Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-07-09
THE PANAMA ROUTE
One Who Crossed the Isthmus
Not Long Ago Talks.
A MASS OF MATERIAL
ALL ALONG THE LINE THAT CAN
BE UTILIZED.
Thinks American Ingenuity and In
dustry Can Overcome Obstacles Here
tofore Considered Insurmountable.

NOW that the choice Of the isthmian
canal mas been settled in favor of the Pana-
ma route, one cannot be accused of bias or
prejudice IN being predisposed to one route
over the other in description Of what will
De one OF the great waterways of the world,
the partially dug channel Of which sewers
the Siamese twin-like terrestrial connection
binding the two great continents Of the
western hemisphere said weH-known
washington correspondent this morning.
1 crossed the isthmus not long ago when
the work thereon was suspended, and my
recollection of the scene is very vivid. Dur
ing the discussion of the canal question at
this session in both houses of Congress, and
before, for that matter, l wondered that
the Panama route received such scant no.
tlce and treatment until the closing days of
the debate. People here have no concep-
ton OF the conditions in the tropics, in
central America and on the isthmus. Gil
matte, typographical, racial and all sorts
OF conditions are so different that the
speeches of some Of the members in both
houses as regards the advantages Of one
route over another have caused those who
nave been upon the ground to remark where
the information may have been obtained.
Having myself followed the course of sba
canai from the Pacific to the Atlantic l can
see no reason why American money, indus
Try ana perseverance cannot speedily
compl1Sh what the French failed to do IT
should not be lost sight Of at this time
that the one portion Of the canal, on the
Atlantic side, which was completed 50 that
II was naV1gable to good depth for a
number of miles inland was built 1t is nv
recollection, by American contractors and
IT Is the belief Of many engineers that had
.ne enelre canal been under construction by
american contractors it would have
been completed in spite of the existing OBJ
stacies. This portion of the canal nearly
ten miles in length, can soon be dredged of
us alluVlal deposit to the required DEPTH
anu the work OF reconstruction along the
entlre route taken up where left off and
astonishing progress made under proper
management
Possibilities for American ENTERPRISE.
OF course, ones opinions now, especially
al tnls distance from the scenes of future
activity, and on the part Of those who lack
personal knowledge. are largely conjectural
ana may be Of value or may not From
the point Of view of one who has been over
the course should say that once Ameri-
cans begin active work under a compre
hensive system the canal will be matter
Of actual completion long before the people
here have any 4idea of. I can recall dis
Panama railroad, parallels it's entire length.
and though portions of the ditch are over
run with the swift-growing tropical plants
and trees the winding excavations are very
apparent and real as one rides by
Up-to-date American business methods,
machinery. engineering skill and enterprise,
backed by unlimited capital which will not
be disspeted in high salaries Of nunberless
useless officials. and the thousand and one
Wasteful extravagances, as were shown in
the expose Of the French management will
be conspicuous by their absence and a
completed canal will be the result
There is a great lot of gigantic dredg-
ers locomotives. cars, rails, excavating
and hauling machinery and tools of all
kinds used by the old company at the va
rious points along the route which will go
with the French concession, including a
number of steamboats, at the mouth of the
canal at Colon: but the real value of these
articles is problematical. If any. At any
rate, when l crossed the isthmus it made
my heart bleed to see all of this great
scattered mass of machinery rusting and
rotting in the rains and hot sun and amid
the iuxuriant foliage Of the country.
How the Excavation Looks.
when you leave Panama on the west
side Of the isthmus the railroad track
winds out Of the city, and it Is several
miles before the deep cut is encountered.
Then you catch glimpses Of the ditch which
traverses the few miles Of narrow land
which shuts out the encroaching waters Of
the two oceans. Sometimes the train will
run for miles close to the banks of the ex-
cavations, and then it disappears in the
forests, or on the other side of the low
hills of the isthmus, which, by the way, is
not a level stretch of land like a meadow.
The hills, however, are not high, the land
being somewhat rolling, and the canal and
the railroad may be said for all ordinary
purposes to run side by side the entire dis
lance until the cities Of Panama and Colon
are nearly reached.
Banana groves are everywhere, the Gull
ture Of the fruit for the United States mar
ket being one Of the industries of the 18TH
mus. There is an almost continuous sue
cession Of small towns from Panama to
Colon, but most of the houses are vacant
and have remained so for years as they are
the property Of the French company and
were in use during the construction OF the
canal They are OF wood or corrugated
iron, single story, square, with wide Veran-
das, the natives residing in less pretentious
habitations, or huts. AT the stations, large,
yellow bananas, lucious pineapples and
other tropical fruits twice the size of the
partially green specimens seen in the United
States, are sold on the trains by natives
and they are freely purchased by the pas
sengers. Some of the vendors have orchids
for SALE and during the craze for this plant
they were bought at low prices as COM
pared with those obtaining here, and after
ward hung up on shipboard in the cool
hatchways to be finally exhibited at home
in the United States as floral curiosities
bought right on the ground.
In Panama, as you approach the city
on the Pacific steamer. the large, low build
ings of the French company upon the hills
lying back of the city, nesting among the
deep green foliage, are the first to catch
the eye In the city OF Panama the general
Office building formerly used by the French
company on the main plaza was one of the
largest structures in the place. In fact,
everything in and about the city and on the
isthmus may be said to be tinctured with
the canal and that which appertains to it's
construction When / crossed the people
were living in hopes that the United States
would eventually obtain possession Of the
French concessions, though the wish was
then father to the thought, as they little
surmised that it was SO soon to be realized
Once work is recommended, the isthmus
will be a scene Of busting activity from
Panama to Colon. and these two cities will
thrive wonderfully"
Funeral of Frederick johnson.
-a-oiae of EVradericL D Joh,zou