Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-03-02

i his HUI DlnS q" N'"N
were aroused and after hearty
break fast boarded the private car
of Col Gorgas, and accompanied by
that gentleman and other officials,
returned to Culebra. There we
were transferred to an open coach
on a branch line and proceeded
through the cut. At points of
special interest stops were made in
order to enable us to see the giant
machinery at work. The steam
shovel lifts six tons of dirt at each
scoop and two scoops load dump
car. a number of these are at
work. When the train is loaded it
moves away on a circular track to
distant dumping grounds, and soon
returns for another load. Hun
dreds of miles of track for the dis
posal of excavated earth and rock
have been built radiating from the
cut. From the bottom Of the cut |
counted eight levels up the sides
ith roadbeds. resembling giant
steps. This cnt is seven miles in
length, $50 feet in width at the
bottom and if Spa-leyel canal
should be decided on, will be 80
feet in depth. Uncertainty as to
the character Of the canal does not
interfere with the work. | was
told by the officials in charge of
the excavating work that all work
might be limited to Culebra for the
next four years, and at the end of
that period work on other ports be
resumed and keep pace with furth-
er cutting at Culebra.
THE CANAL.
Should the decision be in favor
If the lock system the two dams
mentioned would create a lake for
ty miles in extent, and the dump
ing Of debris from the city is regu.
lated with this possibility in view.
The force of men at work exceeds
in numbers the largest ever en-
ployed by the French company.
This company accomplished two
fifths of the work necessary,
Most of the French company's
buildings and much of the rolling
stock and material along the line
serviceable but nevertheless there
are great heaps of waste.
The commission is busy with the
construction of dwellings,, but will
soon begin on club houses for the
employees to be furnished with
billiard and pool tables, books. etc.
We returned to Colon in time to
accept an invitation to dinner at
the Washington Hotel. Governor
Melendez dined with the party, and
accompanied us on a visit to Cristo
bal Point, a charming water front
suburb, where are located the head
quarters Of the dredging depart
ment and residences of he officials.
At the extreme point is De Lessep's
$4,000 palace" alongside Of
which has been added duplicate
structure. In front of the build
ing is a monument to Columbus,
presented by the French empress.
The row of residences and offices
are fanked by fine walks and ave.
nues of ROYAL palms. Here we
boarded vessel and went up the
canal as far as the drydocks. Long
lines of iron launches and lighters
and vast heaps of machinery and
material. line the banks, useless
relics of the French company's adj
ministration. Not great deal of
repair work is needed to fully re-
open the canal the fourteen miles
which it was dredged.
The afternoon was spent in IN
specting the paving and cleaning
work in progress, under the guild
ance of the superintendent. He
told me that when he began on'v
two streets i'm Colon were open to
wheeled traffic-that Colon was a fill
thy marsh Private premises
were filled with heaps of rubbish
and filth. He called my attention
to one building in which were
lodged 300 negroes. 4 drainage
canal, flushed with tidewater, has
been dug straight through the
town from north TO south. In
o,,ooyo+;nr tbic ooyal and cemant.