Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-04-21

GREAT UNDERTAKING on WHICH MIL
LIONS HAVE BEEN SPENT.
1t is almost 20 years since the first
French company attempted to build the
canal across the ISthmus of Panama
which the United States government is
now to complete. At that time, writes
Frederick J. HaSkin in the Chicago
Chronicle, the attack on the mountain of
Culebra was commenced and, although
the work of demoliShing this great bar
rier to the unity of the oceans has been
progressing almost constantly ever since,
the mountain has right manfully resisted
the OnslaughtS of its destroyers. Thou
sands of men have Joined in the task of
scratching it, picking il to pieces and
carrying it away. They have torn an
awful cash in its side and, although it is
Scared deep by the toll of its oppressors,
it is still holding out against them. This
battle between man and the barrier that
God put up to mark the separation of
the seas has been costly one by every
count. Alongside the ragged ditch there
is burying ground which holds 5000
graves, which, together with the mil
lions of good French gold that have been
dumped into 1t, bear solemn testimony
TO the obstinacy Of the mountain.
The war upon Culebra has developed
into weary siege. Over 5000 people
are camped on the bank of the cut. The
thunder of huge blasts of dynamite rolls
heavily through the surrounding gulches
as If mighty army was advancing upon
a foe; busy little engines rush back and
forth like orderlies bearing messages.
and in the awful heat of the ditch are
the diggers, who, like privates, bear the
brunt of the fray. Their half-naked
bodies glisten with sweat as they toll in
the bliStering, whitening heat, while
over them is the mountain, trembling
slightly from their feeble blows, but
towering on in hooking silence.
5000 MEN ONCE EMPLOYED.
When the first French company began
the work which ended in such fantastic
fizzle they conferred their efforts upon
Culebra If the long-cherished dream
of a canal across the isthmuS is ever
realized this huge pile of rock must be
removed. The first company had as
many as 1000 men at work here. When
the De LeSSeps scheme came to such a
sorry end the new company was formed
for the purpose of saving some of the
French millions as well as partly 10 re-
store French honor, and Culebra again
became the scene of action. Up to the
time the United States government COM
pleted the negotiations to buy the French
concession about 5000 men were en-
ployed in the Culebra works. As soon
as an understanding was arrived at and
the price of the transfer agreed upon the
number of men was reduced to few
hundred. This was done because the
present owners get no return whatever
for the work they are now doing.
What is known as the Culebra cut is
about eight miles long and is $40 feet
wide, at its widest place from bank to
bank. For nearly ten years they have
been cutting through solid rock. The
blasting and digging is being conducted
from six levels and about 500 carloads of
rock are being taken out daily; it is
hauled about a mile and a half and
dumped into big ravine which is chok-
ed with millions and millions of tons of
it.
When the employees of the first COM
pany began excayating they were 2S5
feet above sea level and they went down
only 50 feet. The new company has
gone from 250 down to 120 feet from sea
level. The new company has made a
very creditable showing Instead of hir-
ing labor by the day the work has been
given out in tasks and better results have
been obtained for a third of what the
now operating the works say that 5000
labOrers can be put in the cut and that
this number ought to complete the task
in five years. The new company has
spent about SIS, 900, 900 and nearly all of
this sum has gone into actual work. 1t
purchased very little machinery.
sQUANDERED MILLIONS.
The old company squandered about
$500, 100000 and no conception of its
gigantic and prodigal expenditures can
be had until one goes over the proposed
route of the canal. 1t is about AZ miles
from Colon to Panama by the railroad
and it parallels the canal route most of
the way. From the car window there
can be seen hundreds of engines, some
standing in sheds and others out in the
open, almost hidden by the dense tropi-
cal growth. The company brought to
the isthmus 500 locomotives, many of
which stand where they were unloaded
without fire ever having been built in
them; there are 1000 cars standing in
long strings on sidetracks with vines and
creepers running over them and their
wheels and trucks lost to view in a rank
growth of vegetation; there are % 500 |
ton dredges, which cost $4,000 each, |
that are anchored in various places along
the canal or sunk in the mud of the |
sloughs. On account of long exposure |
to the action of salt water and tropical |
rains these costly machines are absolute
ly worthless except for old iron. The |
waste of money was simply appalling. |
In the daytime the bleached forms of |
these old dredges, standing out against
the bank of green that surrounds them,
look like monster skeletons or in the
night like huge ghosts keeping watch
over the solitude of the Jungle. Scores
upon scores of sheds are passed in which
there are piled tons and tons of machin-
cry long since fallen prey to rust and
neglect.
1t is difficult to estimate the value of
the work done on the canal aside from
what has been accomplished at Culebra.
From the Pacific side about eight miles
has been dug, and on the Atlantic side
about Is miles, but both channels have
illed with sand and mud to such an ex-
.ent that nothing but small steam
aunch drawing three or four feet of
water can float in them. Everybody
seems to think that the United States
will get a bargain when it takes over the
anal at SAC, 900, 0O0.-Saturday Globe.
John Drew, the actor, is famous
sherman, and while in Bangor put in
lay at the salmon pool. He had no