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Gift ofthe Panama Canal Museum .US.

Vol. 6, No. 3 BALBOA HEIGHTS, CANAL ZONE, OCTOBER 7, 1955 5 cents COMPANY BUDGETS EXPENDITURE OF $7,170,000

FOR REPLACEMENT OF LOCKS TOWING LOCOMOTIVES

Canal Zone's Front Door

CRISTOBAL TODAY bears little resemblance to Cristobal of 1907 and absolutely none to the old French village of the 1880's. Here, looking across the railroad tracks is the Cristobal fire station, on the right, with part of Steamship Row in the background. Cristobal's story begins on page 8.

"Good School System" Is Opinion Of

Evaluators Who Visited Canal Zone

(Following is the first in a series of four

articles reviewing reports on Balboa and

Cristobal High Schools and the Canal Zone

Junior College as prepared by Visiting Committees representing the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary

Schools who were here in February and

March 1954 for the purpose of evaluating

the three schools for accreditation.) Placed against a severe yardstick of excellence, the Canal Zone schools have

measured up to size. The degree to which a sound education

program is being conducted in the Zone is enunciated in a special written report and

in graphic summaries received by the Schools Division from the Philadelphia

Pa., Office of the Chairman of the Commission on Secondary Schools of the Middle States Association. The detailed reports are the tangible outcomes of an

extensive evaluation and inspection pro- cedure which had been in progress over

the past two years.

Offering convincing evidence that it

is no myth that the Canal Zone school

plant, teachers, methods, and pupils, compare most favorably with the best in their

fields in the continental United States, these reports have been forwarded as a guide for use in further improving the school system. The findings provide a highly professional and objective list of both commendations and recommendations. "A good school system, intelligently

administered for the welfare of boys and

girls" is the way the Zone's educational

plant is described in the overall special

report written by Dr. Ira K. Kraybill,

Executive Secretary of the Commission

on Secondary Education who was as- signed by the Middle States Association

to serve as Chairman of the Visiting Committee to study and evaluate the Balboa

and Cristobal high schools. In his paper, furnished as being of "some value in presenting overall impressions of the two schools by someone who

has no local connections," Dr. Kraybill

praises the "fine caliber of the personnel

of the school system in the Canal Zone. From the Superintendent down to the newest teacher excellent background,

good professional skill See page is)

Specifications Call

For Speedier "Mules"

With Greater Pull

The biggest single replacement order for Canal equipment—cost-wise— in the history

of the waterway is scheduled

for this fiscal year when the Panama

Panama Canal Company will award a contract for the replacement of its locks towing locomotives. An expenditure of $7,170,000 was

authorized in the Company's 1956 budget for the replacement program which

will include, at a later date, three towing

locomotives modified for seven-ton crane

use on the Canal Locks. Proposals will be invited for manufacture and delivery of locomotives of Pan- ama Canal Company design and also locomotives designed by the manufacturer. A total of 57 locomotives will be

required of the design to be furnished by

the Company. Other towing methods

will also be considered. Test Models

The specifications which are scheduled

to be ready about October 15 will call for test models to be furnished and tested

at the contractor's expense prior to the

fulfillment of the entire order. Proposals

will be received next February.

The design to be furnished by the Company will call for locomotives to operate on direct current with a "pull" of approximately 35,000 pounds, as compared with

the 25,000-pound pulling capacity of existing equipment. It is also planned to increase the idle running speed from five to eight miles an hour. The increased towing capacity will permit the use of fewer locomotives per

ship in many instances. The increased

idle running speed will result in savings

in lockage time at Gatun and Miraflores Locks where the return of locomotives

from one towing job to the next is a factor. The return speed of the locomotives

is not a significant factor in lockage time

at Pedro Miguel.

With the improved design, the shiphandling capacity of 57 locomotives will equal that of the 67 now in service.

If the contract is awarded on the basis

of the design calling for direct-current equipment, rectifiers will be installed at the three locks to supply direct cut rent

to the towing tracks. The provision in the specifications for testing the ship-handling equipment will apply to locomotives of the Company's

design, as well as to those (See page IS)
THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW October 7,1955

Second Inoculations Complete

Last Of "Mass" Polio Program

SCENES like this were enacted last month all over the Canal Zone when hundreds of children were

given Salk polio vaccine inoculations. Miss Jeriline Patrick and Mrs. Catherine C. Reid gave the

vaccinations; Frances Brandl, far left, and Forest Wise, far right, handed out the lollipops, and Lt. Gov. H. W. Schull, Jr., and Col. Charles 0. Bruce, Health Director, watched. This picture was

taken at Paraiso.

The last of the "mass" poliomyelitis inoculations planned by the Health Bureau in the Canal Zone was completed

last week when second vaccinations were

given to 3,046 children between six months and 15 years of age, inclusive. The Salk vaccine program will be

continued but the inoculations will be administered individually at the medical

clinics or first aid stations. The program

will continue on a voluntary basis with

the same eligibility rules. The inoculations are now being given free of charge

since Federal funds became available for

this purpose. Second Injections Given

Most of those inoculated in last week's program were given second injections.

They were in the new age groups not

eligible under the program at the beginning. It was announced early in September that the age groups would be expanded to include those between three and 12 years of age, and a short time

later a further expansion was made to

include those from six months to 15

years, inclusive, and pregnant women. More than half of the eligible children have now been inoculated. Figures re- leased on the Salk vaccine program after the vaccinations last week showed a

response of more than 50 percent

Service Centers Selling

"Special Delivery" Stamps

United States special-delivery stamps

are now available to customers of the Canal Zone Service Centers. The Service Center Division has just

installed stamp-vending machines at the Balboa and Cristobal Service Centers where those who want their mail deliv- ered right now can buy the 20-cent

special-delivery stamps. As is true of all stamp-vending machines everywhere, there is a surcharge

for the special-delivery stamps.

Of the 15,761 children between six months and 15 years of age eligible, 6,956

had received two inoculations, and 1,664 others received first injections last week.

These figures include both military and

civilian. The inoculating teams visited the Latin American schools on Thursday

morning and children were excused from

classes individually. All classes in the United States schools were dismissed

Friday afternoon to expedite the program. Three centralized vaccinating stations were established—at Balboa Gymnasium

Gamboa Medical Clinic, and North Margarita School Gymnasium for civilian dependents. The dependents of military

personnel were inoculated at the various Army, Navy, and Air Force dispensaries.

Fire Prevention Week

To Begin Next Monday

The message of fire prevention will be brought home to Canal Zone residents during the coming week as the Canal Zone

Fire Division joins forces with other fire- fighting organizations on the Isthmus in observance of Fire Prevention Week.

This year's observance has been planned

to emphasize the importance of preventing fires by people of all ages. Particular emphasis will be given to the program in the schools. The entire week of October 9-15 has been designated as Fire Prevention Week

as a national observance by a proclamation issued by President Eisenhower.

Overall plans for the observance on the Isthmus have been made by a special

committee composed of representatives

from the fire fighting organizations of the Canal, Army, Navy, Air Force, and Republic of Panama. The Canal's representatives were Capt. W. H. Casswell, Chief

of the Cristobal District; Capt. W. E.

Jones, Chief of Balboa District; and Lt.

P. F. Graham of Balboa Central Station. Parades On Monday

The week's observance will start Monday with parades on both the Atlantic and Pacific sides. The Atlantic side par- ade is scheduled to start at 1:20 o'clock

in the afternoon from the Fort Sherman

Ferry-slip, while the Pacific side fire fighters and their equipment will start at 9 o'clock from Plaza Porras in Panama

City. The line of the parades, to be an- nounced in the daily newspapers, will cover most of the principal residential

areas. A series of school lectures coupled with

demonstrations of fire fighting and first aid equipment has been planned for the Canal Zone schools. Several public demonstrations of equipment also are planned.

The latter will be mostly in industrial areas for the benefit of employees, but

the general public is invited to attend.

All Canal Zone fire stations will be on an open-house basis throughout Fire Pre- vention Week and residents are invited

to visit the stations in (See page W)

Your COMMUNITY CHEST

Aids

Balboa Armed Services-USO Girl Scouts of America

Boy Scouts of America International Boy Scouts

Congress of Local Rate Councils International Girl Scouts

Corozal Hospital Jewish Welfare Board-USO

Cristobal Armed Services-USO Salvation Army

Cristobal-Margarita Civic Council Summer Recreation Programs

This Year's GOAL is J*

Give

$35,000

Generously

m

Or

Cash or Payroll Deduction

October 23 - November 14
October 7,1955 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW

Company Purchases In Panama Set Record

Of $2,778,865 During Past Fiscal Year

Direct purchases of food, supplies,

equipment, and services by the Panama

Canal Company from sources in the Republic of Panama set a new high record

of $2,778,865 during the past fiscal year. The total exceeded the previous fiscal year figures by more than $225,000.

During the past five years purchases in Panama by the Canal organization have

amounted to over $1 1,400,000, or a yearly average of more than $2,225,000. These

purchases were exclusive of any made by

other U. S. Government agencies in the Canal Zone, contractors, or individuals. Totals for the past five fiscal yeais are:

1951_. -,.-.. $1,525,000

1952 2.062,000

1953 2,585,000

1954 :l 2,451,000

1955 2,779,000

Total $11,402,000

The increase during the past fiscal year

over purchases in previous years was

due largely to heavy purchases of forest products, Panama-produced sugar, and

the additional of several new food or

agricultural products, such as fresh eggs. The amount of meat products bought

in the Republic last year was below the

dollar value of those in the two previous

years as a result of the continued decline

in the Canal force. This decrease, however, was more than offset by heavier buying of other products and the purchase

of products hitherto unavailable at competitive prices.

The following table gives the comparative statistics on purchases in the various

categories by the Canal organization during the past two fiscal years:

19S4 195S Meat products $705,000 $631,400

Fruits and vegetables 120,000 120,000 Other agricultural products- 90,000 185.000 Other food products 31 , 000 50, 000

Beverages 141,000 154,000 Sugar 488,000 569,000

Forest products 50,000 166,000

Industrial products and miscellaneous purchases 826,000 879.000

Total $2,451,000 $2,779,000 A notable increase was shown last year

in the purchase of native lumber and

forest products. Total purchases were more than triple the value of such products bought in either the fiscal year 1953

or 1954.

All plywood now being purchased for use by Panama Canal units is being

obtained in Panama. In addition, contracts for a considerable supply of native lumber were awarded to five principal

suppliers last year. The types of lumber

include chiefly mahogany, cedro amargo,

cativo, maria, and a variety of cedars. Much of the hardwood timber will be used during the coming Atlantic Locks

overhaul in the replacement of lock wall

fenders. Hardwood lumber from Pana- ma's forests is also extensively used in general maintenance of Canal buildings.

Among the food products shown in the past fiscal year's purchase list were 47,500

dozen fresh eggs bought at a total pur- chase price of $33,900. This was the

first time that fresh eggs have been pro- cured in substantial quantities from

poultry farms on the Isthmus, since the industry has been unable previously to

END OF A JOB

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THE CONTRACTORS HILL PROJECT became a part of the Panama Canal history early last month when Governor Seybold accepted the job as completed from Tecon Corporation officials. At the project site the Governor expressed appreciation to the Texas Company for "its superior performance in this critical undertaking." In the upper picture some idea of the size of the big

stairsteps cut into the side of the hill facing the Canal is gained by the truck standing on one of the

big berms. The last truckload of rock is being loaded as the group of Canal and Tecon officials watch.

In the picture below, Governor Seybold is chatting with A. Ray Smith, center, President of Tecon

Corporation, over aspects of the project. Facing the camera is Col. Hugh M. Arnold, Engineering and Construction Director, who supervised the work from beginning to end. At the right are R. L.

Hallbeck, Tecon's Vice President, and Mr. Smith's son, Joel, who made the trip to the Isthmus with

his father to attend the ceremony held on the site on September 13.

offer fresh eggs at prices nearly competitive with other sources. The amount of purchases during the

last quarter of the fiscal year 1955 totaled $725,000. The principal items and their value in round figures were: Panama beef

cattle, $125,000; sugar, 2,400,000 pounds,

$154,000; native lumber and plywood,

$78,000; cement, $31,000; office machines

and supplies, $50,000; magazines, periodicals, printing, and textbooks, $76,000;

film rentals, $27,000; green coffee; $10,000

beer, $18,000; soft drinks, $16,000; auto- mobile batteries, $7,000; and automobile

tires and tubes, $10,000.

