Once open to the general public, Rarro Colorado Island officials now do

not encourage visits by non-scientists.

Years ago, when tourists were invited,

they were faced with one imposing

deterrent that still exists—a narrow and

steep stairway of more than 200 steps leading from the boat dock up the hill- side to the research station that overlooks the Canal. The only elevator is a

small, makeshift affair for cargo. RCI is strictly off limits to hunters who have been known to covet game,

particularly the paca and tapir. Employees of the Smithsonian Institution patrol the 30-mile irregular shoreline in cayucos to guard against poachers.

When apprehended, violators face pros- ecution and stiff sentences. The sweeping variety of animals

found on the island is attributed to the hunting prohibition. Contrary to what

(Seep. 4)

The Panama Canal Review
Wide Variety

Of Animals

Found on BCI

(Continued from p. 3) some may tend to believe, the animals,

birds and insects found loose are indig- enous to the area and did not flock there in desperation when the waters

of Lake Gatun rose. Dr. Neal G. Smith, a staff zoologist

who spent 2 years on the island, believes

that in no other tropical region can

scientists interested in animals find them

so easily.

Creatures not native to the island are sometimes taken there in cages for observation but are not released. Those

which are or have been indigenous to the area are, at times, restocked. The layman fortunate enough to make

a brief visit finds many animals and

insects in cages, and hears their sounds,

such as the ear-shattering call of the howler monkey. But he does not see them when strolling through the more

than 40 miles of trails-each named

after a scientist and each marked

every 100 meters-which provide access

to various parts of the island. The animal population includes more

than 250 species of birds, 65 species of mammals, 22 lizards, 37 snakes, 5 turtles, 2 crocodiles, 15 toads, 16 frogs,

2 salamanders, and 22 fishes. These

figures do not take into account the

spiders, insects, other arthropods, and

mollusks common to the island. Comprising the island staff are a manager, a full-time librarian, cook,

cleaning woman, carpenter, mechanic,

boatmen, woodsmen, and animal keepers. Two full-time staff scientists currently working on the island are Dr. Michael Robinson, a British animal

behaviorist, and Dr. A. Stanley Rand,

a herpetologist from the United States! There are four interns, three from

the United States and one from France,

engaged in varied projects as part of pre-doctoral degree work. The Smithsonian Institution internship program

allows selected budding scientists to work on the island, usually for 1 or 2 years to prepare for their doctoral

Nicholas Smythe who is doing pre-doctoral work on the island, craddles a paca, also known as a conejo pmtado, m Jus arms. The paca is a large rodent common to ?he IsnTmuT

3

indigenous to the island.

dissertations. A similar program has been set up in cooperation with the Organization of American States under

which some Latin American students already have participated.

Behavior of wasps, white-faced

monkeys and rodents and the digestive

track of monkeys are a few of the

investigative areas being probed by the current group of interns. The excellent facilities and working

conditions are highly valued by visiting

scientists, some of whom bring their wives and even children to the island while they carry on their experiments. At present, there are three children, all of pre-school age, living on BCI. A fine air-conditioned library emphasizing ecology, behavior, and systematics, has more than 5,000 volumes and

receives some 85 journals. Equipment

includes photographic darkroom, typewriters, microscopes, canoes, binoculars,

balances, flight cages in the forest, field

camping, and laboratory equipment.

Supplies of wood, wire, screen, glass- ware, preservative, photographic chemicals, and certain other supplies are

available.

Air conditioned laboratory space has

sinks, benches, electrical outlets, and

shelving while animal houses provide cage and aquarium space. The research station, usually crowded

during the summer months but much

less so during the winter, can accom- modate approximately 20 research people at one time. Living quarters include

a dormitory and three comfortable but

unpretentious two-room cottages; meals

are served in a common dining room.

Living conditions are generally

healthful, thanks partially to reliable

electricity, pure drinking water and

other amenities usually not available to the scientist working in the field. A

shortwave radio provides communicaMay 1967
Dr. Robinson observes tlie behavior of assorted animals in cages on Barro Colorado Island.

tion with the mainland and by speedy

launch residents of BCI are only 25

minutes from the townsite of Gamboa.

The islanders make weekly trips to Panama City for purchases of cigarettes, film and other items. This also provides opportunities for some relaxation and a break in routine with a movie

or dinner in a downtown restaurant.

In addition to projects being carried on bv individual scientists staying on

the island, there are continuing exper- iments such as those of the Tropical

Research Branch of Eastman Kodak

which is testing tropical effects on

paper, film, lenses, glues, and other

products.

Military people involved in jungle

survival training have been taken to the

island for intensive briefings and to observe. The island's emergence as a highly

regarded scientific installation came

slowly.

It began with Dr. Thomas Barbour

of the National Research Council who

came to the Isthmus in 1922 to find a

site for a zoological research laboratory.

He met entomologist James Zetek who

was to put vears of work developing

Barro Colorado Island.

Zetek knew the region well. He had

worked for the Panama Canal's Sanitary

Department, the Republic of Panama,

the Board of Health Laboratory and

the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Together, they decided that BCI was

the most suitable area for the research

laboratory. All hunting was banned

there in i923 when Gov. Jay J- Morrow

proclaimed the island a natural park.

The next year, the first buildings were officially dedicated but distinguished men of science studied and observed on the island long before adequate

facilities were built.

Financial problems plagued the Island

for years and it had to rely on gifts from scientific institutions, universities,

philanthropists and other sources to meet

expenses. A ray of sunshine appeared

when in 1940 the U.S. Congress passed

a bill authorizing the setting aside of an area within the Canal Zone to pre- serve its natural features for scientific studv. The bill also authorized

$10,000 a year to be given for the

project's support but the appropriation was not made.

Several Government agencies pro- vided funds to support highly confidential projects during World War II. And

in 1946, the Canal Zone Biological Area became a Bureau of the Smithsonian

Institution, thus bolstering its shaky

economic foundation. Scientific groups and universities still assist the island

financially and moderate fees, just sufficient to cover board and lodging, are charged scientists.

