The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1906-11-22
IN CULEBRA CUT
President Roosevelt Made an Inspec-
tion of the Great Undertaking
in a Pouring Rain.
CLIMBED ON ASTEAM SHOVEL
boarded Work Train and Went
Into the Deepest Part of the
ExcayatiOn-His Promise
to IN Engineer.

ExcayatiOn-Iiis Promise
to an Engineer.
Panama, Nov. 1S.-President Roose-
welt, who stopped at the Tivoli hotel
Thursday night started at 7 o'clock
Friday morning with Mrs. Roosevelt
and the other members of his party
to make an examination of the Guile
bra cut The weather was overcast,
threatening rain. At half past 8 the
Presidential train arrived at Pedro
Miguel, where some steam shovels
were at work. The president had his
train stopped for the purpose OF MAX
ire a personal examination. At this
point in the cut the peculiar soil con-
ditions have resulted in more or less
frequent landslides, and this fact was
brought to the presidents attention.
President Roosevelt descended from
his train and climbed up on one OF
the steam shovels, taking a seat
alongside Engineer Gray, whom he
subjected to a searching fire of ques-
lions regarding the work, During his
conversation. Engineer Gray took the
opportunity, on behalf of himself and
the other engineers, to declare that,
unlike the railroad engineers, they
were not paid for overtime. The pres
ident promised to look into this mat
ter. He stayed on the steam shovel
about 20 minutes BY this time it was
raining hard.
President Roosevelt told Chief En-
gineer Stevens that he wanted to see
all the works in connection with eX-
cavataion, even to the temporary lay
ing of tracks. With this in view, he
boarded a work train near Pedro Mig
uel and went on to the next point
where steam shovels were at work.
Here there was no danger of land
slides.
The presidential train continued on
the regular line toward Panama. The
work of the second steam shovel was
observed and the president made
detour to examine the site of the Pc
dro Miguel lock. He shook hands with
all the Americans he met while walk
ing over the grounds At about 20
minutes past nine the president en-
tered the deep portion of the Culebra
cut, his train going slowly in order
that he might observe the workings of
the drill machines and shoyels. One
shovel was decorated with a sign read
ing: I'VE will do our best to help
you build it."
The president spent some time in
the deepest portion of the cut, where
last Sunday 22 tons of explosives
were used to throw down $4,000 Gu
bic yards of material.
The rain was now coming down in
torrents and the water poured in rivu-
lets down the funnel-shaped sides of
the famous cut, Several charges of
dynamite were exploded in order that
the president might see the effect,
dlLSl WnlIu lC NSAI udSh w lilo ONh
train.
At Rio Grande, with the ran still
falling steadily, Mr.. stevens pointed
out to the President the laborers'
quarters under construction there.
The President decided to leave his
train again and inspect personally
the sleeping quarters of the Jamai-
cans. He inquired how the men were
fed and patiently listened to their
complaints. He went through the
commissary when his visit was un-
expected and also penetrated into
the living quarters of the families of
several Jamaican laborers. This in
spection lasted for three quarters of
an hour at the end of which the
President returned to Culebra, wet
through and srattered with mud. At
Culebra the President went through
the local Offices of the canal con-
structors.
The presidential party had lunch
with Mr.. Stevens at 10 o'clock and
after this meal the ladies of the party
returned to Panama. The President
went as far as Gorgona.