The amount of fruit and vegetables

bought during the last three months of the past fiscal year totaled over $36,000.

Among the individual items with a value

of $5,000 or more were bananas, cabbages, and tomatoes. Those with a total value of $1,000 or more included papayas,

alligator pears, watermelon, cucumbers,

green peppers, and yams.
THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW October 7, 1955

Bids To Be Asked Soon

On Facilities Required

For Conversion Project

Plans and specifications for two additional contracts of the Power Conversion

Project will be ready for distribution to prospective bidders within the next few- weeks, while design work on three other phases of the project is being started. Bids for the latter three are scheduled to be advertised early next year. Meanwhile, a pre-bidding conference was scheduled at Balboa Heights Wednesday of this week, for prospective

bidders and others interested in the equipment conversion on the Atlantic

side. This will be one of the major contracts to be awarded this fiscal year and

bids are to be opened November 15. The conference on the Atlantic Area

domestic and industrial equipment conversion was called by Col. Hugh M.

Arnold, Engineering and Construction

Director, to provide prospective bidders with the opportunity to obtain an answer

to any questions concerning this work. Contracts Awarded

In addition to these developments in the Power Conversion Project, work is progressing on several contracts already

awarded. These include the manufacture of four generators for the Gatun

Hydroelectric station by General Electric Company; construction of a complete new substation at Mount Hope and the

installation of the Gatun Hydroelectric

Station control board by L. R. Sommer;

conversion and modernization of the Gatun Hydroelectric station equipment

and other allied work by Sachse Electric Company; and the relocation of a portion

of the Agua Clara Diesel Plant control board by W. A. Rogers.

Bids have also been asked for the

rebuilding or replacement of a fifth generator at the Gatun Hydroelectric station. These are to be opened October 10. The two projects for which specifica- tions are being prepared by the Canal

Company are the replacement of the

high voltage transmission line conductors between Madden Dam and Miraflores

Substation, and the construction of a new switchgear and transformer yard at Agua Clara Diesel Station. Other Changes

The replacement of the transmission

line conductors between Madden and

Miraflores is required since the size wire now in use would result in wider voltage

fluctuations in transmission after the change to 60 cycles. This phase of the work will also include the replacement of some transmission towers between Summit and Paraiso and the reinforcement of other towers to bear the added weight of the heavier lines. The work at Agua Clara Diesel Station

will permit the combining of the two

Fort Davis switching stations and a trans- former station into a single installation adjacent to the diesel station. This

change will eliminate two 44,000-volt

underground cables which now connect

the Fort Davis switching stations to the Agua Clara plant and the two Fort Davis

switching stations themselves. This project will include construction of the new

installation as well as rerouting the

STATUTORY VALUATION OF INVENTORY,

APPRAISAL PROGRAM BEING ACCELERATED

PAUL FAHEY

The phase of the plant inventory and

appraisal program required by Section 246(b) of the Panama Canal Act, as amended, to determine the statutory net

direct investment in the Panama Canal

Company which has been in progress for the past three years is being accelerated

to complete the project within the next few months.

Col. E. B. Jennings has been temporarily assigned as Chief of the Plant In- ventory and Appraisal Staff to take

charge of the project at the request of the Deputy Comptroller. He will coor- dinate the closing phases and supervise

the preparation of the final report to be submitted to the Bureau of the Budget

after approval by the Board of Directors. Also assisting in the closing phases will be a large group of engineers and other

technical assistants from various bureaus

existing 44,000-volt cables and overhead

lines into the new station. The firm of Robert & Company Associates of Atlanta has been engaged to pre- pare designs for carrier current and supervisory control equipment to remotely

control all power plants and substations, the protective relaying for the 44,000-

volt transmission system, and the con- version of all Madden Hydroelectric

station equipment except the main

generators and transformers. The bids for these projects are scheduled for advertisement early next year.

and divisions whose services will be used

in special areas where they are qualified.

Among these is John D. Hollen, Executive

Planning Staff Chief, who will advise in areas requiring management decisions. Paul Fahey, who came to the Isthmus

as a consultant on the program in February and March 1953, returned for two

weeks in September in the same capacity. Mr. Fahey was here on a loan basis from

the Tennessee Valley Authority where he

is Chief of the Division of Materials. His

headquarters are in Chattanooga.

The appraisal of assets transferred from

the former Canal agency to the Panama

Canal Company was authorized by the Board of Directors at its first meeting

after the reorganization. It is intended

to make a complete physical inventory

and appraisal of property, plant, and

equipment of the Canal Zone Government

and the old Panama Railroad Company

after completion of the statutory valuation program. Completion of the later phase will provide a more accurate set

of plant accounting records necessary for

efficient management cf the Company.

The plant inventory and appraisal is a complicated and technical project since

it entails a physical inspection of the

properties, large and small, and an appraisal of the value of each installation and its principal components.

A complete valuation of the capital

assets is also required for rate-fixing purposes. It has an important bearing on the

rates of tolls and other major tariff rates which are partly based, through interest and depreciation, on the value of capital assets of the Company-Government.

The assignment of Colonel Jennings to supervise the closing phases of the project

makes the third important assignment of widely varying nature which he has had

since he came with the Canal organization a year and a half ago. He was first assigned as Project Engineer for the Contractors Hill work when he came to the Canal from the Nashville, Tenn., District

of the Army Corps of Engineers. He was

transferred from that job early this year

to be Project Engineer on the Power Conversion Project.

Usually-Busy Pardon Board

Suddenly Has Nothing To Do

Consider the plight of the Pardon

Board with no requests for pardon—not even a commutation of penitentiary sen- tence or revocation of deportation. Last month the Canal Zone Pardon

Board did not meet because, for possibly the first time in its history, no business was on the agenda.

The Pardon Board usually has a busy

time. During the past fiscal year, members met 10 times. Five were regular

meetings and five were special meetings.

During that time they considered 38 applications, 29 of which were for commutation

of penitentiary sentences to the portion

already served and nine were for pardons.

The Board also considered and submitted

recommendations on five applications for

i evocation of orders deporting persons

following imprisonment.
October 7, 1955 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW

Children Of Canal Zone Are Healthy

And Well-Adjusted, School Nurses Say

Canal Zone boys and girls are, by and

large and large and small, pretty healthy,

well-adjusted specimens. If they share any outstanding physical defect, it is probably bad teeth. Dental decay is more

prevalent among children of school age than it should be and may be due to the

quantities of sweet drinks which the aver- age Canal Zone child consumes in unlimited quantities, given half a chance. These are the conclusions of the Canal

Zone's two school nurses, Mrs. Erma

Forbes who makes her headquarters at Balboa High School and from there makes

trips to 11 Pacific side schools, and Miss

Eller Jane Holcomb who bases at Cris- tobal elementary school and whose duties take her to all Atlantic side schools and

to Gamboa, Santa Cruz, and Pedro

Miguel on the Pacific side of the Isthmus. Mrs. Forbes and Miss Holcomb are medical detectives rather than healers. Their main job is to spot physical defects among the younger Zonians and see that they are corrected before they become

major.

In the course of an average day, they

may bandage a cut finger or put ointment

on a burn but most of the time they see that the eyes and ears and teeth and

height and weight of the Canal Zone

children are what they should be for their age groups. Then they recommend cor- rective measures if they find something

irregular. Statistics Impressive

Each of them works with about 6,000

children a year in one way or another.

Statistics of what they did during the

last fiscal year are impressive: 10,901 children tested for height and weight;

6,018 students given dental examinations;

9,217 boys and girls examined for visual

defects; 1,699 pupils examined for per- sonal hygiene.

This year the school nurses are helping

OPEN WIDE! And Susan Coffey, 7, does just that so that Mrs. Erma Forbes, one of the Canal's two School Nurses, can check her teeth. Susan is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Coffey

of Balboa and is a first-grader at the Balboa Elementary School.

with the physical examinations given by

the medical staffs of Coco Solo and Gorgas

Hospitals to all new students, to boys

and girls taking part in organized sports, to boys in their first year of ROTC

training, to girl cheer leaders—whose

activities are just about as strenuous as the sports for which they cheer, to students referred by their teachers for susJ^ ^k^a&-

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BIG E's take the place of a line of mixed-up letters for the younger children's eye test. Here

Miss Eller Jane Holcomb checks the vision of a small lad who will tell her which way the Big E's go.

pected trouble of one sort or another, or

to students who have not had a comprehensive physical examination within the previous three years. Whenever they can, Mrs. Forbes and

Miss Holcomb talk to the school children on good health practices, such as the care

of teeth. These naturally lead into a

discussion of nutrition and explain why a

child who would never touch anything

but the finest white bread suddenly

develops a veritable passion for whole

wheat or rye or shuns his usual after- school soft drink in favor of a glass of milk. The talks are given to children from kindergarteners on up. Both of the nurses say that the pupils frequently

interrupt with to-the-point questions,

and that means that they are interested

in what they are being told. Mrs. Forbes also has an older group of conferees, the Junior College students. She occasionally has pre-marital talks with young women who are contemplating

matrimony.

Teeth And Eyes

Last year the two nurses found that about a fifth of the children they examined had dental defects, mostly decay.

The dental examinations are given pri- marily to children in the lower grades on

the ounce of prevention theory. In each

case where they found need for dental

attention, the nurses sent a note to the

child's parents, recommending that he

see a dentist. Visual defects are, next to dental

troubles, the most frequently found

juvenile deficiencies. For instance, last year Miss Holcomb gave 4,491 eye examinations, and discovered 880 children with

defective vision. The percentage was

about the same for the (See page 12)
THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW October 7, 1955

FOR YOUR INTEREST AND

L3W.

GUIDANCE

UL

IN ACCIDENT PREVENTION i£

GOOD BUSINESS

No matter what subject we may think

about, at one time or another we all ask

ourselves the question—WHY? Take

the business of SAFETY, for instance. Have you ever asked yourself WHY

safety committee meetings? WHY safety

posters? WHY such thorough investigations of accidents? WHY the insistence that everyone become familiar with our

safety rules? The answer is—these things

are a necessary part, but by no means

all, of a good safety program. Perhaps

you have said WHY have a program?

Simply because it is good business. WHY

is it good business? Remember the old saying "A penny saved is a penny

HONOR ROLL

Bureau Award For BEST RECORD

AUGUST

ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION

BUREAU

COMMUNITY SERVICES BUREAU

AWARDS THIS CALENDAR YEAR

Community Services 4 Supply 3 Engineering and Construction 3 Health 3 Transportation and Terminals 1

Civil Affairs 1 Marine •

Division Award For NO DISABLING INJURIES

AUGUST

SERVICE CENTER DIVISION

MAINTENANCE DIVISION

DREDGING DIVISION

INDUSTRIAL DIVISION

ELECTRICAL DIVISION

GROUNDS MAINTENANCE DIVISION

MOTOR TRANSPORTATION DIVISION

STOREHOUSES DIVISION

HOUSING DIVISION

SANITATION DIVISION

earned?" Well safety does just that.

It saves money and any business that

saves money is good business. It is good

business for your company, for your

family, and for YOU.

It is good business for your company

because it profits by not having to pay

out so much in compensation, by not having to pay overtime to someone to do your work while you are laid up, by not having to foot the bill to recruit and train someone to take your place if you can't come back. Serious accidents shut down

all operations while everyone tries to help the injured person. Damaged equipment is expensive to repair—still more

costly to replace. There are dozens of reasons why Safety is good business for your company.

Safety is good business for your family.

No compensation check is ever as big as your regular pay check. Think how

difficult, if not impossible, it would be

for you to try to make ends meet with

nothing but a compensation check. Could

you pay your commissary bill, keep up

your insurance, meet the monthly pay- ments on the car and save something for your children's education or for the vacation that your family needs, if all you had to do it with was a compensation

check? Perhaps you could but it wouldn't

be easy. That is one reason why Safety

is good business for your family.