It's a long, steep walk up a narrow stairway from the boat dock to the upper hillside and

the main part of the island. There is a makeshift elevator but this serves only for the luggage.

The Panama Canal Review
n\^m§^*<, ^J^£lj

A pile of fresh Panama pineapples, the fruit that delights every newcomer, catches the eye of the shopper who seems to know how

to make the best selection. To the left are papayas, enjoyed in many

tropical and semitropical countries.

yfiercado Qrande

3d Place Uo Shop

WHEN AN ISTHMIAN housewife needs a particular ingre- dient for that special meal and isn't sure if she can find it in the quantity and quality desired, she usually goes to the Mercado Grande.

It is Panama's largest single food market, being composed

of several departments—fish, fowl, poultry, fresh tropical

fruits and vegetables—all under one roof. The location is Calle 11 to 13 east, at Avenida Norte, near the Plaza de la Loteria in Panama Citv. The fish department outdraws all others in terms of numbers of shoppers. Tables heaped with pink and white

Panamanian shrimp, filleted and whole fish, lobster, mollusks, squid and crabs freshly caught by local fishermen are not easily passed up by customers. Open every day except important holidays, the Mercado

Grande is popular with both the average housewife and the

fastidious hostess recognized for her delectable cuisine. Most shoppers get there before 8 a.m., assuring themselves

of the best selection of merchandise. The Mercado Grande is valued by those in search of hard-to-find items but the prices alone justify a visit. Small and large stalls, bins, counters, and cubicles cluster together in general categories. The atmosphere is friendly and

relaxed, never subdued.

The market also boasts personalized service rarely found

in the coldly efficient supermarket or chain store. Good

natured haggling is an accepted part of a day's shopping at the Mercado, though some vendors never waiver from their original prices.

Bananas and more bananas. Many species of both the eating banana and the cooking

type (plaintain) abound in Panama. And

while they are sold at virtually every store and roadside stand in the Republic, the Mercado Grande offers an outstanding

choice of varieties, including the tiny, luscious primitivos.

Chickens hang by hooks in the poultry section. The men behind the counters cut up the fowl and dispense other services usually associated with the corner butcher during the "good old days" rather than in this era of frozen foods and ultra efficient supermarkets.

6 May 1967
"I'll take it," the lady tells the fish vendor who holds up one of his fresh wares. On the counter there are piles of both uncleaned fish and those cut into fillets and ready for the skillet.

* ^9Bp

This wise shopper includes a quantity of fresh shrimp on her shopping list knowing that it can be used in a sweeping variety of dishes. First time visitors to the fish counter of the Mercado Grande are often astounded at the size of the Panamanian white shrimp. About

six of these make a pound.

"What else was it that I needed?" Our

shopper seems to be lost in thought as she

strolls past the counters.

The Panama Canal Review
Panamanians,

Canal Profit

By Training

MANY AREAS of activity in the Canal

Zone have produced an upward trend

in economic benefits to Panama.

More Panamanians are being brought

into employment and into training pro- grams in the Canal organization. The

average wage has been rising steadily

for this group of employees, and < tinues to rise. Aid in the form of loans and direct grants has also brightened

the economic picture in the Republic.

and this program is continuing.

In July of 1964, there were 10,272 full time non-U.S. citizens employed by the Canal organization. By October, 1966,

this had increased to 10,758 and is continuing to grow. These figures do not

include the approximate!}' 6,000 U.S. Armed Forces and U.S. agency contract employees. The average annual salary has increased $722 since 1963. Today

it is $3,238, or $1.56 per hour. Since

1961, the average hourly rate has in- creased more than 60 percent. There

are non-U. S. citizen professional workers who earn more than $ 10.000 annually. The growing group of skilled employees includes automotive machinists, boatbuilders, cablesplicers, electri- cians, welders and many other classfi- cations. These workers averaged, as of

July, 1966, $3.02 per hour." Training

programs now in effect will put increas- ing numbers of Panamanians into these

positions, and into professional levels. An example of the rising averages is

in the employment of Panamanians by

the Canal Zone Police Division, which

has 40 Panamanians who average $5,977

annually. In the Schools Division. 121 Panamanian teachers average $6,293

annually. They are employed for 9

and 10 months, because of the school vacation period.

Five percent of the professional

level positions were held by non-U. S. citizens in June of 1959. By June of 1966 this had increased to 22 percent,

and the percentage is still growing.

There are seven programs designed

to further skills and experience of Panamanians, and each one emphasizes

progressive achievement for the more

than 500 young people involved in both full-time and part-time work. The

The Canal's Apprentice Program turns out journeymen craftsmen who have learned their trade correctly and completely. Here, apprentice Calixto J. Fabrega makes an adjustment on a piece of equipment at the Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Shop at Balboa.

largest is the Latin American Student

Assistant Program. During summer vacation periods, some 250 youngsters

in secondary schools and universities are employed. The program gives

them training and experience at a pre- professional level. The Apprentice Program is enjoying

mounting success. It is aimed at train- ing young men in various crafts used

by the Canal, and several classes have graduated. There are now 82

Panamanians employed through the program. The Craft Learnership Program, with

36 Panamanians now employed, is de- signed to prepare young men for work

in the manual category, at a level under the journeyman. This meets the need for a pool of capable employees

for apprentice consideration. The Non

Craft Learner Program, with 49 employees, offers training for various

positions.

There are now 61 non-U. S. employees

in the Office Service Intern Program.

The objective of this program is to pro- duce well trained personnel skilled in stenography and typing. There is a shortage of qualified workers in this

area. In the Cooperative Education Pro- gram, qualified university students are employed, and thev are provided train- ing with a view toward preparing them

for professional careers in administration

and technical areas. Currently, there are 27 students in this program. In another program, there are 9 university students

in varying fields. Qualifications for this program are different than those set up

for the Cooperative Education effort. Panamanians employed by the Canal

enjoy a variety of "fringe" benefits. Employment entitles the workers to participate in life and health insurance pro- grams endorsed by the Canal organization. These programs are widely used

by Panamanians, who pay low pre- miums through a group rate. There is retirement, of course, where

the employee and the U.S. Government

each contribute 6% percent of the employee's basic salary to the Civil Service

retirement fund. There are several types of retirement, and there is, in certain cases, a survivor annuity plan.

