The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-01-19 00:00:00

THE PROGRESS OF THE PANAMA
CANAL.

A correspondent of the Daily News describes a visit
to the works in progress at the Panama Canal, in an
article, from which we make the,following extracts :
Leaving the company's haven, I entered the town
where I perceived that several hotels, restaurants, and
new buildings had been constructed. Everywhere on
the railway line I saw waggons and engines marked
C. P. (mark of the company). I examined a very
spacious wharf, the property of the company, where
two ships were discharging machinery and timber for
the canal. Further on were several slips and sheds '
for erecting and launching machinery, and several large
workshops for repairing and erecting. The company '
employed over 3,000 workmen at Colon. A few eteds
more to the north I came across several villas, then a
large magazine, then a large row of substantial build.
ings. The latter were the company's offices
and residences for their staff. They were
situated on the seashore, and had the appear-
ance of possessing every comfort. The town
looked very lively; all looked busy. There were 15
steamers and sailing vessels in harbour, and 00,000 tons of
merchandise had been landed in 18 months for the com-
pany. After leaving Colon I proceeded to Gatun,
where I found a handsome village, composed of several
chalets, ambulances, canteens, workshops —in one
word, a very compact and lively village. It appears
that all the buildings here have been handed over to
Messrs. Siaven, Huerne, and Co., who have undertaken
to construct this portion of the canal in two years. On
leaving Getun I passed Tiger and Lion Hill, where I
saw great preparations being made for the establishment
of two sections under two separate chiefs. I remained
at Bohio to visit the works as they looked very impor-
tent. The chief engineer, M. Vaubour, was very
courteous and took me over all :the section. Teere
were about forty houses and huts, several lines of
rails were laid to serve as a road for discharging
the waggons filled with earth from the bed of the canal.
On both sides of the line of the canal huts were erected
for housing labourers who were to the number of 700
at this station. From Bohio I went on to Tavernilia
where the same arrangements were visible. All
seemed to be completed in the way of houses, stores,
restaurants, lines for discharging. Excavators were
being erected, locomotives were under the sheds wait-
ing to be set to work, and more than one hundred
waggons were ready to be put in motion at the dry
season. From Tavernilla I proceeded to Gorgona,
where I found a large and important section in fell
swing. One thousand labourers were divided over the
section, some excavating with picks and shovels,others
blowing up roots of trees with dynamite. Another
gang were tending to the excavators which Trete
vomiting earth into waggons. No sooner were the
waggons filled than they were conducted away
by locomotives to the valley to be discharged.
Between Gorgona and Obispo there were two sub-
sections—Manei and Matachin—busily engaged in
plate-laying and constructing temporary bridges over
the Chagres, as the canal outs the river several times
in its winding. The number of workmen employed
on both sides of the river was estimated at 500, and
Decanville waggonets were principally used in dis-
charging earth. I was In admiration before the
activity of this station. All appeared to be engaged
In extracting and preparing to extract as much earth
as was possible from the cutting of the eanal. I had
really arrived at a very important and interesting part
of the works, where deeper excavations were to take
place, and more powerful machinery be employed.
The next section was Obispo, where everything was
life and work. A large Tillage was constructed
on the eminence and niche of a mountain which over.
looked the whole of the works. The majority of work-
men employed here were constructing lines in the
direction of Gambou, where the great dam is to bar
the course of the River Ohagres. All the stone and
earth excavated at this station will be eonveyed by rail
to the t' barrage," as they term it. The darn Is mu-
strutted in the sides of two mountains, the Cerro°
Cruces and Gamboa, and bars tt valley of the
Chagree. This reservoir h 1,800 feet in length, and
ninety feet high, and Is capable, of containing
600,000,000 cubic mitres of water. As soon as it fills
there are large pipes which empty the contents in
different canals. This reservoir is t. regulate the
sudden rises of the Chagres through an excessive fall
of rain.

I visited Emperador after Obispo, and here I was
astonished at all around me, Emperador is an impor-
tant section, and on it was eonstatrcted a large village of
chalets and other buildings similar to a small manufac-
turing town. Emperador is one of the two important
sections on the line where the deep cutting hae to be
effected, and where ten millions of cubic metres of
earth have to be extracted. The machinery, appli-
ances, and accessories here are numerous, powerful,
and of the latest inventions. Amadeu' and French
excavators work alongside each other. French
and American perforators, steam drille, and
cranes perform their duties side by aide.
There are large workshops, in which many
artisans ate employed, aid 'radius Ikeda for mach!.
leery and goods. The work at this station was very
active, and all effotts were combined to extract as
much earth as possible from the axis of the canal,
there being a premium allowed for a eertaia number
of cubic metres extracted per day. Them was great
order and organization apparent at this section. Two
millions of cable miltres have been extracted out of
the bed of the canal, and the chief engineer informed
me that he intended doubling his labourers and hie
mac*inery for the next dry !lemon. The next section
was Culebra, supposed to be the sister section to
Emperador ,for work and order. Calebra is the
summit of the isthmus and of the eanal, and the
cutting will be 308 feat deep here. The village
consisted of two hospitals, two canteens or restau-
rants, several workshops and repairing sheds, two
engine-housee, and two goods platfovms, and there
were several French and Belgian locomotives,
American-French excavators, as well ae waggons of
various types. The whole section was cut up by rails
leading to various parts where the earth and rock ex-
tracted from the canal were diseharged. The
labourers, to the number of 2,000, at these two sections
were West Indians (English and Preach) and Swath
Americans, The deep cutting extends over a line of
seven miles. From Oulebra you descend to Parable,
a section on the foot of the Pacific slope. Material
progress has been made here, had activity reigned
everywhere. I at last arrived in Panama, the oppo-
site end of the canal, where I fouled great changes bed
taken place. The Grand Hotel had been bought by
the company, and their offices organised and eabsb.
lished in it; the seeretary's department, aosountanes
offices, technical, surveying, and arehiteotural
branches, director-general's -cabinet, telegraph and
telephone apartments, control and cashiers offices,
ecc. On the ground - floor was a handsome
club, billiard room, hydropathic establishment, aid
apothecary's stores. On the side of the Anemia, a
mountain two miles from Panama, a large hospital
with all its appurtenances has been constructed. The
building has about 500 wards for patients. On each
wing are the residenem of the nurses, sisters of charity.
engaged in the hospital. Around the principal bail&
ing are several chalets used for kitchens, mulleins
shone, waiting-rooms, and eonvaleseent home. There
are BIM doctors and surgeons (four French and two
Englith) attached to the hospital. There is a beautiful
flower and kitchen garden, a fountain, a reservoir of
spring water, and the site commands a fine view of the
Pacific and the Chagres Valley. The "tout ensemble"
I. very cheerful, and the inmates are well taken care of.