And don't forget, Safety is good business

for you. Just about everything you

value, everything you enjoy, is tied in with your ability to earn a living—the big

things you need—food, clothing, and

security. The small things that give

you pleasure—a gift for your wife, a new

bicycle for your child, that fishing pole

or gun for yourself. These things are

AWARDS THIS CALENDAR YEAR

Housing - 7 Maintenance — 7 Sanitation , 7 Aids to Navigation 6 Motor Transportation 6

Electrical 5 Grounds Maintenance 5 Industrial 5 Railroad 5

Service Center 5 Storehouses 5 Dredging 4 Commissary 3 Hospitalization and Clinics 3 Locks. 1 Terminals 1 Navigation. T r , T „--.„

HIGHWAY ZOO

The ROADHOG

This animal has been around for a

long lime. He combines all the most

distasteful characteristics of the barn- yard hog without any of the useful

attributes the real porker offers.

NATIONAL SAFETV COUNCIL

yours because of your ability to earn a

living.

Our safety program is being carried on

with the intention of helping you to keep

that earning power. Yes, Safety is Good

Business for you and it is your business. A safety program is not something that can be carried on for you. It has to be

carried on with you. Accept your responsibility to the safety program. Be your

brother's keeper as well. Watch out for your fellow worker. Watch out for your

division's Safety Record. Watch out for your company's equipment. If you do

this you will save money for yourself, your family, and your company. And

don't forget—saving money is good business. Be a good business man.

AUGUST 1955

Engineering and Construction Bureau

Community Services Bureau

Supply Bureau

Health Bureau

Marine Bureau

C. Z. Cm t -Panama Canal Co. i This Month!

C. Z. Govl.-Panama Canal Co.( Last 3-Year Av.)

Civil Affairs Bureau

Transportation and Terminals Bureau

Number of Disabling Injuries. 23

Disabling Injuries per 1,000,000 Man-Hours Worked

(Frequency Rale)

20 30 40 50

Man-Hours Worked 2,242,380 LEGEND

Amount Better Than Canal Zone Government—Panama Canal Company Last 3-Year Average

Amount Worse Than Canal Zone Government—Panama Canal Company Last 3-Year Average

P9%$&i$J Accumulative Frequency Rate This Year
October 7, 1955 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW

Official Panama Canal Company Publication

Published Monthly at BALBOA HEIGHTS, CANAL ZONE

Printed by the Printing Plant Mount Hope, Canal Zone

John S. Seybold, Governor-President

H. W. Schull, Jr. Lieutenant Governor

William G. Arey, Jr. Public Information Officer

J. Rufus Hardy, Editor

Eleanor H. McIlhenny

Assistant Editor

SUBSCRIPTION—$1.00 a year SINGLE COPIES—5 cents each

On sale at all Panama Canal Service Centers, Commissaries, and Hotels for 10 days

after publication date. SINGLE COPIES BY MAIL—10 cents each BACK COPIES—10 cents each

On sale, when available, from the Vault

Clerk, Third Floor, Administration Building, Balboa Heights.

Postal money orders should be made payable to the Treasurer, Panama Canal Company, and mailed to Editor, The Panama

Canal Review, Balboa Heights, C. Z.

SPECIAL ASSISTANT

PAUL M. RUNNESTRAND, Assistant Secretary and Attorney of the Panama Canal Company and

former Assistant General Counsel, returned to the Canal Zone last month on temporary duty as Special Assistant to Gov. J. S. Seybold. His office is on the second floor of the Administration Building. Until

his transfer to the Washington office two years ago, Mr. Runnestrand had been with the Office of the General Counsel for about 12 years. A native of Litchfield, Minn., he is a graduate of the University

of Minnesota Law School. Prior to his entrance

into the Canal service in 1941 he was Law Editor

of the West Publishing Company in St. Paul, Minn.

OF CURRENT INTEREST

Transferred To Coco Solo

ATLANTIC SIDERS now have the eye, ear, nose, and throat clinic which officials of the Health Bureau and the Civic Council have been attempting to set up for some time. Transferred last month

to Coco Solo Hospital were Dr. Jaime L. Barraza, standing, and his wife, Dr. Evelyn K. Barraza, from the staff at Gorgas Hospital. Both served residencies at the Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital in New Orleans before coming to the Isthmus last year. Also transferred from Gorgas Hospital

to the Coco Solo Hospital last month was Dr. Walter H. Goggans, a general surgeon. He is a Major

in the Air Force and came here recently from Park Air Force Base in California.

The function of issuing licenses permitting

the sale of alcoholic beverages by organizations in the Canal Zone was transferred on October 1 from the office of the Assistant

to the Civil Affairs Director to the License

Section which is located in Room 111 of the

Civil Affairs Building in Ancon.

Also transferred to the License Section,

effective October 1, was the responsibility

of issuing "runners permits," which allow entry to the dock areas of persons selling ships chandlery and ships stores and those

soliciting patronage of hotels and boarding

houses. Both transfers were made as a step toward

consolidating all licensing responsibilities

of the Civil Affairs Bureau in one office.

and the members of his staff. The party tomorrow night will be the

fifth annual celebration of the opening of the now famous Rancho Ramos which was

built in 1951 near Brazos Brook by members

of the National Guard under the direction

of Major Ramos. Each year since then

the Canal Zone Police have been hosts at a good-neighbor stag party in honor of the Panama Guardsmen.

In addition to Major Ramos and his staff, the guests will include Henry L. Donovan,

Civil Affairs Director, Maj. Rodger W.

Griffith, Chief of the Canal Zone Police, and a number of police and National Guard

officials from both sides of the Isthmus.

Two steam locomotives, one of which was used last January to draw a special

train of 16 cars across the Isthmus as part

of the Panama Railroad Centennial celebration, are now being advertised for sale by

the Panama Canal Company. The engines -Nos. 803 and 804—are the Rail- road's last two steam locomotives; their

sale will mark the passing of the steam age on the trans-Isthmian line. The locomotives are two of an original

six built by H. K. Porter and brought to the Isthmus in March 1943. During the war

years they did a roaring business hauling

freight across the Isthmus and their days

of active use did not end until after the purchase of the three ALCO-GE dieselelectric locomotives which have been in service since 1953. Since their retirement locomotives 803 and 804 have been housed in the Balboa Roundhouse and used only on special jobs.

One of these was the Railroad centennial when No. 803 was chosen to pull the special

train which commemorated the first railroad crossing of the American continent ioo years ago. Bids on the two old locomotives will be opened early in November.

There will be hearty abrazos and a swap

of trade secrets tomorrow night when members of the Canal Zone Police and the Panama National Guard gather for the annual dinner and stag party given in honor of Maj. Pastor Ramos, Jr., Commanding Officer of the National Guard in Colon,

Bids were to be opened this week for the new high school building at Paraiso, an adjacent vocational building and music

room, all to be located at the intersection

of Paraiso Road and Acla Street. The

buildings are to be completed next March.

Equipment and supplies from La Boca

High School will be moved to the Paraiso

buildings during the long school vacation and high school classes will be held at Paraiso when the Latin American schools open next Iviay. The main high school building will be

provided by a complete remodeling of the

large Locks Division storehouse. The

walls will be replaced by concrete blocks and the windows by glass jalousies. The new high school will have 10 classr oms,

laboratories, school offices, and a library.

Dr. F. E. Council, Chief of the Board of Health Laboratory at Ancon for the past two \ears, left the Isthmus last month and

has been assigned to the Office of the Chief

of Pathology and Allied Science Consultant

in the Office of the Surgeon General in Washington, D. C. Dr. Council had been

Chief of the laboratory since his arrival here in 1953. Dr. Gerald Cosgrove, a member of the Board of Health Laboratory

staff since June of this year, has been named Acting Chief. Dr. Ferruccio Bertoli, another member of the Board of Health Laboratory, left for the United States October 1 to attend the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Pathologists which is to be held in Chicago October 10-15.
THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW October 7, 1955

$&&&*&!:

CRISTOBAL looked like this in the "good old days." The caption on this old photograph says, merely, "Cristobal before paving, 1907." The trees bordering the unpaved streets are coconut palms.

YOUR TOWN

2d and 3d streets, stood on a knoll be- tween the house and the sea. Cristobal at first was a municipality, one of five in the new Canal Zone. It was bounded by the sea on the north and

stretched along the Canal line to include Mount Hope and Mindi. One of its early mayors, from October 12, 1905,

until the municipalities were abolished

in 1907 was M. C. Rerdell, later District Judge at Cristobal. Because of Cristobal's importance as the port of entry for construction equipment, high priority was given to construction there; Master Builder W. M. Belding was constantly under pressure for faster work. At one time Chief Engineer John

F. Stevens warned him that "we are already cramped there (Cristobal) for room and must immediately stop bringing any more white men until additional quarters are provided."

1906-1907

By April, 1906, Cristobal had a population of 2,010—489 of them Americans.

The Cristobal Club had been organized

the big clubhouse at Columbus and Broad

Streets came later—and given temporary

quarters. There was a postoffice which

handled mail for the West Indies that formerly had been routed through New

York. An eight-room school house was

being built and a brick-and-cement jail, "amply commodious to meet all existing

requirements," was accepting its first involuntary guests. Its commodiousness was happy foresight; for years, the number of arrests in Cristobal was higher

than in any other Canal town. The Cristobal Fire Department was one

of two paid companies in the Canal Zone—the other was in Ancon—and the

offices of the Fire Chief were at Cristobal. The department's hose wagon, chemical

engine, hook and ladder truck, and steam

engine were local wonders.

Cristobal was never headquarters for a

construction division but it was headquarters for the Division of Materials and

Supplies, something like today's Supply

Bureau. Its bakery, cold storage

plant, and warehouses lined one side of Cristobal Point. The present Sea Scout

shack and the big masonry building

adjacent to the Maintenance Division yard were commissary structures. The

concrete bases of others are barely visible

in the tall grass along the bayside.

Cabbage Patch

Most of the officials, like W. G. Tubby,

Chief of the Division of Materials and

Supplies, and Lorin C. Collins, Associate

Justice of the Supreme Court, lived in houses along the waterfront west of the DeLesseps house. In the less choice sec- tion further inland were four-family houses and bachelor quarters. One neighborhood was known as the "Cabbage

Patch." An early resident complained

to the Canal Record that wandering goats

ate up his rosebushes. A commissary "for the exclusive use of gold employees" was opened on the site of the present commissary about December 1, 1907. According to the Canal

Record it dealt in "mens' furnishings and

articles for ladies" and had a "waiting room for ladies from the Line in which

they will be made comfortable until the departure of the trains." Social life in Cristobal in 1907 was

Cristobal is the Canal Zone's front door

and its kitchen door, too. Most of the Canal Zone family—the

people who live and work here^entered

their new home through that front door

and if they didn't, their fathers or grandfathers did. Guests have come through that front door, too, on a good many occasions. Presidents, Cabinet Members, Congress- men, and even Queens and Dukes have

seen the Isthmus for the first time from

a ship entering Cristobal harbor. The kitchen door is where the groceries

are delivered. A good part of the food every Commissary-supplied Zonian con- sumes starts its trip to his table from

Cristobal. Before the Canal was opened

in 1914, most of the material to build it and the supplies to keep it running were

unloaded from ships docking at Cristobal. Even today, three times as many ships

dock at Cristobal as at Balboa. Manzanillo Island The geographic layout of the Atlantic

side is confusing, even to those who have

lived here for a long time. Cristobal,

Colon, and New Cristobal are all on Manzanillo Island, connected to the Isthmus

of Panama by the fairly narrow strip on

which the Motor Transportation Division now stands. There is not now a swimming beach along the whole shoreline except at Fishermen's Village in Colon. The island was a virgin swamp of about 650 acres when the Panama Rail- road selected it for its headquarters in 1850. On Manzanillo Island, the Rail- road Company established its offices, its docks, its railroad terminal, and quarters

for its officers and employees.