Under this. 55 percent of the annuity

that the employee had earned is paid

to the widow for widower 1 and de-

(See p. 10)

May 1967
They Learn By Doing

Serving as an efficient, cordial receptionist at Gorgas Hospital

laboratory is Lea Middleton, learning the job as an office service

intern.

Alertness is seen on the face of student trainee Mayra Calderon, who

is studying business administration at the University of Santa Maria La Antigua while serving in the Panama Canal Supply Division under the Cooperative Education program.

Preparing to strike an arc at the Industrial Division in Mount Hope

where he is employed under the Craft Leamership Program is Luis H. Ramos.

Sizing photographs is one of the techniques learned by Ramon

Almengor who works in the Panama Canal Information Office under the Cooperative Education Program. Almengor majors in English at the University of Panama.

The Panama Canal Review
Cmployee JSenefjitd cAre ^Alany,

(Continued from p. 8)

pendent children. Under ordinary retire- ment, an employee who retires for age

can draw up to 80 percent of the basic

salary that he was paid during his highest 5 consecutive years of service.

Other benefits include the 208 hours

(26 working days) of paid leave earned

by all non-U. S. employees each year and 10 paid holidays. And all employees of the Canal organization are

eligible to use the facilities of Gorgas

and Coco Solo Hospitals.

Some $115 million annually reaches

the Panamanian economy through the Panama Canal, Armed Forces, and other

U.S. agencies located in the Republic.

An example of direct economic

impact by the Armed Forces and the Panama Canal are payrolls. The Aimed

Forces annual payroll to non-U. S. cit- izens amounts to more than $18 million while the Panama Canal payroll, in- cluding pensions and retirement, paid

to Panamanians is nearly $-i0 million.

Several areas of economic activity in the Canal Zone contribute significantly

to Panama's economy. These include

direct purchases in Panama by U.S. Government agencies of $14.4 million; the purchase in Panama of goods by

private organizations operating in the Zone, $9.2 million; contractors' purchases in Panama of goods and services

for Canal Zone projects, $5 million; and

the total expenditures in the Republic

by Canal Zone residents, $21.4 million.

Panamanians play an important role

in the operation of the Canal and its related activities. Many also are taking

advantage of the opportunities offered by the Canal Zone training programs

to learn specialized skills. Panamanians

working and studying in the Canal Zone

are making significant contributions to the economic development of their own country and increasing Panama's

pool of highly trained technicians vital to the continued economic growth of Panama.

Under the watchful eye of machinist maintenance-instructor John A. Selstad, 4th year apprentice machinist Roland S. Joseph cuts a pinion gear for an arbor on a milling machine at the Industrial Division's machine shop.

10 May 1967
Governor Leber's View:

Canal's Future Role Vital

THERE IS one common denominator

of the men who have governed the Canal

Zone: all have been career officers, with

a background in Army Engineering and

administration. The new governor brings

these qualities to his position, but his point of view suggests a great deal more—the inquiring mind of the scholar, the open mind of the judge, the stu- dent's ability to listen, and when the

facts are in, the executive's ability

to decide. That's a tall order for a leader to fill. But the adjectives people use to describe Gov. Walter P. Leber tell you

that he measures up to it. He is energetic, but not boisterous. When he lis- tens, whether in an interview or a conversation, he is not merely being polite—

you have his full attention. His answers and comments reveal an honestv that comes from thoroughgoing consideration and careful judgement. A thoughtful analyst, he is not noted for tossing

off pronouncements. When he does

speak, people feel compelled to listen, not because he is the governor, but

because they respect his knowledge and

have confidence in his ability. Two years as Lieutenant Governor

(1961-63), grounded Governor Leber

in Canal operations. He views his return in terms of its challenge and is impressed by the changes since his de- parture in 1963. "I noticed significant progress when I visited David recently,"

he said. "That area has come a long

way in 4 years and the people there have a real understanding of progress and its benefits." He also is struck by the construction

that mushrooms over the Republic. "You

sec it quickly in Panama City, where

an amazing growth has taken place in the past 4 years. "More people should see Panama; its potential for tourism is very high. All the ingredients are here—weather, fine

fishing, historical sights, facilities and

easy access. But I wish more people

would discover this meeea. As Panama

improves its roads and other facilities, an improved tourist picture will follow. Of course, the Canal is an attraction,

and we have a role in supporting efforts

to attract more visitors. "The flow of people is increasing, and

this is encouraging. T wish more would

come, particularly leaders from the United States and elsewhere. Panama

and the ('anal are vital places, and the

situation here should be familiar to as many leaders as possible. I have talked

to people who have an idea that Pan- ama is all an undeveloped jungle. These

are intelligent people, but they have

never been here. We want them to come, and learn, so that they can develop a

thorough and honest view of the area and its problems."

An outdoor type tourist himself, the Governor likes to get about, and while

he isn't the "desperate" type fisherman, he enjoys immensely the blue waters, sunshine and scenery of a fishing

trip to the Pearl Islands. He likes to

fish "when they are biting," but it's (See p. 12)

Governor Leber shown with Mrs. Leber, their son, Philip Kevin, 11, and their pet boxer, Eric. Daughter Bonnie Gay, 14, and Randy, 21, a business administration major at the University

of Ohio, were not on the Isthmus at the time this photo was taken.

The Panama Canal Review II
"More people should see Pan- ama; its potential tor tourism

is very high. AH the ingredients are here—weather, fine fishing . . . facilities . . ."

"A man wonders 'What about my family? My job? What's

going to happen to me?' . . . But I think some people are overly apprehensive. . . . We

need these fine people."

i

Governor Leber gestures while making a point during an interview. He discussed some personal views, his family and the Canal's future.

