The Elbert County tribune., 1906-12-20


Work Of Construction.
But thousands of those who arc
brought over under contract tat our
expense) go on into the Jungle 10 nv nv.
or LOAF around Colon or work so oau-
~ nf'a~ the a-st threa ~ -FOUR davs
as to cause a serious diminution OF
day and Saturday OF each week !
| questioned many OF these lemaiea
work and what. II any changes they
| wished. received many compiainte
from them. but a. regards most OF
these complaints they themselves con-
| tradicted one. another. In all cases
where the complaint was as TO their
| treatment by any Individual u proved
on examination that this indlNidual
/ was himself n West india man OF color
either a policeman storekeeper, or
| an assistant storekeeper, Doubtless
there must be many complaints against
Americans: but those to whom ! spoke
The work is now going on with n
Ntgor and efficiency pleasant 10 VII
ness. The three big problems Of the
canal are the In Boca dams. the Gatuu
dam. and the culebra cut, The Guile.
bra cut must be made. anyhow; but
of course changes as to the dams. or
at lenst as TO the locks ADJACENT TO
The dams. may stih occur. The Ia
Boca dams ofrer no particular prob
lem. the bottom material being SO
good that there ls a practical certain
~ not merely as to what can be
achieved, but as to the time OF achieve
ment, The Gatun dam offers the most
serious problem which we have 10
solve; and yet the ablcst men on tho
isthmus believe thar this problem Is
proposedi although. OF course. II ne
cessitatcs great toll energy. and IN :
telllgence and although. equally, OF
course. there viii be some little risk
in connection with the work. The risk
crises from the fact that some OF the
material near the bottom Is not 50
good as could be desired. II the huge
earth dam now contemplated is thrown
across from one foothiil to the other
we will have what Is practically "A
low. broad, mountain ridge behind
artificial mountain will probably show
loss Secpag ge. that Is. VIII have greater
restraining capacity than the average
natural mountain range The exact To-
cality Of the locks nt this dnm-as at
the other dams-is now being de-
Tart with three OF the ablest engln-
GERS OF the eountry-Messrs. Noble.
isthmus, and the three engineers VIII
make the final and conclusive eNami ?
. nations as to the exact site for each
ahead without break.
The Cnlebra cut does not Offer such
, great risks. that is, the damage liable to
occur from occasional land slips Will not
represent what may be called major dis
asters The work viii merely call for in
teligcnce. perseveranee, and executive
capacity. II is, however. the work upon
; Tnieh Th most labor VII have 70 be be spenS I,
[ taken out Of the cut and very possibly
/ the building Of the locks and dams will
! culebra itself
i In culebra Cut.
The main work is now being done IN
the Culebra cut. It was striking and
= impressive to the huge steam shovels
$ in full play. the dumping trains carrying
!, Lway the rock and earth they dislodsed
!, The implements OF French eNcavatinl
q machinery. which often stand little
!, way from the line of work though OF ex
cellent construction, look like the veries
: toys when compared with these new
: steam shovels. Just as the French dump
= .ng cars seem like toy when com
!, pared with the long. trains OF huge cars
Jumped by steam plows. which are nov
s II use. This represents the enormoni
y idvance that has been made In machn
!. sry during the past quarter of n cen
y curry. No doubt a quarter OF n centurl
- hence this new machinery, OF which W.
y are now so proud, Will similarly seem gu
e of date, but 1t is certainly serving IL
d purpose well now. rhe old French ear
= mad to be entirely discarded We stil
~ have In use a Few OF the more modern
y but not most modern, cars, which hol'
ployel certain lines with sharl
curves. But the recent cars hold iron
old clumsy methods of unloading them
steam piow is drawn from end to ems
of the whole vestibuled train thus i'm
mensely economizing labor In the rain!
reason the steam shovels can do bu
rock rock and m i in / the he harder ground. @ Their
were some 25 at work during the time
on the isthmus and their tremendou
power and efficiency were most impress
sive. 3i1 r
New Records for Excavation.
As soon ms the type Of canal was de
The rainy season Will shortly be over an
then there Will be an Immense Increase Ii
the amount taken out. but even durin
the last three months, In the rainy sea
figures: In August 2i2,oCo cubic yards
In September. 2si 900 cubic yards. and Il
October. $4,000 cubic yards In Octobe
new records were established for Tia
output OF individual shovels as well a
7 he Individual
neaithy spirit OF emulation between th
different shovel and locomotive crews
Just such spirit as has grown on GU
battle ships between the different gu
Passing through the cut the amount q
new work can be seen at a glance
been taken out recently by "a tons q
dynamite. which were exploded at on
presidential salute OF q charges OF dyna
mite. on the top notch of the Culebr
cut the prism is now wide il wi
be; all told. the canal bed at this poir
has now been sunk about 200 feet belo
what II originally was; i win have !
out the cut the drilling. blasting. shove
ing and hauling are going ON with cor
@ sSoreis being pressed enpfs up s II the they wei
mountain howitzers, into the most VI
likely looking places; ;; where they e'
Railway improvements.
The most advanced methods. not onl
In construction. but In railroad manage
ment. have been applied in the zon
with corresponding economies In tin
and cost. This has been shown In II
handling Of the tonnage from ships I'M
cars, and from cars into ships on n
Panama railroad, where. thanks large
to the efficiency of General Manag,
i Blerd the saving in time and cost he
4 been noteworthy. My examination ten,
/ ed TO show that some of the departmen
q had doubtless necessarily become owe
developed. and could be reduced Z
subordinated without impairment of Ell
-. 4 cheney and with saving OF cost tt
'e chairman of the commission. Mr.. Shont
ne has all matters of this kind constant
In view. and is now reorganlzng the go'
ernment of the zone To make Il
form of administration both more hexib
ed and less expensive, subordlnating ever.