When the French forces first arrived in Panama in the early 1880's, they found

the Railroad Company, as first comer, in the choice site along the northern tip

of the island. Colon was only a few

streets wide and long and the rest of Manzanillo Island was still a swamp.

Throughout the history of the Isthmus, land has been made when it was not

naturally at hand, and this the French

did. Next to Colon, on a coral reef, they

dumped spoil from their canal and on this

artificial plateau they built their warehouses, shops, roundhouses, office buildings, and quarters. They named this

section—from about the present railroad tracks to the old Fort Sherman ferry

slip

Christophe Colomb, or Christopher

Columbus. It was an easy step from the French Ckristophe to the Spanish Cristobal. By the time the American Canal builders reached the Isthmus, Manzanillo

Island was divided, like Gaul, in three

parts: The Panama Railroad area from

the old freight house to the section where

the empty windows of the now unused

Colon Hospital look out to the Caribbean

;

Colon, inland from the railroad tracks toward the marshy center of the Island; and Cristobal, the French village.

"Old" Cristobal

The Canal Commission of 1904 set up

provisional headquarters in Cristobal "in the buildings erected for the residence of Mr. DeLesseps." Mr. DeLesseps was

Charles, son of Count Ferdinand DeLesseps. These buildings were on Cristobal

Point, facing the sea; oldtimers place

them at the very end of Roosevelt Avenue

a few hundred feet from the present Sea

Scout shack in Old Cristobal. The

statue of Columbus and the Indian maid,

later in the courtyard of the Hotel Washington, and now on Broadway between

y

t

' ij r'" 4

Imm \|

1 HiP^4a CIVIC COUNCIL President Virgil C. Reed heads

the group representing Cristobal and their suburban

neighbors from the town of Margarita
October 7, 1955 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW

typical of that of the larger

CRISTOBAL Zone towns; by that time Cristobal's population was

over 4,000, a quarter of them Americans.

Lodges were important and numerous. The Improved Order of Red Men, then

the largest fraternal order on the Isthmus,

had a Tribe in Cristobal, and the Knights

of Pythias organized their first local lodge there. The Elks and Masons were

both active. For the women, there was

the Cristobal Woman's Club; organized

September 27, 1907, it is still functioning

and has the longest continuous life of any woman's group in the Canal Zone. The Clubhouse had a first-rate basketball team and Nelson R. Johnson, Clerk

of the Circuit Court and once a profes- sional acrobat, offered lessons in tumbling.

The July 4 celebration that year featured such events as a ragamuffin parade and

a fat man 's race. The winner of a greased

pole climb was rewarded with a $5 goldpiece—it was glued to the top of the pole.

That was Cristobal, once a French

village.

"New" Cristobal

Meanwhile, in the old Panama Railroad

area at the tip of Manzanillo Island

things were humming. Before the American canal forces arrived, there had been two hospitals on the beach—the Rail- road's 30-bed hospital for its employees

and the larger French hospital which

adjoined it. The railroad hospital dated

back to the early railroad days, the French hospital to 1883. These two were combined as soon as the Americans began work on the canal. New buildings were put up and by

November 1906, the hospital consisted of 40 frame buildings. Five of these stood on brick and concrete pillars on a coral

reef which was covered by the sea except

at low tide, and the rest were in a 35-acre

plot with a sea frontage of about a quarter of a mile. The first school on Colon Beach—it had 38 pupils—was opened early in February 1908. Up to that time the only

school available to the younger children of American employees of the Railroad had

been the Cristobal school, a good distance away in that pre-motorized age. In this section were four rows of quarters near Christ Church, which was built

CAPTAINS W. H. Casswell of the Fire Division and Eugene S. Shipley of the Police Division are responsible for policing and fire protection of Cristobal.

CRISTOBAL'S school principals are Mrs. Helen L. Rushing for the elementary school and Paul L. Beck

of the senior and junior high schools by the sea's edge

by the Panama Railroad in 1865; other

quarters which had been made from a remodeled storehouse; and Garfield, Mckinley, and Lincoln Houses which at the time sheltered both families and unmarried employees. Lincoln House is gone

but the boarded-up shells of Garfield and

McKinley Houses are still standing. The

original Washington House, later the Washington Hotel, was the fourth of this residential group. It was both a lodging house and "eating house" for railroad employees long before 1904. It was

replaced about 1913 by the present Hotel Washington.

Not far away, about where the present

elementary school stands, was the fourstory, brick Mechanics' Building, a swank apartment house of its day. Mrs.

Ida May Cotton, a real oldtimer, remembers living there when she was about 12 years old. The Mechanics' Building was

torn down in the 1930's. Two major changes came to Cristobal about the time the Canal was opened to

traffic. Work began in earnest on the

great piers which today protrude like out- spread fingers into Limon Bay. This

meant, among other things, that shipping

HOUSING MANAGER Wendell G. Cotton and

Postmaster Otto L. Savold are in charge of shelter and mail facilities for residents of the Cristobal area.

COMMISSARY MANAGER O. W. Ryan and

Service Center Acting Manager Joseph Pustis pro- vide the meat and milk and movies for Cristobal.

companies moved from the freight-house

section into Cristobal proper. The other major change was the construction of Fort DeLesseps, a Coast

Artillery post, on the shoreline of Manzanillo Island between the freight house and the Hotel Washington. This meant

the loss of what had been a residential area and led to a revision of the entire Atlantic side town planning.

Cristobal itself was set aside primarily

for a commercial section—the center of

civil administration for the Atlantic side and headquarters for shipping agencies,

banks, freight handlers and the multiple

activities of a busy port. The location

of a residential section was not so easy to decide. The Canal administration finally ruled against a townsite at Mount Hope

and decided to expand the first Manzanillo Island settlement—the Panama

Railroad section along Colon Beach.

This meant a great fill, to build up the swampy heart of the island, and eventually the new fill stretched from Melendez

to Roosevelt Avenues and from 3d to 9th

Streets. Along the waterfront the old radio station and quarantine station dis- appeared, new hospital buildings were

constructed, an elementary school (1918)

and a new high school (1933) appeared.

Quartets were built gradually from 1917 through 1938. Today the population

trend is away from Manzanillo Island and

toward Margarita and many of the New

Cristobal houses are vacant. Under the terms of the new Treaty, the United

States agrees to seek legislation for transfer of these lands to Panama.

Cristobal In Wartime

No story about Cristobal could be complete without mention of the part it has played in two world wars. During

World War I, censorship headquatters for the Canal Zone and Panama were established above the Cristobal postoffice.

Servicemen from the new Army posts at Fort Sherman, Fort DeLesseps, Fort Randolph and the Coco Solo Naval Base jammed the streets and filled the commissary and clubhouse. Atlantic siders turned out each week for Liberty Bond

rallies and there was a War Savings

Stamp drive, headed by Emmett Zemer,

then working at the {See page 10)
10 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW October 7,1955

Forty-four Years Continuous Service

Record Of Senior Canal Employee

Forty-four years ago, on September 5.

1911, George Newcomb Engelke checked

his first lot of merchandise into the Paraiso Commissary. Paraiso was then the

fifth largest of "the Canal Zone towns and

its commissary was bustling.

Today he is no longer checking porter- house steaks at 20 cents a pound, eggs at 28 cents a dozen, or breakfast bacon at 23 cents, sliced but who is, these days?

Instead, as Assistant Manager of the Commissary Division, he is keeping an

eye on checking and shipping and per- sonnel and stock and the million and one problems which pass through his hands at

his Mount Hope Office. His 44 continuous years give George

Engelke the longest unbroken service of any American employee in the CompanyGovernment organization. By the time

he retires next year he will probably have

the longest service of any American who

ever came to the Isthmus to work for the Panama Canal or Railroad. In these 44 years, he has worked at almost any commissary one can name

Paraiso, Balboa, Pedro Miguel, Camp

Bierd, Cristobal, Gatun, Silver City, Ancon, La Boca—and a couple, like Corozal

and Las Cascadas, which no longer

exist. For several years he was Supervisor of the Commissary Division's Retail

Stores and has been the Division's Assist- ant General Manager since 1951. Father Came In 1909 George Engelke was not the first of his family to come to the Canal Zone. He

had an uncle here and his father, H. N.

Engelke, preceded him by two years, leaving his family of seven sons and two

daughters in Washington, D. C, while he worked as a machinist at Balboa Shops.

When the family did join him, they

could not get quarters in the Canal Zone

and lived for about six months in the old Hotel Normandie in Panama City, just

about where the Singer Sewing Machine

Company is now located opposite the

Cecilia Theater, until they finally got a house in Empire.

George Engelke, meantime, had located

a job as a freight checker in Balboa with

the shipping firm of Bates and Chesebrough, where he stayed for three months.

In September 1911, he began the Commissary career which kept him shuttling

from store to store and back and forth across the Isthmus as successive promotions came his way until he finally settled down at the General Manager's office about 10 years ago. Although his commissary work kept

him busy all week and sometimes on

weekends, Mr. Engelke still found time

for a number of hobbies. He was Isth- mian Amateur Golf Champion in 1929 and runner-up the next year. He still has a handicap of only six and plays

around the Brazos Brook course whenever he gets a chance. At one time he was an excellent swimmer. In 1924—he was manager of Gatun

Commissary then—he rescued a young

Panamanian from drowning in Gatun

Lake after a launch accident. Although

he doesn't do much hunting and shooting

these days, he still has what his friends describe as a "reading interest" in them.

Matches with his chess club every Wednesday night have gradually replaced some of his more strenuous activities. He

GEORGE N. ENGELKE

is not classed as a Master but does, his friends say, "give the Masters a run for

their money."

Mrs. Engelke, whose father, S. H.

Powell, worked at Pedro Miguel Locks,

is as well known in the Canal Zone as her husband. She is an active Red Cross worker and much interested in the Cris- tobal Woman's Club. Her birthday and

wedding cakes are masterpieces. Her

fine soprano voice is famous and for many

years she sang the National Anthems of the United States and Panama—each in

its own language—at Atlantic Side Memorial Day services. The Engelkes have two sons, John and

Paul, both of whom are now in the aimed

forces here, and innumerable relatives on

the Isthmus. Four of the Engelkes who came to the Canal Zone, way back when, are still here. Robert A. Engelke is Admiristrative Assistant with the Dredging Division

at Gamboa; Herbert 0. Engelke is a Leadingman Painter in the Industrial Division at Cristobal; Howard S. Engelke

is Chief of the Communications Branch of the Electrical Division; and Mrs. Benjamin Favorite, their sister, lives in Cristobal. Another sister, Mrs. Susie Jennings,

and three brothers, Harry, Stephen, and

Richard, live in the United States. Although George Engelke was born in Athens, Ga., grew up in Washington and

has spent most of his life in the Canal

Zone, he has lately transferred his allegi- ance to Arkansas. He reaches retirement age next June and along about then

expects to move to the land of the Ozarks. There will be golf courses and chess matches for him there, but there won 't be any commissaries.

After more than 44 years of constant and continuous commissary association,

we'll bet George Engelke misses them.

Your Town Cristobal

(Continued from page 9) Hotel Washington.

From the hotel's porch, guests watched

the Navy stretch a submarine net across the breakwater entrance each evening at 6 o'clock. Ships caught outside had to wait until it was removed the next morning. Convoys of ships, their hulls painted in stripes or mottled like World War

II's jungle uniforms, formed in the harbor.

Cristobal women were angels of mercy

for troopships bound to and from New

Zealand and Australia and Europe. They

took the "walking wounded" on sightseeing trips, ending up for luncheon at the old Gilbert House or dinner at the Hotel Washington.

War Came Close Twenty-three years later, during World

War II, war came much closer to Cristobal. There were the crowds of service- men, the food shortages, the convoys, this time of solidly gray ships. But this time

there were blackouts. Hotel guests stumbled along darkened corridors to the dim

light of a kerosene lantern turned low,

and every room displayed directions for the quickest route to the air raid shelter under the building. Every few days

Fort DeLesseps' anti-aircraft batteries, on a revetment above the swimming pool,

shook the Washington's west wing.

One dreadful month, in July 1943, Cristobal's streets were full of survivors from ships torpedoed in the Caribbean.