"I'm optimistic. I think the United States and Panama

will come up with a satisfac- tory agreement that will meet

the approval of most people."

Lebers Happy

To Be Back

(Continued from p. 11)

about half and half with him—half relaxation and soaking up the view and

half fishing. He also likes to play golf. There isn't enough time, of course, when

you hold a demanding job, but Governor Leber makes the most of his spare

hours. "The job takes more than 8 hours

a day but I'm not complaining. This means your job is interesting. And in the Army, your job changes every few

years and you have to spend time learn- ing the ropes in a new situation." And

he reads. "There is never time to do all the reading you'd like. . . ." Not inci- dentally, a Governor who is also the

father of 3 children admits with some

pride: "Three kids take up a lot of time. As a result of all this, I run into

a few complaints at home—generally

along the line that I am not around as much as I should be." But when he is around, say on Sunday, he likes nothing

better than a trip to Gatun Lake "which

is another reason why I like it here. Where else can vou go water skiing on Sunday afternoon and be home in time

for dinner?"

The 15,000 people who operate the Panama Canal also enjoy life here, and

their problems and welfare are at the

top of Governor Leber's agenda. He is aware of their preoccupation with im- pending change, and his view of the

future is summed up in a word: optimism. "I understand this overriding concern, particularly when there are talks

in progress. A man wonders "What

about my family? My job? What's going

to happen to me?"

He has a strong opinion on the mettle

of the Canal famil) : "These people have

done an outstanding job in operating

the Canal, keeping it modern, clean and

efficient. The United States can be nothing but proud of them, and I think other

countries, particularly maritime nations. must also have a great respect for their achievement." "But I think some people are overlv apprehensive: I don't believe the changes are going to be drastic, or detri- mental. And I don't forsee there will be any great change in employee benefits, such as wages and the fringe benefits. We need these fine people; more and more ships must be put through, and

for a long time. That isn't going to

12 May 1967
change and you need the talent to get

the job done."

Still, people speculate "What will happen if my job is gone?" Governor

Leber replies, "I don't believe this will happen, or that it's something to worry

about. The President and the Congress

will stand behind Americans, no matter where they are. When the treaty comes, some people will leave, regardless of what is agreed upon. But I hope not.

If they go we'll have to recruit others,

train others, and this means time and

expense.

"I don't know what will come out of the negotiations or when, but one of my goals is to find out what people are concerned about and discuss these issues while the talks are in progress. For example— retirement, or benefits. How

would the emplovees like to see things

set up? There's no guarantee, but I think the negotiators would appreciate

these ideas. These talks should be in the open but at the same time, they

shouldn't interfere with the negotiations.

"I expect that some of the basic concern centers about facilities and

services. I have no doubt that the worry over schools, or hospitals, is excessive.

1 am certain that a school system with

U.S. teachers will continue to provide an education with a U.S. cultural base. We have to provide these services be- cause they are necessary to operate the Canal. I really can't see any reason to suppose that medical services would not

continue. You hear a lot about the law. We have and will continue to operate

under the law here, and I am sure

provisions will be made for continuing

a good legal system.

"The scope of these negotiations is very involved, very broad. It reaches

into the future as far as anyone can sec. The sea level canal is an example. Histoid tells us that prior to the present

Canal there were talks for some time. My point is that we should not get too impatient with this business. Talk and

debate must take place, and complex

issues require time." The Governor sums up, "I'm optimistic. I think the United States and

Panama will come up with a satisfactory

agreement that will meet the approval

of most people."

Recently arrived to join Governor

Leber are his favorite people—Mrs.

Leber, and son Philip Kevin, 11. Daughter Bonnie Gay, 14, will finish her term

in the ninth grade in a few weeks, and

son Rand)' will finish his sophomore year

at the University of Ohio at the same

time. Randy, 21, is a business administration major. Randy and Bonnie will

join the family here in June. The family

enjoyed the first tour here and is look- ing forward to this one, the Governor

said. Family friends also have arrived—

boxer dog and two Siamese cats. Mrs.

Leber, who likes birds and enjoys gar- dening, will probably resume her in- terest in birds with some type of small

aviary, and a good deal of her time will be taken up in getting settled, he added. For Governor Leber, the time ahead

will be challenging. He accepts that challenge in much the same spirit he

has applied to his career in the Arm\

"I have thought many times about mv

years in the Army, opportunities else- where, and the meaning of what one

does in life. After all, what is really valuable? I think a man has found the value and purpose in his life when he

can look back over the years and

feel that perhaps he has contributed

something worthwhile to others, and

to society."

At the Central American Fair in David, Governor Leber visits the Kodak pavilion where Humberto A. Young, Kodak's publicity director

in Panama, briefs the Governor. The fair at David was one of the many functions the Governor attended shortly after returning to the Isthmus.

The Panama Canal Review 13
PC Telephone

System Begun

By the French

CANAL ZONE history does not state whether Col. George Washington Goethals, builder of the Panama Canal and

first Governor of the Canal Zone, ever

listened in on a teenager's telephone

conversation; or tried to contact some- one bv telephone onlv to receive a continuous busv signal. There's no doubt, however, about

his order issued July 12, 1912: "Tele- phone conversations will be limited to 5 minutes." In this same order, unlimit- ed sen ice—telephone calls to anywhere

in the Canal Zone-was restricted to heads of the four Isthmian Canal Commission divisions and their chief clerks, who were also exempt from the 5-minute

time limit. The Canal Zone's telephone history dates from 1882 when the first conversation, in French, crackled over the newly installed lines. La Compagnie

Nouvelle du Canal de Panama, successor to La Compagnie Universelle du

Canal Interoceanique, was proud of the installation of this new invention,

and reported on the arrival of the ap- paratus in an 1882 issue of a French

Canal publication.

The first models to arrive on the Isthmus consisted of a walnut case mounted on an adjustable stand to make one of the earliest desk sets. Shortly thereafter, the instrument was

encased in oak and was one of the first side-winder models on which a crank

turned to signal the operator.

