Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-25
THE PANAMA SHIP CANAL.
JObbsry and Inefi cheney in the Manage
ment of the Work.
Fro" fae Nel0 YORK. Siar.

workings Of the company than is gener-
ally known.
The general director of Panama has.
until recently, been Mr.. Dingler of the
special governmental corps, known in
France as the Corps des Ingenieurs des
FONTS ct Chaussies, man seemingly
most jealous OF the exercise Of authorI-
", and fond OF welding that delegated
to him by the executive committee in
Paris.
Since his advent to power he has always
insisted On having everything pass
through his own hands, no matter how
Trivial Its nature or how remote in its
bearings from the general interests COM
mltted to his charge. Thus, for example,
under ridiculous and useless regulation
OF too dif11cult an application so be practi-
eally enforced, no employee of the COM
pany has any right to leave the post as
signed him, even on Sundays and holi-
days, without previously obtaining from
the general direction the authorization to
do 80. request for such leave OF alb
sence, no matter for how brief a lapse Of
time, must be made in writing eight
days beforehand, with the observance of
ali the Oid-tlme formula CT 0hsequlOus
epistolary etiquette now obsolete almost
everywhere.
1t is easily conceived what loss Of time
these and similar requests entail, and
how detrimental TO prompt and efficient
dispatch OF business is the application of
such ideas TO the management of affairs
on SO large a scale. But the recent direc-
tor-gener8l, whatever his capacity as an
engineer, can scarcely lay claim to being
man OF business. bOr administrative
purposes, ths total length of the proposed
canal, work on different sections of which
is progressing by no means Simultaneous
ly or with equal activity, Is divided into
three divisions, each OF which is COM
manded by an engineer of the Corps DIES
Fonts ct Chausseis, already mentioned.
Leave OF absence, renewable from time to
time, 1s readily granted by the Minister
OF Public Works in France to the men,
bers of that body DESTROYS Of taking part
in French engineering enterprises abroad.
These engineers are, as q rule, young
men, personal friends, moreover, Of Mr..
Dingler, who, in his selections, seems to
have been rather actuated by a desire to
'urnish his acqu aintances with lucrative
positions than to surround himself with a
stat of professional veterans and men of
long experience and well-established rep
utation. l'h
The reason for this may perhaps re
found in his desire 10 bring within his
control, everything pertaining to the ca
nal. 1t was, therefore, more in accord
with his views tn be seconded by Junior
assistants whom he could Undue with
his personal views and control more
effectively than he could older men
less amenable to anOther's influence and
more likely TO entertain ideas of their
own.
The salary OF division engineers in the
canal com anv's employ is fixed at from
$4,000 to $4,000 per annum. Each dIYis-
ION is sub-dlyided into sections, the ex-
tent of each depending upon the impor-
| lance of the work in its immediate Yicln-
ity. Generally speaking section may
be said to comprise fur or five miles in
length, its headquarters being always es-
tablished at localityswhere the Panama
Railroad Company has station. Thus,
there are the. Sections OF EorOzaE, Paraiso,
Rio Grande, CuiebFa. Emperad0r, Mata-
chin, BOhio SOlRd0, Gatun, etc. At the
head Of each section is a functionary,
known as the chief of section, the inter-
mediary between the division and the con-
Some Of these chiefs, it must must be
owned, are little fitted to be intrusted
with the supervision Yof section. Not
withstanding their supposed aptitude for
directing those under them, il not unfre-
quently happens that they themselves are
not sufficiently well versed In the elemen-
tary principles of special education bear
ing upon their everyday occupation to be
able to conceal their lack OF proficiency in
these rudiments, if, by any chance, con-
suited in reference to some subject per-
taining thereto. The writer might ad-
duce one or two examples OF such, whose
ignorance regarding the most ordinary
branches Of engineering is simply ludi-
crous. Nor is their devotion to the inter-
ests they are paid to serve always superb
or to their attachments in learning. 1t is
unfortunately a fact that there are sec
tions whose chiefs seldom take the trOu-
BILE TO visit the works under their super
iutendence, cOntenting themselves with
accepting occasionally the report Of this
or that assistant who may not himself
have recently examined in person the
changes and progress accomplished in the
vicinity alluded to, but may, likewise
have taken some one else's word for what
has been done there. The chief, indeed,
would perhaps never appear upon the
works at all did he not usually accompany
the division engineer from time to time in
his tour OF inspection to them. These
self-indulgent worthless are nearly always
secure from any sudden and troublesome
intrusion OF the division engineer, how
ever, owing to the fact that bis arrival is
almost invariably preceded by telegram
from his headquarters directing saddle
horses to be held in readiness for himself
and suite at the railroad station where he
may aliRht; or they are warned Of his ap-
proach by premOnitOry message from
some friend employed ut the division.
They prefer therefore, during at least part
Of the afternoon, TO remain in their gener-
ally-cosy dwellings, which are 10 be found
situated. as a rule, on some eminence
overlooking the section, whence they de-
scend during merely portion OF business
hours TO their Office. Here, having read
the latest newspapers from France, they
proceed 10 sign the documents placed be-
fore them by their secretary for transmits
sion to the division daily reports, aver
age returns, tabular statements, sched-
ules Of timekeepers and bosses pay,
checks, etc. }, receive visits from cOntrac-
tors deslT0us Of comforting with them,
and indulge in gossip with other callers.
This ind0lent life entities a chief OF sec
ton to a monthly pay varying ordinarily
from $500 10 $3.50, Columbian money, de-
duction being maze thence for the rent OF
the private house placed at his disposal.
Fortunately for the company, all chiefs OF
section are not as undeserving Of the sit
uatlOns they occupy, for among them are
doubtless capable and most worthy sub
jects. The incompetent ones, whose
shortcomings are alluded 10, are usually
former contractors, having been connect
ed with enterprises In France and else
where, and who have been enabled 10 Sc
e,ttra for thart apivqa a gpgtiOu at Panama