Some had gone down only a few hours out of Limon Bay. And one morning,

August 19, 1942, a Navy seaplane, taking

off, crashed into a Panama Canal tug,

killing practically everyone aboard. Men

and women watched the flames helplessly

from along the beach. J. C. Randall, now Chief of the Housing Division, was

one of the horrified witnesses. Today, Cristobal is far more a center of commerce than a residential community.

Its population in last November's census

was 562—119 of them Americans. New

Cristobal, with a total population of

1,130, was far smaller than it had been. Nine steamship companies have buildings in Cristobal, all clustered around

Steamship Row. Practically all of them

combine office space on the ground floor and living space above. Handily nearby

is the All America Cable Company's

Atlantic side office. The Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion have meeting places in Cristobal, but the latter is talking of giving up what was once an old church to move to Margarita.

Cristobal Today

The people of Cristobal—the old French

village—may shop, select books at their

library, consult the housing manager,

attend movies, mail letters, buy tickets

for police or firemen's balls, be brought

before the courts of justice, all without

leaving their home base. But for church

going, with very few exceptions, for social

life, or for sports they must go elsewhere. Their sole club, and its membership is composed of small-boat fanciers, is the Panama Canal Yacht Club where the steaks are famous. Modern Cristobal has a distinction enjoyed by no other Canal Zone community. It has a coconut collector. The

law of gravity never having been repealed

and falling coconuts being potentially

lethal, a concessionaire makes frequent

rounds harvesting the ripening nuts. Cristobalites share with other Atlantic

siders a philosphy of their own: They

don't see why anyone ever wants to live anywhere else. They resent, quite vocally,

being considered "second-class citizens" as they feel they are sometimes treated. They yield to no one in the defense of

their community, their pride in the

sparkling blue bay and its palm fringed

shore, their great piers and the trade winds of the dry season. They are

Cristobalites first, Zonians second.
October 7, 1955 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW 11

CANAL ZONE CLERGY

Atlantic Side Is Full Of Woe;

Santa's Moved To New Jersey

RABBI NATHAN WITKIN

Son and grandson of rabbis, Nathan

Witkin never considered any other career although he knew what rigorous training

this meant. Today he is the only rabbi

in the Canal Zone and the Jewish Welfare Board on La Boca Road in Balboa is the Canal Zone's only synagogue.

There, on September 16, Rabbi Witkin

conducted the ceremonies which ushered

in the Jewish New Year—5716th of the Jewish calendar. A native New Yorker, Rabbi Witkin

attended the Jewish Theological Seminary there and the Rabbinical Seminary

at Jerusalem. He was ordained in Jerusalem by the Chief Rabbi of Palestine.

After three years in Red Bank, N. J., Rabbi Witkin returned to Palestine to attend Hebrew University and take postgraduate rabbinical work. Then came

two years as a chaplain with the CCC.

His first assignment to the Canal Zone was from 1937 to 1943. During that

period, the JWB building was constructed; earlier, Jewish services were held

in what is now the ROTC building.

Second Tour Here

In May 1943, Rabbi Witkin was re- called to the United States to head the Overseas Department of the JWB. In

this post, he was in charge of all Jewish

chaplains overseas. He returned to the Isthmus on January 1, 1945. As the Canal Zone's only rabbi, he

ministers to all Jewish civilians and their

families, to Jewish servicemen and to

visiting merchant seamen and tourists. As Jewish Auxiliary Chaplain for the Caribbean Command, his work takes him

wherever men of the Jewish faith are

stationed, and requires frequent trips to Guantanamo Bay, Trinidad, and Puerto

Rico. Mrs. Witkin taught English at Balboa

High School before her marriage and now

helps him with his work. Their daughter, Naomi, is married and lives in Peekskill, N. Y. Michael is a senior at Balboa

High School. Samuel and Judy both

attend Balboa elementary school where

Samuel is a fifth grader and Judy is in second grade.

Santa Claus isn't coming to town this year in Cristobal and Colon and Margarita and Coco Solito. At least Santa

Claus won't be the same person, in private

life, as in the past eight or nine years. Santa, in the person of Roland J. Lees,

of the Electrical Division, left the Isth- mus late last month en route to Plainfield, N. J. where he will live. With him

he took, among other things, a citation from the Cristobal-Margarita Civic Council, honors from the people of Colon, and

the memory of the happy faces of thou- sands of children from all over the Atlantic side. Maybe, before the Christmas season

arrives, somebody will appear to take over

the role of Santa Claus but as of the moment Desmond Doig, of New Cristobal, who has been Santa's principal

helper for years, doesn't know about it. Began By Chance

Mr. Lees began his career as Santa

Claus quite accidentally. He was drafted

or volunteered—he doesn't remember

quite which—to appear in a long white

beard and a bright red suit at a Knights

of Columbus Christmas party about eight years ago. He made such a hit that a number of other organizations com- mandeered his services the following year and he set up headquarters at the Hotel

Washington.

Everything would have been just fine had he been able to forget the disappointed faces of the Colon children who

watched him from the sidewalks as he

traveled from the Hotel Washington to

parties in the Canal Zone. He knew

that they'd have a slim Christmas—if they

had any. So the third year, he and Mr. Doig

got together well before Christmas and

packed 10,000 bags of candy themselves. With these and with some other contri- butions from the Navy he had candies and toys to give away as he made his expanding rounds. Grew And Grew

By bounds, the Lees-Doig Christmas

program grew. The past few years they

have spent several weeks before Christ- mas making preparations and almost the

entire week before Christmas Day going

from party to party, from the Salvation

Army centers to the Puerto Pilon home

for old people, from schools in Colon to the children's wards at Coco Solo and

Amador Guerrero Hospital.

When Santa Claus-Lees appeared in the Canal Zone or New Cristobal, he

usually distributed gifts provided by the organization sponsoring the Christmas

REVIEW Subscriptions

For College Students

THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW, for the

third year, is offering special subscriptions for students in United States col- leges. The rate is 50 cents for the

eight issues beginning with this one - October—and extending through May.

This special rate is applicable only to college students. Cash or a money

order, together with the student's name

and address, should be sent to the —

Editor, The Panama Canal Review

Balboa Heights, C. Z.

UNDER the beard is Roland J. Lees

Party. At New Cristobal, for instance,

parents would wrap and label gifts for

their youngsters. In some miraculous

fashion—special delivery to the collecting center at the Doig residence—these gifts would be transferred to Santa's bulging

sack. But he always carried a few extra, just in case. In Colon the candy and toys he handed

to the eager big-eyed boys and girls were

purchased by Santa Claus's crew—D.

Doig, foreman in charge—with funds

collected from local businessmen or from

others who couldn't bear the thought of a

giftless child. One year recently, he handed out 8,000 packages of candy;

1,000 balls; 1,000 whistles; 7,000 packages

of gum; 5,000 packages of sweet crackers; 100 footballs and 50 dolls. And these were in addition to great lots of canned

goods for the old people at Puerto Pilon. For several years he has arrived at Colon airport by plane, transferring there to a gaily-decorated float bearing a sled and reindeer which was built by the Lees-Doig combination. Santa's Helpers Santa Claus-Lees has had many assist- ants—Girl Scouts and occasionally the Governor and the Alcalde of Colon

but his number-one helper has been Mr. Doig.

"The work that I did could not have

been managed without his help," he told The Panama Canal Review.

Another special helper has been his good friend Tita Doig, now 11. She has been the official driver of the Donder and

Blitzen team for several years. This Christmas "Riley" Lees will be

able to spend at home with his family, for a change. He won't have to strap a little pillow around his middle and he won't

get prickly heat from a set of whiskers

and a fur-trimmed hat. He'll be in Plainfield where the weather will be

considerably cooler. Up there, there will be Santa Clauses

in every department store. He could

give any of them a few pointers.

The maximum civilian population of the Canal Zone was 61,279, in 1912.
12 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW October 7, 1955

TRANSFERRED

EDWAR D M. ALTMAN, above, has been appointed Claims Examiner in the Office of the Comptroller on

completion of his four-year term as Masigtrate of the Balboa Court. The appointment to the post of Claims Examiner will be effective this month. A native of Lawrence, Mass., Judge Altman joined

the Personnel Bureau of the Canal organization about

14 years ago and served there until his appointment

to the Balboa Court in 1951. He will be succeeded by John E. Deming, of Omaha, Neb., who will arrive in the Canal Zone late this month.

Children Of Canal Zone Are Healthy

(Continued from paged) pupils Mrs. Forbes

examined. Tests are made with stand- ard eye charts, letter for the older child- ren and "E's" in various positions for children who have not yet learned their alphabet. For some reason, some children like to wear glasses and the nurses must watch

carefully to prevent them from giving

incorrect readings just to get a pair of spectacles. Of course, they would be found out later anyhow, when they were

tested by an eye specialist. Then, there's the other side of the picture: The child- ren who won't wear glasses when they

should. Mrs. Forbes recalls one such young lady; she said her "boy friend"

didn't care for her in glasses. She was

all of 8 years old. Last year Miss Holcomb had to arrange appointments at the Gorgas Hospital eye

clinic for Atlantic side students who

needed prescriptions for glasses. She is delighted that this year Coco Solo Hospital will have its own eye clinic. Children who need to wear glasses but

whose parents are not able to provide

them have been aided by several Canal Zone organizations, the nurses said. The

Unitarian Society, the Ralboa Lion's Club,

and the Junior Red Cross have all given

help of this sort. Parents Notified As in the cases of dental defects, parents are notified of children suspected of faulty vision. Not infrequently the nurses followed up these notes with per- sonal or telephone calls to the parents, most such calls being made after working

hours or during weekends.

The heaviest workload for both nurses has always come at the beginning of the school year. This load will be better dis- tributed now that the Latin American

school year has been changed to conform

with that of the Panama schools. The change to Spanish-language in- struction in the Latin American schools has brought new problems to both nurses. Both of them have known Spanish for

THAT OLD CHRISTMAS feeling is something most people don't expect to get until after Thanksgiving. With the Commissary

Division, however, October is later than you

think and most Canal Zone residents will agree that is the time to shop when they see

the array of Christmas toys which will be

unveiled Saturday, October 22. The unveil- ing and the sale of toys will take place

s multaneously on both sides of the Isthmus

in Toy Centers in Balboa and Cristobal. Toy

centers in the local rate communities will open at a later date wiih a complete assort- ment of toys. On the Pacific side the Toy Centers will be

located on the second floor of the Balboa

Commissary Housewares Annex and in the

Tivoli Commissary area.

Cristobal toylands will be set up in the building opposite the Cristobal Service Center Shoe Repair Shop on Tobago Street and in Camp Bierd Commissary. The Toy Centers

will be open until Christmas during the same

hours as the Balboa and Cristobal Commissaries, except Camp Bierd which will operate on its regular schedule.

Commissary officials have made arrangements

to place all toys on sale when the toy center in each community opens—that is, wheel

toys and electric trains and other items which

sometimes were brought in later, will be

displayed for sale at the same time as everything else. Christmas ornaments, however,

will go on sale in November.

Santa Claus has sent word that he will be

unable to be present at the opening day of the toy sales but he will be

Santa Later around later to visit the Canal Zone boys and girls. An an- nouncement will be made in plenty of time

for everyone to get to one of the toy centers

to have a chat with Saint Nick. The toys themselves, which the Commissary

people claim are the finest line to be assembl- ed in recent years in the Canal Zone, were

ordered earlier this year by Lew W. Mcllvaine, local Santa Claus representative, who

went to the United States in March and

attended the 1955 Toy Fair to make his selection for the Christmas sales. AFTER A QUICK glance at the list of things he ordered and at a token shipment being

unpacked in the Commissary warehouse

recently, it would appear that Canal Zone

small fry will be able to ask Santa for almost anything from a super-duper set of building blocks to an outdoor gymnasium complete

with slide and chinning bar. There are also

junior-size badminton sets, containing two

racquets, two birds, and a net, for as little as $3.25; professional looking archery sets for the older children; and pogo sticks, those wonderful contraptions which can be used by any agile person weighing from 40 to 150

pounds.