The Isthmian Canal Commission

inherited the Canal's telephone system

in 1904 when President Theodore

Roosevelt appointed Adm. John G. Walker first chairman of the First Isth- mian Commission for the construction

of the Panama Canal. Onlv a few telephones were permitted to be installed in residences when

the building of the Canal began. Thev

were for the ICC chairman, the chief

of the Health Office, the superintendent

of the Panama Railroad and a few offi- cials who were on call for emergencies.

Bv that time, there were probably

about 2 dozen telephones in the Canal Zone and all were free. In 1909.

Mrs. Fay R. Stanford, a native of Harleton, Te«., formerly served as a long distance operator with Southwestern Bell in Marshall, Tex. She has been with the Canal organization as an

operator since 1963.

however, Colonel Goethals permitted

the installation of residential telephones

at the expense of the applicant and a residential rate of $2.50.

All telephone and telegraph facilities of the ICC were turned over to the Panama Railroad in 1909. The tele- phone system was operated and maintained by the Electrical Division thereafter and in 1950 possession of these

facilities went to the Panama Canal

organization. It now forms the Communications Branch of the Electrical Division. Beginning in April 1914, applications

for installation of telephones had to be

made bv letter to the employee's department head, who referred it to the general manager of the railroad. The appli- cant then was furnished an estimate of the cost, which he had to pay in addition to the $2.50 monthly rental. Personal phone calls. Governor Goethals ordered also in 1914, were not to be made during working hours. At this time, Class A (residential) and Class B

(official) telephones were established. Class A cost $2.50 per month with a 25-cent additional toll charge for trunk

calls, and Class B cost $7.50 per month

for unlimited service. Both classes were

restricted for 5-minute conversations

during working hours. The Electrical Division took over the

cost of all official telephone installa- tions, changes and removals in 1915. No charges were made to subscribers

for installation of private phones unless the cost was excessive, but residence

phone calls continued to be limited to 5 minutes during working hours. A monthly rate of $3 was set for residence phones in 1917 when all residence phones were granted unlimit- ed service privileges. The congestion

of trunk lines caused bv long distance

calls across the Isthmus became so troublesome, however, that 3 months

later all phone users were requested to confine social calls between the hours

of 4 p.m. and 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. to

1 p.m. With the opening of the Canal, the telephone system began to expand.

Telephones were provided to all ex- ecutives, pilots and local personnel on

call, followed bv utility workers on call for emergency service. There was still an air of adventure

in the use of Canal Zone telephones in 1925 when the dial telephone system was installed. This converted the Pan- ama Canal system from a manuallv

operated system to the dial telephone

and to use of automatic telephone

exchanges.

Today's maze of wires, automatic

switches equipment and microwave

installations make almost instant service

possible. To call a number by means

of a dial, to have the telephone being

called continue to ring until answered,

to be notified instantlv if the line is busv and to have a connection kept

throughout a conversation, are all taken

for granted.

Currently there are more than 10.200

official and residence telephone instru14 May 1967
ments in service in the Panama Canal

telephone system, excluding the Armed

Forces. The telephone system has 6

automatic telephone exchanges, the 2 major ones being in the Administration Building, Balboa Heights, and in Building 1907 at Cristobal. Four

remote-controlled exchanges are locat- ed at Gamboa, Gatun, Coco Solo and

Pedro Miguel. The Locks Division and

Pedro Miguel, Miraflores and Gatun

has its own telephone system, which

is linked to the regular Panama Canal

automatic system.

The Panama Canal telephone system

is manned bv 63 employees, including

18 information operators—4 are regular, 3 are relief operators and 2 are night

operators on each side of the Isthmus. Panama Canal information operators

still provide the personal touch in many

areas that, elsewhere, have been taken

over bv automation. Dial 112 and a pleasant voice gives the time of day; dial 114 and the same pleasant voice may

help find an elusive telephone number

or help establish a telephone contact; 110 emergencv calls to the Canal Zone

Police and 119 emergency calls to the

Fire Department are monitored until the operator is certain the contact has

been made.

Despite the fact that the Poison Center telephone number is on Page 1 of the telephone book, the information

operators continue to receive desperation calls on 114 from persons who

have found Johnnv eating some strange

berries, or Susie chomping on frothy

leaves. The information operators have to be mind readers sometimes, too. One

dav a frantic woman dialed information and cried: "We need a vegetarian.

Quick!" She actuallv wanted to contact a veterinarian and the correct connection was swiftly made bv the alert telephone operator.

Not all the calls for help come from

people needing the police, fire department, poison center, or a doctor or ambulance. Mrs. Lillian E. Ryan re- members one call for help from a couple

who wanted to get married. The pro- spective bridegroom had received his overseas militarv assignment orders sooner than he had expected and all

offices were closed for the dav. Mrs. Ryan had never plaved Cupid before,

but she provided the right answers and wedding bells soon rang. Panama Canal telephone operators

have "the voice with a smile" and all the espirit de corps and personality that goes with it. Thev are the "unseen people" in the organization and except for coming to work and departing for home, seldom leave their work area.

Peter W. Foster, left, leader Central Office repairman, and Frederick R. Walker, Central

Office repairman, shown with new communications equipment that has been installed in the Administration Building. Foster, with 17 years Panama Canal service, is a graduate of the Canal's apprentice program, worked in Cristobal and came to the Pacific side office 2 years ago. Walker served his Canal apprenticeship in Cristobal and has been on the Pacific side about 2 years also.

In the Administration Building in Bal- boa Heights, unlike other employees

whose 1-hour lunch time permits a

leisurelv lunch in the building's cafeteria or at home, the information operators have only 20 minutes for lunch. Every 2 hours they have a 5-minute

break. The operators on duty at the

Cristobal telephone exchange have the same 20-minute lunch period and 5- minute breaks. Few know the Canal

operators by name, but there's scarcely

a person in the Canal Zone or Pan- ama City who hasn't had contact and

received assistance from them.

Typical of the efficiency of these operators is an incident which occurred

in 1962 when a Canal organization employee had placed an official telephone

call to New Orleans via Tropical Radio.