For the younger children, emphasis has been placed on educational toys, many of them made by the well-known Holgate

people toys that are muscle builders and

stuffed toys made now of foam rubber and a

soft fuzzy covering guaranteed to be sanitary

as well as hugable.

Good for a small child just beginning to walk is the Whimsy Horse, a type of rocking

horse which gallops like mad on a patent swing arrangement guaranteed to be child- proof. For his slightly older brother or sister there are two- and three-seated "teeters"

or metal see-saws which take up little space and are easy for father to assemble.

All children, from the time they can talk, want

electric trains, (and so do their dads, of

course). The famous Lionel trains, separately and in sets both in 027-gauge and 0- gauge, will be sold by the Commissary toy centers again this year. Those too young for

a more complicated train assembly, however,

should be delighted with a little cable engi ne and trailer which operates on one flashlight battery and follows a rubber cable which can

be laid out anywhere in Ihe house. Available

also using the same battery principle are a

red tractor, a Buick car with headlights that

light, a searchlight jeep, a stratocruiser with

propellors that turn, and a washing machine

that washes. None of these toys will cost more than $2.00.

In the wheel-toy section, in addition to the

usual bicycles, tricycles, automobiles, and

fire trucks, the Commissary will Things With have a 1956 junior-size model Wheels station wagon (no Irade-ins accepted), a Good Humor

truck, a police radar-patrol cycle with a

built-in compartment, and a jet-ride, chaindrive, pump car with a bucket seat. This

last item, which is operated on the same

principle as a railroad hand car, was popular

a number of years ago as the Irish Mail and

even then was considered |ust the thing for the little darlings to work off excess energy. WHAT WOULD Christmas be without a

doll? Up to now we thought we had seen

everything in dolls. They have learned to

talk, walk, cry tears, drink water, take baths,

roll their eyes, turn their heads and dance.

This year, believe it or not, they open their

lips and bare their teeth. The teeth can be

brushed by their proud mamas with tooth- brushes which come as part of their complete wardrobe equipment. These special dolls, costing about $1 3, can also do ordinary things

like walk and talk. Their hair can be washed

and curled and they will stand up to being

dipped in a tub of hot water. A dancing doll as large as an ordinary

five-year-old child, is one of the special items

in the doll department this year. Made of flexible stuffed cotton, they have yarn hair and are dressed in various bright costumes. Each is equipped with dancing straps into which a small child can slip her feet and thus convert dolly into a realistic dancing partner. Other dolls come with and without wardrobes and some of the baby dolls have layettes; all of these are washable and most of them practically indestructible. Prices range

from as low as $1 to $14.25 for the more

elaborate models.

Little women won't have to pretend to put the food in the oven if they have one of the aluminum cooking sets put out

Starting by Mirro, the company which also Early makes standard-size kitchen ware.

In addition to the usual pots and

pans, the sets include percolators, which can make real coffee and an electric mixer for $2.95 which operates fine on a flashlight battery. Sturdy tables and chairs on which children up to eight years of age can sit comfortably, are to be sold this year in the Commissary

Toy Centers. The tables, 21 inches high and

the chairs about 13 inches from the floor, provide a good place for small children to eat their meals, play games and serve refresh- ments to their friends. Best of all they can be folded and stored away in the nearest

closet. BY THE END of an exciting Christmas Day,

most parents will be delighted if their off- spring and their friends would curl up by the Christmas tree with a good book. In this department, the Commissary has an exceptionally good selection this year. In addition

to story books for all ages, there are paint

books, coloring books, and sketch books for the little folks as well as for the older child, who has a flair for art. Painting sets and table games also are in this department and happy

will be the parent who finds that a number

of these items have been presented to younger members of the family by good old Santa.

some time but both took brush-up courses

recently and now use that language

wherever they can to the Latin American

students. Both of the school nurses have helped

during the past few months in the Salk

polio vaccination program. Last Friday

when Canal Zone children received their second inoculations, Mrs. Forbes and Miss

Holcomb worked all day supplementing

the regular nurses assigned to the program. Mrs. Forbes and Miss Holcomb both have backgrounds of public health work;

at first this was a hindrance (See page is)
October 7, 1955 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW 13

HOLD THA T LINE

CANAL ZONE CHAMPIONS for the past two years, the Junior College Green Devils are ready to take on the Balboa High School team tonight in a football classic at Balboa Stadium, knowing that Balboa will do its best

to knock them out of the championship, just as Cristobal will when it has an opportunity. Members of the Green Devils' first and second string teams are: Bottom row: left to right: Michael Zimmerman, right end; Joseph

Vowel, right tackle; Calvin Fishbough, right guard; Burton Mead, center; Stephen Herring, left guard; John Thomas, left tackle; and Curtis Jeffries,

left end. Center row: Kenneth Mohl, mascot; Alfonso Blackall, fullback; Reginald Hayden, quarterback; Richard Gau, halfback; William Maloney,

halfback; William McKeown, quarterback; Lambert Montovani, halfback; James McKeown, halfback; Richard Seeley, guard; Stewart Brown, coach. Top row: Robert Fogel, end; Ralph Connor, tackle; Michael Hopiak, guard; John Riley, center; Douglas Gibbs, guard; Ricardo Royo, tackle; John Wood, center; and Gary Maddox, end.

"Good School System" Is Opinion Of

Evaluators Who Visited Canal Zone

(Continued from page l) and conscientious devotion to the welfare of boys and girls was found everywhere.

"The administration of a school system

such as is found in the Canal Zone has many peculiar aspects," the report continues. "In the first place, there are

virtually two school systems for which

the administration is responsible. In

the next place, the community itself has no direct control over the administration

of the schools, either financial or in the ad- ministration of the educational program.

"It should be mentioned that in spite

of these differences all responsible agencies concerned seem to be quite sensitive

to the needs of the boys and girls in the

schools. This applies to the Governor,

the Lieutenant Governor, the Director of Civil Affairs, as well as to the professional

members of the staff. This is a fortunate circumstance because it could easily be

otherwise. In addition to these problems, many matters must be cleared through Washington in the Executive and

Legislative branches of the Government."

Recommending that the educational

program could be greatly improved if the Central Office were granted some additional supervisory assistance, Dr. Kraybill writes that "When comparisons are made, it must always be kept in mind

that the educational situation in the Canal Zone is not that of a normal municipality with a population of 50,000

people. The great diversity in the population, the impermanence of residence of the pupils in the schools, calls for additional and thoughtful effort on the part

of the educational staff." Suggested Improvements

Suggestions for improvement include wider use of audio-visual aids; more

attention to health services; a gradual

transfer to students of a greater share of responsibility for their own program and

activity; better facilities for an auditorium

program and a joint pupil-teacher drive

for assembly programs that would use

the abilities and the skills of a great

many students, and installation in the Central Office of a plan for a follow-up

of students both in college and in the work-a-day world. The latter would be

helpful in many ways, Dr. Kraybill

writes, and "particularly helpful in placing students in colleges when the

great rush for college comes on as it will in a very few years." It also is suggested

that opportunities should be offered for in-service training of the staff in view of the fact that the Canal Zone is far away

from great centers of intellectual life. The contents of Dr. Kraybill's special

summary and the accompanying reports

are not only important to the Canal Zone

c immunity locally, but to the Commission of the Middle States Association which will utilize the results of the Visit- ing Committees' work in determining

whether the Balboa and Cristobal High

Schools and the Canal Zone Junior College should be accredited. Accreditation

is granted only by the Commission at its annual meeting in November, following an analysis of the many phases of the school program. Notification of the

final action is not scheduled to be received

until January of next year. Upon accreditation of a school, its graduates may be accepted for the following 10-year period

for admission to most colleges without

the requirement of entrance examinations

or other qualifying rules. As described in the June 1954 and

March 1955 issues of The Panama

Canal Review, the evaluation activity

leading to the writing of these reports

involved a minute investigation of the

schools, ranging from the qualification of

staff members and the program of studies

to library services and the school plant.

The evaluation was requested by the Canal Zone Schools and was conducted

by the Middle States Association which

has jurisdiction over this area. This

Association is one of six regional Associations in the United States which together

form the General Committee in Charge of Cooperative Study of Secondary Schools. The General Committee establishes the

criteria schools must meet in order to

attain formal accreditation. Individual schools voluntarily solicit accreditation which not only is important

in improving the opportunities of stud- ents seeking higher education in the United States but to the schools in measuring their own quality and excellence. The first-hand examination by an

impartial accrediting agency with perfection as its goal stimulates the school to accomplish continuous improvement and

insures the education program being kept

close to the realistic needs and to changing conditions. The "look-in-the-mirror"

process is an incentive for the schools to maintain flexible curricula giving recognition to the needs of both students who

will not attend college and students who

will continue their studies elsewhere. How well Cristobal High School, Balboa

High School and the Canal Zone Junior

College scored individually in the 1955

accreditation test will be discussed, in the order named, in the next three issues of The Panama Canal Review.

Children Of Canal Zone Are Healthy

(Continued from page IS) rather than

a help in the school program. Some of the younger children associated them

with something mildly unpleasant like vaccinations or inoculations and were not

inclined at first to believe that an eye or dental examination wasn't going to end up with a "shot" for something.

"Or maybe," Miss Holcomb says in her pleasant Southern drawl, "they think anybodv in white's going to give them

a shot." The school health program in the Canal Zone is financed by the Division of Schools but carried out administratively

under the supervision of the Division of Preventive Medicine of the Health

Bureau.
14 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW October 7, 1955

PROMOTIONS AND TRANSFERS

August 15 through September 15

Employees who were promoted or transferred between August 15 and September IS are listed below. Within-grade promotions

and administrative changes are not listed.

CIVIL AFFAIRS BUREAU

Walter G. McBride, from Policeman and

Motorcycle Officer to Police Sergeant.

Police Division. Mrs. Eula R. Driscoll, from Assistant to Personnel Director, Personnel Bureau, to High School Teacher. Division of Schools. Charles A. McGlade, from Fireman, Fire

Division, to Postal Clerk, Postal Division. Gustavo A. Mellander, from Tabulating

Machine Operator, Payroll Branch, to Postal Clerk, Postal Division. Mrs. Pauline E. Long, from Elementary

School Teacher to Kindergarten Assistant, Dn ision of Schools. Mrs. Carol M. Swenson, from Substitute Teacher to Elementary School Teacher,

1 >i\ ision of Schools. Mrs. Miriam S. Hirschl, Mrs. Marion L. Girard, Mrs. Bessie C. Herring, Mrs. Era

L. Greene, Mrs. Vera G. Irving, from Substitute Teacher to Kindergarten Assistant, Division of Schools. OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER

John E. Fisher, from Systems Accountant, Accounting Systems Staff, to Assistant

Chief, Accounting Division. Thomas H. Scott, from Systems Accountant to Supervisory Systems Accountant,

Accounting Systems Staff. Robert Lessiack, from Budget Analyst

to Supervisory Budget Analyst, Budget

Branch. . Mrs. Mary J. Yaeger, Accounting Clerk, from Agents Accounts Branch, to General Ledger and Processing Branch. Mrs. Ruth J. Bain, Clerk Typist, from

Central Typing and Clerical Unit, to Treasury Branch.

Earl C. Keeney, from Cash Accounting

Clerk (Collection) to Cash Accounting

Clerk (Teller), Treasury Branch. John Montayne, from Systems Accountant to Supervisory Systems Accountant,

Methods and Relief Assignment Staff. Carl M. Pajack, from Accountant to Systems Accountant, Methods and Relief Assignment Staff. William E. Hall, from Accounting Assist- ant, Reports and Reconciliation Branch,

to Systems Accountant, Methods and Relief Assignment Staff. Stephen A. Bissell, from Supervisory

Accounting Clerk to Accounting Assistant, Methods and Relief Assignment Staff. Charles M. Middleton, from Chief to Supervising Valuation Engineer, Plant In- ventory and Appraisal Staff. ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION

BUREAU

Donald E. Judson, from Powerhouse

Operator to Senior Powerhouse Operator,

Electrical Division. James J. Morris, from Construction

Inspector, Contractors Hill, to Contract

Assistant, Contract and Inspection Division.

TJlrich W. Hughes, from Instrument Re- pairman Electrical Leader to Foreman,

Electrical Instrument Repair Shop, Electrical Division. Harry E. Pearl, from Construction Management Engineer, Contractors Hill, to

Civil Engineer, Engineering Division. Robert G. Laatz, from Construction Engineer to Maintenance Engineer, Mainte- nance Division. Bob D. Maynard, from Assistant Plumbing Supervisor to Lead Foreman Plumber,

l Northern District). Maintenance Division. Fred L. Watson, from Repair Shop Fore- man to Heavy Duty Equipment Mechanic,

Maintenance Division. Manuel Quintero, from Contract Assist- ant. Contract and Inspection Division, to

Civil Engineer, Engineering Division. James A. Van Dyke, from Crater and

Packer Leader to Crater and Packer Fore- man, Maintenance Division. William H. Will, from Bricklayer and

Plasterer and Tilesetter to Brick or Stone Mason, Maintenance Division. Mrs. Rose L. Thomas, from Time, Leave

and Payroll Clerk, Payroll Branch, to Clerk-Typist, Engineering Division. HEALTH BUREAU

Ramel H. Masters, Raymond E. Forbes,

Sanitation Inspector, from Panama Health

Office to Division of Sanitation. MARINE BUREAU

Harry Van Loon, Arthur M. Hiland,

from Guard, Locks Security Branch, to Towing Locomotive Operator, Pacific Locks.

Elvis H. Robertson, Billy D. Bell, Gilbert M. Smith, Frank R. Costanzo, from Fireman

Fire Division, to Guard, Locks Security Branch. Harold G. Crawford, from Chauffeur, Motor Transportation Division (Car of President, Panama Canal Company), to Guard, Locks Security Branch. PERSONNEL BUREAU

Mrs. Barbara B. Ramey, Clerk-Stenographer, from General Services Section to

Office of the Personnel Director. Margaret A. Zent, from Student Assist- ant to Clerk-Stenographer, Wage and

Classification Division. SUPPLY BUREAU

Francis W. Hickey, from Locomotive Crane Steam Engineer to Salvage Yard

Lead Foreman, Division of Storehouses. TRANSPORTATION AND TERMINALS

BUREAU

Wilson H. Waldron, Body Repair Shop

Supervisor from Cristobal to Ancon, Motor

Transportation Division. Walter H. Hobby, from Body Repair

Shop Supervisor, Ancon, to Motor Transportation Supervisor, Motor Transportation Division. Fay M. Brown, from Painter-Body

Repairman to Body Repair Shop Supervisor

(Cristobal), Motor Transportation Division.

OCTOBER SAILINGS

From Cristobal Ancon October 1 Panama October 8

Cristobal October 15 Ancon October 22

1'a mi ma October 29 From New York

Cristobal October 6 Ancon October 13 Panama October 20

Cristobal October 27 (Southbound the Haiti stop is from 7 a. m.

to 4 p. m. Monday; northbound, ships are

also in Port-au-Prince Monday, from about

1 to 6 p. m.)

RETIREMENTS

Retirement certificates were presented

the end of August to the following employees

who are listed alphabetically, together with

their birthplaces, titles, length of Canal

service, and future addresses: Thomas E. Bougan, Louisiana; Chief, Retail Stores Branch, Commissary Division; 22 years, 1 month, 5 days; St. Peters- burg, Fla. Mrs. Eva E. Dickson, Pennsylvania;

rime and Leave Clerk, Balboa Port Captain's Office; 10 years, 8 months, 4 days;

Bangor, Maine.

David L. Gatz, Louisiana; Auditor, Office

of the Comptroller; 26 years, 7 months, '24 days; address uncertain. Frank W. Hohmann, Pennsylvania; Auditor. Office of the Comptroller; 31 years,

3 months. 22 days; St. Petersburg, Fla. William R. Knox, Kansas; Postal Clerk, Balboa; 16 years, 2 months, 9 clays; near Topeka, Kans. Mrs. Ella E. Wertz, Louisiana, Mail

Clerk, Administrative Branch; 16 years,

2 months, 17 days; New Orleans, La.

ANNIVERSARIES

(Editor's Note: For the very senior man

of them all see page 10 of this issue.)

30 YEARS

Two employees who celebrated their

thirtieth year of Government service last month are twins in service date and career. Reginald D. Armstrong and Clair E. Ewing went to school together in Seville, Ohio, their association pre-dating high

school. So it was quite natural that when

they grew up they should look for jobs

together. Mr. Ewing's uncle, C. A. Mclllvaine, was then Executive Secretary of The

Panama Canal. He told the young job- hunters of two openings in what was called

in those days the Receiving and Forwarding

Agency, and is now the Terminals Division. Their Canal service began September 8, 1925. Both started as clerks and neither has ever worked for any other Canal unit. Mr. Armstrong is a Claims Investigator in Cristobal and Mr. Ewing is Supervisory

Administrative Assistant in Balboa. Another of September's 30-year men has unbroken Canal service. He is Kenneth

D. Slowick, Master Machinist with the

Industrial Division in Cristobal. Born in Niagara Falls, N. Y., he served for three years in the U. S. Navy aboard the USS

Huntington. Except for a few months with

the Locks Division, all of his service has been with what is now the Industrial Division. The other two employees who completed

30 years of government service in September, Robert S. Wood, Supervisory Signal

Engineer for the Railroad Division, and

Charles P. Shay, Assistant to the Chief of the Commissary Division's Retail Stores Branch, have broken service. Both began

their Canal careers as boys and resumed

them after they were grown. Mr. Wood, whose father was an account- ant here for many years, w-as born in Washington but came to the Isthmus when

he was less than two years old. He worked

as a "boy" and as a gardener during school

vacations. His adult career began when he

joined the Electrical Division in 1927 as a

signal maintainer; he has been with the Railroad since 1945. Mr. Shay, a native of Oil City, Pa., came

to the Isthmus when he was eight. He

worked one summer as a messenger in the old Record Bureau. When he was 18 he took

off for the States to work and eventually saw a good deal of the world in a three-year

hitch in the Marine Corps. He has been

with the Commissary Division since 1930.

25 YEARS

Two employees completed a quarter of a century of Government service last month.

Robert C. Smith, a Filtration Plant Operator with the Maintenance Division at Mount Hope, has unbroken service with the Canal organization. He was born in Massachusetts. His first Canal job was as a Clerk in the old Municipal Engineering

Division. Russell J. Parsons, an Auto Repair

Machinist with the Transportation and

Terminals Bureau, is a native of Michigan

but has spent most of his life in the Canal

Zone. He attended school in Empire,

worked as a messenger and a towerman with

the old Central Division when still in his teens, and later served his apprenticeship

as a machinist in the Canal Zone. His

father was a railroad conductor.

20 YEARS

All but one of September's 20-year employees have continuous service with the Canal organization, and several have the same service dates. Those with unbroken

service are: John R. Bruland, Jr., born in Ancon,

one-time apprentice, and now Boilermaker and Tank Tester in the Industrial Division; Thomas J. Pimento, born in Pedro Miguel,

also a one-time apprenticeship and now a

Machinist with the Industrial Division; George J. Herring, a native of Washington, now a Railroad conductor; Maxwell S. Sanders, another native Zonian, now

Assistant Marine Bunkering Foreman with

the Terminals Division; William E. Kirkland, Scotch-born, a Diesel Operator- Machinist with the Electrical Division; Adamary Anderson, Cristobal High School
October 7,1955 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW 15

Teacher; Calmar A. Batalden, Supervisor

of Shop in the Latin-American Schools; Dorothy K. Henry, Teacher at South Margarita School; Richard L. Sullivan, General Manager of the Commissary Division; Joseph L. H. Demers, Supervisory Storage

Officer of the Division of Storehouses; and

Mrs. Mary B. Journeay who, as a Balboa High School Teacher, has instructed a good

many Isthmians in the tricks of typing

and shorthand. Mr. Bruland and Mr. Pimento went to work for the Canal organization on the same day —September 3, 1935. Four others—Miss Anderson, Mr. Batalden, Miss Henry and Mr. Sullivan —share September

19, 1935, as their service date. The 20-year employee whose service is broken is Joseph V. Dignam, Customs

Inspector at Cristobal who is now spending

his vacation as a crewman on a Europeanbound ship.

Eighteen of September's 15-year employees have unbroken Canal service. They are: William N. Arthur, Signalman,

Navigation Division; Roy F. Burr, Accounting Clerk, Commissary Division; Gilbert H. Davis, Lock Operator Ironworker

Welder, Pacific Locks; Stephen A. Dreyer,

Wireman, Electrical Division; Edward G. Haydel, Jr., also a wireman in the Electrical Division; Marion S. Herring, Chief Towboat Engineer in the Dredging Division

;

James M. Little, Senior Towboat Master, Dredging Division; Cornelia Malmberg,

Balboa Elementary School Teacher; Porter M. McHan, Leadingman Combination

Welder, Industrial Division; F. A. McGuinness, Conductor, Railroad Division; Frederick A. Mohl, Fireman, Balboa Central

Fire Station; Mabel F. Peterson, Accounting Clerki Commissary Division; David H. Searle, Jr., Policeman; Balboa Police District; Howard

T. Tettenburn, Locomotive Pipefitter, Rail- road Division; Homer W. Watkins, Fire- man, Gamboa Fire Station; Joseph H.

White, Supervisory Storage Officer, Division of Storehouses; Russell T. Wise,

Safety Engineer, Safety Branch; and

William B. Wray, Bricklayer and Boiler- maker, Industrial Division. Mr. Dreyer, Mr. Herring and Mr. Mol 1

all joined the Canal organization on September 13, 1940; Mr. McHan and Mr. Tetten- burn followed the next day; Mr. Little, Mr. McGuinness and Mr. Wise share a September 18, 1940 employment date. Fifteen-year employees whose Canal service is broken are; Robert J. Balcer, Postal Clerk; Joseph M. Hunt, Marine Traffic Controller; Frances B. Orvis, Clerk-typist, Motor Transportation Division; Wallace

F. Russon, Safety Inspector, Terminals

Division; and James E. Stuart, Property

and Supply Clerk, Aids to Navigation

Branch.

EXECUTIVE REGULATION 19

Editor's Note: A revision of Executive

Regulation No. 19, covering travel and

transportation was issued at Balboa Heights

recently'. It will be published in install- ments with the third installment carried

in this issue for the benefit of those who

desire to clip and save the entire regulation.

CANAL ZONE GOVERNMENT

PANAMA CANAL COMPANY

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR-PRESIDENT

Balboa Heights, C. Z. June 24, 1955.

Revision 1 —(Continued)

II. TRANSPORTATION OF HOUSEHOLD

GOODS AND PERSONAL EFFECTS

(b) Household goods and personal effects may

include, within the authorized weight limit, and

subject to paragraph (c) of this section: Furniture and furnishings such as are usual and customary for the maintenance of a household establishment Books Hobby power tools and equipment Amateur radio equipment Hand tools Bicycles Outboard motors

Firearms Cameras and photographic equipment

Golf clubs Other items similar to the above that are used in or about the house or as recreational items

(c) The shipment of household goods and

personal effects acquired in anticipation of termination shall not be made at Government

expense. In the case of new employees, no

expense shall be allowable for the transportation

of property acquired en route.

(d) In the case of craftsmen traveling by

plane the Government will bear the cost of the

transportation of the customary tools, including

container, of their trade deemed absolutely

essential in the performance of their duties, as excess baggage up to 25 pounds, in cases in which the inclusion of the tools causes the combined weight of the tools and personal baggage

to exceed the free baggage allowance.

(e) Baggage in excess of the weight or size greater than carried free by transportation companies will be classed as excess baggage. Claims

for excess baggage charges will be allowed when

authorized in travel orders.