The call concerned the purchase of some medicine and was urgent.

The caller asked that he be reached

at his residence upon completion of the

call because the hour was late. Arriv- ing home, he found his telephone out

of order and used a neighbor's phone

to report it. Before service was restored, his call from New Orleans came through to Balboa Heights exchange. The operators on duty, Mrs. Mary W. Hall and Mrs.

Lillian T. Sieler, held the Tropical Radio operator on the line and determined the location of the telephone nearest

to the caller's home where the man

making the call was reached. A subscriber can call to anywhere in the Canal Zone or to the cities of Pan- ama or Colon without an extra charge,

regardless of the distance. This is an advantage over telephone service in the United States where you must pay

extra for calls outside an exchange area.

The Panama Canal Review 15
They Rode

The Rails

In An Auto

OLD TIME race car enthusiasts

may recall 1916 as the year the

Indianapolis "500" was a 300-mile

race won by Dario Resta, averaging an astounding 84 miles per hour in a Peugeot.

No one had yet heard of Juan

Fangio, Sterling Moss or Jim Clark

but it was a big year automotively.

It was the year a Panama Canal

motor car inspector became the first man to drive across the Isthmus.

From the Pacific to the Atlantic by

car in just 1 day.

The great event was duly recorded

with a 3-page, illustrated article in the August, 1916, issue of Motor

magazine.

Samuel Grier, Jr., had for years aspired to be the first motorist to cross the Isthmus, probably from the time

he arrived in Panama in 1906 from the United States where he had done considerable automotive machine work.

Upon reaching the Isthmus, he went

to work as a machinist in the Gorgona

shops and in 1912 became the motor- man of the "Yellow Peril," the official inspection car of Chirf Engineer Col. George W. Goethals, during Canal

construction days.

Grier. accompanied by R. M. McKenna and Grier's bull pup Marnique, had

to drive his 1912 Haynes on the bed

of the Panama Railroad as far as he

could because there was no road span- ning the entire distance at the time. More than 23 jolting miles of the trip was made on the track itself. It was 6:25 a.m. when he dipped

the rear wheels of his car into the

Pacific; then he proceeded from Pan- ama Citv to the Canal Zone roads,

passing through Ancon and Corozal. The first stop was at Pedro Miguel, a

junction point on the railroad. The main

line went to Colon and the branch line

to the west side of the Canal bv means

of a pontoon bridge, going to the comThe "Go-Go" boys of 1916—Samuel Grier and his companion, R. M. McKenna, set out

for their ocean-to-ocean auto trip across the Isthmus. Here they are shown in Ancon at the beginning of the feat which was accomplished by using the Panama Railroad bed for part

of the way.

munities of Culebra. Empire and Las

Cascadas.

From Pedro Miguel, Grier drove

along the east bank of the Canal on a road which had recently been finished. Near Paraiso, the road led up and over Gold Hill, the highest hill on the Isth- mus and from which they could look

across to Culebra on the other side of the Canal. The road from Gold Hill narrowed sharply so that for some

3 miles it was almost impossible for two cars to pass.

Approximately 2 miles before Gamboa, Grier had to leave the road and move to the railroad bed where he was

handed the train order "Havnes Special

Number 6," which controlled him while

he was on the right-of-way.

From this point, it was a continuous

series of jouncing and bumping over

ties, tie plates, spikes, ballast bridges and

switches—all 23 miles to Gatun. From

time to time he had to leave the track

to make way for the Transcontinental

Limited.

16 May 1967
and mining and manufacturing would

record a gain of around 14 percent."

MITI forecasts that the biggest in- creases will be found in imports of raw

materials and fuel. The growth of mining and manufacturing and the growing

market for food and manufactured items

also would record an overall gain. The

demand for consumer goods, spurred by

increasing prosperity, also will push up

imports.

From increased imports of raw materials and fuels and manufactured goods,

it is anticipated that in the last half of the current fiscal year as compared to the first half, the increase would amount

to 11.1 percent.

The increase in imports in the first half of the current fiscal year will be

for food and lumber associated with

higher consumer consumption, for greater housing construction, and for increased industrial activity.

The MITI report said indications were that foods, raw materials and fuel and finished manufactures all were go- ing to show an increase of more than 10 percent as compared to the corresponding period of the preceding fiscal year. Conspicuous is the anticipated increase

of 21.3 percent for raw materials and fuel. Imports of fuel are figured at $359

million and foods and beverages at $369 million, up 69.3 and 18 percent

respectively.

Canal figures showed an increase of 11.5 percent in the amount of coal ship- ments alone destined for Japan passing

through the Canal from the U.S. east coast during the first 6 months of the

present fiscal year as compared to a

similar period in the previous fiscal year. From this it would appear that the out- look for Canal traffic is most promising

for the immediate future.

PRINCIPAL COMMODITIES SHIPPED THROUGH THE CANAL

(All cargo figures in long tons) Pacific to Atlantic

Commodity

Third quarter, fiscal year1967

Lumber —

Ores, various Iron and steel manufactures

Sugar Bananas

Refrigerated food products

(excluding fresh fruit) Metals, various _.._.. Fishmeal

Barley Petroleum and products (excluding asphalt) Pulpwood

Canned food products

Nitrate of soda

Potash

Coffee

All others

Total

1,331,324

1,164,642

713,690

432,293

364,031

341,895

311,820

310,136

271,098

268,076

203,589

200,181

154,562

150,135

140,711

2,022,435

1966

8,380,618

1,251,227

1,494,732

608,126

522,177

339,127

293,646

295,591

399,164

346,927

271,919

173,451

184,637

201,231

72,658

102,385

2,436,423

5-Yr. Avg. 1961-65

1,061,098

1,669,063

253,747

467,720

293,481

264,520

304,018

N.A.

195,091

410,399

126,688

222,514

220,844

5,528

100,400

2,216,278

8,993,421 7,811,389

Atlantic to Pacific

Third quarter, fiscal year- Commodity

Petroleum and products (excluding asphalt). Coal and coke

Phosphate

Scrap metal- _ Cor

Iron and steel manufactures- Soybeans

Ores, various Chemicals, unclassified Sulphur

Cotton, raw

Rice Sugar

Paper and paper productsMachinery

All others TotaL

1967
ANNIVERSARIES

(On the basis of total Federal Service)

MARINE BUREAU

Caliman Bernard Leader Linehandler (Deckhand

Boatswain)

Eduardo L. Melbourne

Clerk Typis^

ENCIN TION

Sidne Time and L

Hubert L. Clerk (Water Meters)

Harold L. Duncan

Oiler (Floating Plant)

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

Man- F. Anderson

Secretary' (Stenography)

OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER

Daniel Oper

Charles Supervisor JohnAud

CES

DIVISION

Harold L. Anderson

Office Services Manager

Egbert E. Turpin

Mail Clerk

MARINE BUREAU

Ira D. Paddyfoot Leader Carpenter Leonard A. Barret Helper Lock Operator

Granville Ottey Linehandler (Deckhand)

Allan A. Joseph

Linehandler (Deckhand)

Stanley S. Anderson

File Clerk Gordon L. C. Alleyne

Toolroom Attendant Joseph U. Henlon

Painter TRANSPORTATION AND

BUREAU

Joseph Crosdale Maintenanceman (Dock) Ivanhoe Motfatt Guard

Candelario Espada

Liquid Fuels Valve M

Lucius C. Powell

Clerk

Sigbert Roberts High Lift Truck Operator

SUPPLY AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

BUREAU

Clannis Cheltenham

Laborer (Heavy)

Evelyn A. Hinds

Lead Foreman Meat Cutter Oscar S. Butler Clerk

Louis H. Schmidt, Jr. Retail Store Department Manager (Gas

Station) David S. Beckett

Restaurant Manager

Atanacio Ramos

Laborer (Heavy) Arthur Hilton L«ader Milk Plant Worker

Alfred W. Anderson Warehouseman

Joshua U. Robinson

Sales Store Manager

Joseph N. Alleyne

Personnel Clerk Romulo Palacio Laborer (Heavy)

Edger Ogarra

Sales Store Clerk Cayetano De Sedas Garbage Collector RING AND CONSTRUCTION

BUREAU

Operator

What's all the excitement? It's the pay car at Culebra January 12, 1908.

icia ler -linger man, Refrigeration and Air ng Mechanic

.. Will

Construction Inspector (General) Joseph Amantine

Leader Seaman

Claude S. Brathwaite Helper Electrician James A. Leach

Helper Machinist (Maintenance) Alexander James

Oiler Vincent E. Trotman Seaman

F. C. Willoughby Foreman (Mechanical) Power Station Hilton S. Nurse Seaman

McCurdie Robinson Motor Launch Operator

Victor N. Burrows

Oiler Carmen Batista Electrician (Lineman)

Melvin M. Julie Supply Clerk Byron E. Brooks Accounts Maintenance Clerk

Alejandro A. Hunt

JoinerCIVIL AFFAIRS BUREAU

Larry J. Miller

Firefighter Milton J. Halley Finance Branch Superintendent Leo M. Blades Detention Guard

William K. McCue

Finance Branch Superintendent James A. Rodgers

Dressing Room Attendant HEALTH BUREAU

Earl S. Walrond

File Clerk Hubert Edwin Yard

Industrial Hygienist Ivy M. Thompson

Nursing Assistant Joseph P. Thomas

Meat Cutter

22 May 1967
Anniversary

SHIPPING

Medallion

CAPT. MAFFEO ZONCA, who recentlymade his last visit to the Panama Canal

this year as master of the Italian cruise

liner Federico C, has received a Panama

Canal Anniversary Book and a silver 50 year anniversary medallion from

Capt. E. B Rainier, Cristobal Port

Captain.

The farewell presentation was made

in the Captain's office aboard the ship

in the presence of Donald Francey,

representative of C. B. Fenton & Company, agents for the ship here. Captain Zonca has made 4 visits

to Cristobal this year bringing to Pan- ama more than 2,000 tourists. The ship

made 1 more visit to Cristobal early

in April. Next year the Federico C. is expected to make 9 calls at Cristobal

as part of her West Indian cruise program. Captain Zonca is returning to the line's home office in Genoa and is expected

to be transferred there to the command

of the Eugenio C, the new flagship of the Linea Costa Fu Andrea which runs between Europe and South American

ports. She may join the Federico C. in Caribbean cruising next year.

Yacht Due on Freighter

THE 12-METER yacht Dame Pattie, Australia's newest contender for the America's Cup Race to be sailed off Newport this September, is expected to come through the Canal sometime in June as a most distinguished passenger from Australia to New York aboard a cargo liner of the Columbus Line. An

article in a recent Shipping Digest

savs the vacht should arrive in New

York at the end of June. After that the Dame Pattie will be fitted out and start tune up trials during July and August

off Newport. The first race of the America's Cud is scheduled to begin September 12. The America's Cup Challenger

Syndicate, a group of yachting enthusiasts and businessmen who are sending Dame Pattie, nominated the Co- lumbus Line to represent their contender in New York. The line, represented

at the Canal bv C. Femie & Company,

will work with the Australian consulate and other government representatives

as well as the yachting press in New

York and Australia.

PANAMA CANAL TRAFFIC

STATISTICS FOR THIRD QUARTER

FISCAL YEAR 1967 TRANSITS (Oceangoing Vessels) 1967 1966

Commercial 1,079 1,060

U.S. Government 77 50

Total 1,156 1,110

TOLLS"

Commercial $6,833,708

U.S. Government- 491,960

$6,048,482

257,000

Total $7,325,668

CARGO00 Commercial 7,909,287

U.S. Government- 521,522

$6,305,482

7,192,934

176,811

Total 8,430,809 7,369',745

• Includes tolls on all vessels, oceangoing and

small. 00 Cargo figures are in long tons.