2.5 Temporary storage. The actual expenses of temporary storage (not to exceed authorized weight)

shall be allowed not to exceed 60 days, except that not to exceed 90 days may be allowed where an

employee, pursuant to section 6.3 of these regulations, returns for leave prior to serving a new period of service outside the continental United States at a

different post of duty. (From section 20 of Executive Order 9805, as amended by Bureau of the Budget Circular A-4, May 2, 1955)

2.6 Means of shipment. Transportation services, including allowances specified in section 2.2 and 2.3 hereof, may be procured by the Panama Canal Company or Canal Zone Government from any available common carrier: Provided, however. That an employee may elect to have his effects moved by some

means other than the means selected by the Company-Government (except as provided in section 2.12

of these regulations) on the condition that he shall pay the amount, if any. by which the charges for the means of transportation selected by him exceed

the charges for the means of transportation selected by the Company-Government.

(Based on section 21 of Executive Order 9805. amended by Executive Order 10381)

2.7 Origin and destination of shipment. The

expenses of transportation authorized hereunder, or reimbursement on a commuted basis within the

continental United States, shall be allowable (a) in the case of transfer whether the shipment originates

at the employee's last official station or at some other

point, or partially at both, or whether the destination

is the new official station or some other point selected by him, or both; or (b) in the case of new appoint- ments and terminations, whether the shipment

originates at the employee's actual residence at the time of appointment or at some other point, or

partially at both, or whether the destination is such

place of actual residence at time of appointment, or some other place selected by the employee, or both;

provided, That the cost to the Company-Government

shall not exceed the cost of shipment in one lot by

the most economical route from the last official station to the new or between the employee's place

of actual residence at time of appointment and the Canal Zon? or Haiti, as the case may be.

2.8 Use of Government bill of lading. Shipment

shall be made on Government bill of lading whenever

possible, otherwise reimbursement shall be made to the employee for transportation expenses actually and necessarily incurred within the limitations pre- scribed by these regulations. If property in excess

of the amount allowable under these regulations is shipped on a Government bill of lading, the employee

shall immediately upon completion of the shipment pay to the proper office of the Company-Government

an amount equal to the charge for the transportation

of such excess computed from the total charges

according to the ratio of excess weight to the total weight of the shipment. (From section 22 of Executive Order 9805)

2.9 Use of lift vans. Charges allowable hereunder

for packing and crating and for transportation shall include expenses incurred in hiring, transporting, and

packing lift vans when shipments are made in whole

or in part by water, but shall not include charges in connection with any shipments of empty lift vans

or for payment of storage charges or import duties on lift vans. (From section 23 of Executive Order 9805)

2.10 Preparation of vouchers. In preparing vouchers for payments under these regulations the follow- ing conditions shall be observed:

(a) Statement of weight. When charges for transportation are based upon weight, the actual

(not estimated) weight shall be shown.

lb) Payment by more than one voucher. When

all the services rendered are not covered by a

single voucher, vouchers covering payment for

all subsequent charges shall bear a reference to the prior vouchers. (From section 10 of Executive Order 9805)

2.11 Valuation. The valuation of property as declared for shipping purposes shall not exceed that

at which the lowest freight rates will apply. If the employee desires a higher valuation, he shall assume

all costs of transportation in excess of the charges at the lowest rate. (From section 24 of Executive Order 9805)

2.12 Shipment by American vessels. All shipment

of property by water shall be made on ships registered under the laws of the United States whenever such

ships are available. When American flag vessel is not available within 30 days from desired date of shipment foreign flag vessel may be utilized. (Based on section 25 of Executive Order 9805, as amended by Executive Order 10196)

2.13 Itemization of charges. In case the services rendered cover, in addition to transportation, other

services such as packing, crating, drayage, unpacking, and uncrating, the total charge for the services

shall be itemized so as to show the charge for each

service. (From section 26 of Executive Order 9805)

2.14 Procedure for obtaining shipment of goods and effects. After obtaining necessary travel orders, employees shall make arrangements as instructed by the Transportation Section, Administrative Branch, for packing, crating, weighing, measuring,

stenciling, temporary storage, and drayage of their household goods and personal effects for shipment as consigned by the employees. Such arrangements may be made by the employee personally or through

an agent duly authorized by the employee in a written communication addressed to the Transportation

Section.

2.15 Customs inspection on the Isthmus. Examination by Canal Zone Government customs officers of household goods, wearing apparel and other

articles, the cording and sealing of which is permitted under current customs regulations, to be shipped to the United States, is optional to the employee and

for his convenience in effecting customs entry of the goods into the United States. In view of the incon- venience involved and the expense which must be

incurred and paid by the employee from personal funds in connection with the entry into the United

States of uncorded and unsealed shipments, terminated employees should arrange through the Transportation Section to have corded and sealed by

Canal Zone Government customs officers such household goods and personal effects as are permitted under customs regulations and as are not transported

as baggage.

2.16 Certification of weights, cubic measurements and contents. The unit or agency with whom arrange- ments are made for the packing and crating of house- hold goods and personal effects shall furnish the Comptroller with a certified statement as to the

weight, cubic measurement, and contents of each

shipment. Statements as to contents shall be

certified by an employee authorized to supervise or

actually perform the packing and crating operation. The owner of the goods may perform that operation but in such event he shall prepare and furnish the packing agency with a properly itemized packing

list, including the required certificate, for transmission to the Comptroller. Packing lists shall not

include items not allowable under this regulation.

2.17 Preparation and disposition of ocean bills of

lading. The employee shall furnish the Administrative Branch, Transportation Section, all necessary information required for forwarding the shipment. Such information shall be transmitted by the Administrative Branch, Transportation Section, to the

carrier at the time the goods are presented for ship- ment. Ocean bills of lading shall show the owner of the goods as the shipper.

2.18 Routing and consignment of shipments. The

Administrative Branch, Transportation Section, shall be responsible for the routing to port of entry of all household goods and personal effects shipped to the United States pursuant to these regulations. Generally, shipments will be consigned to a Government

representative at port of entry, and routing to the

final destination will be arranged by that official. 2.19 Customs fees. A fee of $1.00 shall be col- lected by Canal Zone Government customs officers for each customs certificate made by them.

2.20 Reimbursement of expenses not authorized. The employee will not be reimbursed in connection

with the shipment of household goods and personal

effects for:

(a) Services or materials furnished in connection with packing and crating on the Isthmus.

(b) Expenses incurred for marine or other

insurance.

(c) Expenses on account of exceeding the authorized weight allowance.

(d) Excess cost of shipment of household

goods and personal effects on account of ship- ment in more than one lot.

Company Budgets Expenditure Of $7,170,000

For Replacement Of Towing Locomotives

(Continued from page i) of the manufacturer's design.

Most of the towing locomotives to be

replaced are older than the Panama

Canal. They were designed by Edward

Schildhauer, electrical-mechanical engi- neer of the Isthmian Canal Commission,

who also designed most of the electrical equipment for the Canal. The towing

locomotives were, in fact, devised for Panama Canal use and their design was

patented by Mr. Schildhauer. Oldtimers

Forty of the 67 locomotives were built by the General Electric Company prior to the opening of the Canal. The other

30, including three modified for use as

cranes, were built at various times since. Four were manufactured in 1916 and 12 more between 1921 and 1924 by General

Electric. The other 14 were built by the Mechanical and Locks Divisions. Ample evidence of the difference in costs over the past 45 years is the manufacturing costs of the towing locomotives. The first group was built in 1913 at a

cost of about $13,000 each. Some of those

built between 1921 and 1924 cost nearly

$50,000, and those built after World War

II cost more than $100,000 each. Most of the towing locomotives in use have reached such a degree of wear or obsolescence that they would require complete rebuilding for further serviceable

use. Engineering studies, as conducted

by Company and U. S. consultants,

showed that it would be more economical

to purchase new locomotives than to re- build the old ones which would involve

serious problems such as the replacement

of parts not now being manufactured.
cv <

16 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW October 7, 1955

Panama Line Ship Schedule Disrupted

By Hurricanes, Strikes, Engine Trouble

RAIN and all, these Zonians were glad to be back home. Shown above are some of the 70 persons who were stranded in New York when a shipping strike prevented the sailing of the SS Cristobal and

the special plane on which they were flown to the Canal Zone through arrangements made by Governor Seybold. Above is the special plane just after it landed at Albrook Field; below are some of the passengers waiting to go through Customs.

Hurricanes, strikes, and engine trouble combined to scramble the well-ordered schedule of the three Panama Line ships

during September so badly that it was

barely recognizable by the end of the month. As a result of the delays, and missed

sailing dates a complete new schedule has been announced for the coming months

for the three vessels. No changes will be made in the sailing dates and hours, but

the sailing schedules for the SS Panama

and SS Cristobal have been exchanged.

The result is that the order of sailing

is now the Ancon, Panama, and Cristobal;

this began with the southbound sailing of the SS Ancon from New York on September 22.

It was also announced last month that the assignment of the three ship masters

has been changed. The new assignments now are: Capt. Charles L. Foley, Cristobal; Capt. F. DeF. Gorman, Ancon; and

Capt. William J. Steffens, Panama.

Hurricanes And Strikes

The Panama Line schedule trouble last month started on the first northbound

and southbound sailings in September.

The Ancon, this year's "SchoolteacherSpecial," developed engine trouble while passing the Bahamas and was a day and

a half late in arrival. The ship was fur- ther delayed while necessary repairs were made by the Industrial Division. Meanwhile, the Panama, northbound,

had to be diverted to Baltimore because

of the waterfront strike in New York, and

the Cristobal, ready to sail southbound, was delayed in New York for more than

a week. Seventy of the Cristobal's 150 passengers stranded in New York were flown to the Isthmus on a chartered Pan American

Airways plane. Arrangements for the

charter flight were made by Governor

Seybold who was in the States at the

time. The plane made a direct flight from

New York w

r ith a single stop in Miami

for refueling.

The Cristobal was further delayed by

the hurricane lone which swept up the

eastern seaboard just after the ship sailed. It finally arrived on Friday afternoon, one week and two days behind normal

schedule. It sailed northbound on Sunday, September 25, and was to take its place on the new schedule on its return voyage to the Isthmus, leaving New York

vesterdav.

o> =

<x =

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fad SHIPS m SHIPPING ,j^i =

Transits by Ocean-Going Vessels

In August

1955 1954 Commercial 676 652

U. S. Government 16 31

Total.. 692 683

Tolls* Commercial $2,985,970 $2,757,574

U. S. Government

_ 75, 943 1 80, 794

Total $3,061,913 $2,938,368

* Includes all vessels, ocean-going and small. The wide fluctuations which occur on a month-to-month basis in Panama Canal

traffic were evident over the past three months. A new monthly record number

of commercial transits was established in July but traffic dropped sharply in Auggust. The total for August was 51 under

the July figures. September traffic was

running about midway between the fig- ures for the two previous months, the

daily rate for the first 27 days of the month being about one transit higher

than the daily rate of the previous month.

The average size of ships transiting the Canal and the average amount of tolls paid have risen considerably during this year. The amount of cargo per ship is also running much higher this year than

last. In July tolls averaged $4,494 per ocean-going transit, the highest for any

month in several years. The average for

this year is $4,317, as compared with last calendar year's average of $4,225.

The increase in average tolls and size of vessels is attributed almost entirely to the tanker traffic in recent months. Transits by the "super tankers" have been high

for several months. Comparatively little change has been noted in the size of dry

cargo ships this year as compared with

last year.

The Pacific Steam Navigation Company has announced that calls at ports

in Venezuela, Trinidad, and Portugal will be added next year to the company's

European-South American service. The

service will be inaugurated with the sail- ing of the Reina del Pacifico next April.

The new Reina del Mar will join the service the following month, sailing from

Liverpool to South America on May 3. The air-conditioned luxury liner will call at French, Spanish, and Caribbean ports on its maiden voyage, arriving in Cristo- bal May 24. Eight voyages are planned

for the two vessels next year making calls at the additional ports.

The Panama liner Cristobal will sail from Cristobal on Friday, November 4, instead of Saturday, November 5, to per- mit its arrival in New York on the day

before Armistice Day, which is a holiday.

Fire Prevention Week To Begin Nexl Monday

(Continued from page 2) their town where

they may inspect and be given explanations of the type of equipment used. A special feature next week will be a "House of Hazards" planned by the Army

fire fighting forces at Fort Clayton. This

will be open all week to the general public. The "House of Hazards" will feature

the things not to do and the things that cause disastrous fires.