Japanese Floating Fair

A JAPANESE floating trade fair aboard

the 12,611 ton liner Sakura Maru is scheduled to visit the Panama Canal in

July following a cruise including calls

at Montreal, Houston, New York, and

New Orleans. The ship, after leaving

the Canal, will go to Los Angeles, San

Francisco, Portland, Seattle, and Vancouver, the last port of call before she

returns to Tokyo.

United States Popular Liner

THE SUPERLINER United States, largest passsenger liner in the United

States merchant marine and the fastest

in the world, carried a total of 52,109

passengers eastbound and westbound

on the North Atlantic service in 1966—

more than any other single vessel operating on the route, according to a note

in a recent issue of the Shipping Digest.

The 52,000 ton ship also carried 4,044

passengers on West Indies cruises for a combined total of 56,153 persons. The

United States, which has made several

visits to Cristobal, made 40 Atlantic crossings and 4 West Indian cruises

in 1966. In 1967 she will make 38

Atlantic crossings and 5 cruises.

Another Non-Customer

THE WORLD'S largest ship the 210,000 deadweight tanker Idemitsu

Maru was delivered in December 1966

to her owner the Idemitsu Tanker Company, Ltd., a subsidiary of Idemitsu

Kosan KK. With a length of 1,122 feet and a molded breadth of 163 feet, the ship will join the growing fleet of bulk

carriers and tankers too big to transit the Panama Canal. According to an item in the Maritime

Reporter, the Idemitsu Maru is the first vessel in the world to pass the 200,000

dwt mark Her 122-foot bridge equals

the height of an 11 story building and

her molded depth is 76 feet but she is one of the most economical and efficient tankers afloat. On her maiden voyage

in mid-December, the ship, whose crew numbers only 32, carried a full load of crude oil from Kuwait for Idemitsu

Kosan's refinery at Tokuyama, Japan.

1100

JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN

MONTHS

The Panama Canal Review 23
CANAL HISTORY

50 yearJ o4go

THE U.S. -FLAG steamship Minnesota,

which made the transit of the Canal

February 27, 1917, was the largest ship

to have used the Canal to that date. The Minnesota also was the largest ship

under the U.S. flag at that time. Her

cubic capacity was 1,191,000 cubic feet and her deadweight capacity 22,500

tons. Her operators said she had greater cargo capacity than any other ship

in the world. Prior to the passage of the Minnesota, the record for size of ships using the Canal was held by the Finland and Kroonland, each with a length of 560 feet and beam of 60 feet 2 inches. A second group of ward buildings of the new Ancon (now Gorgas) Hospital was finished in April 1917 and were

thrown open to public inspection. A

group of hospital employees conducted

visitors through the new buildings ex- plaining the various conveniences and

giving them an opportunity to see the advanced sanitary construction. According to the Panama Canal Record, the buildings, erected on the northeast slope of Ancon Hill within the grounds of the old hospital, were ar- ranged to make the most of the" view

over the city of Panama and across the

hills to the north and the Bay of Pan- ama. Two other groups of buildings,

each to accommodate 190 beds, and a separate building for contagious diseases, were still to be built. The Admitting Office and the Board of Health

Laboratory were practically completed.

The Panama Canal Record of April

25 prints the declaration of war bv the United States against the Imperial

German Government.

25 yiearJ c4go

WORLD WAR II was beginning to play a larger part in the day-to-day

lives of the people who lived in the Canal Zone 25 years ago.

Instructions were issued to civilian and military personnel on how to recover barrage balloons which had escaped

from their moorings around vital instal- lations. In the Canal Zone 431 air-raid shelters had been completed or were

under construction. Strict regulations

governing the taking of photographs

and possession of cameras in or about

the Canal Zone were issued. Some 250

local students began turning out the

scale model planes to be used in aircraft recognition training.

The razing of a number of buildings

at Gatun and Pedro Miguel was started by the Panama Canal. Tests had shown

that buildings burning on or above the

level of the locks would light up the

locks and possibly aid in accurate bombing. "Light fences" 26 feet high were

built along the locks. As an indirect result of war conditions, the Panama Railroad announced that the color of its passenger coaches was

A cool dip in the Balboa pool was just as welcomed in 1922 as it is today.

to be changed from the oldtime maroon

to a new Pullman green. The maroon

paint had been made with a cadmium

base which, became expensive and

difficult to obtain because of the war.

10 yearJ c4ao

THE ANSWER to the Panama Canal's most pressing problem—how to fit more

and larger ships in the Panama Canal

without making changes that would

cost billions of dollars—was being sought

10 years ago by a special committee

known officially as the Ad Hoc Committee headed by former Gov. William E.

Potter. Its members included two directors of the Panama Canal, Maj. Gen.

Julian L. Schley, a former Governor of the Canal Zone, and Ralph A. Tudor,

well-known consulting engineer from

San Francisco. The committee developed a program

aimed at eliminating delays to the

Canal's continually increasing traffic and

to consider improvements needed during the next decade to provide efficient and safe transits. The movements of commodities which make up 7.5 percent

of the cargo passing through the Canal were studied for their past, present

and expected performance. Officers of more than two dozen shipping companies, banks, industries and foreign trade associations were questioned to obtain this information and their reports correlated with past Canal movements. Group health insurance for Canal

employees became an accomplished fact 10 years ago when more than 50 percent

of the Canal force was enrolled in a group plan underwritten by Mutual of Omaha and administered by an employee Group Health Insurance Board. Both U.S. -citizen and non-U.S. -citizen employee groups met the 50 percent

goal. The Health Insurance plan was

the first such available to employees as a whole. One year c4ao

THE SUCTION dredge Mindi was put

to work last March in the narrow confines of Gaillard Cut to dredge a 50-year

accumulation of silt. It was part of a long-range program of sweeping the

entire Cut bottom using the Mindi and

other dredging equipment. The work of dredging in this area was made feasible by modification of the Mindi pump to provide a higher discharge pressure, and by the progress in widening of the Cut, which permits the big dredge to remain in position without interfering

with ship traffic.

24 May 1967




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