The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1906-12-21

that more care has been exercised In
housing, feeding and generally paying
heed to the needs Of the skilled me-
chanics and ordinary laborers in the
work on this canal than Is the case
in the construction of new railroads or
In any other similar private or public
work in the United States proper.
The Work of Construction.
There remains to consider the actual
work for which these laborers are
gathered together. This Is under the
direct control of Chief Engineer Ste
vens, who has already shown admirable
results and whom we can safely trust
to achieve similar results in the future.
The three Big problems Of the canal
are the La Boca dams, the Gatun dam
and the Culebra cut
In Culebra Cut.
The main work is now being done in
the Culebra cut. 1t was striking and
impressive to see the huge steam shov-
els in full play, the dumping trains
carrying away the rock and earth they
dislodged. The implements Of French
excavating machinery, though of ex-
cellent construction, look like the veri-
est toys when compared with these
new steam shovels, just as the French
dumping cars seem like toy cars when
compared with the long trains Of huge
cars dumped by steam plows which
are now in use. This represents the
enormous advance that has been made
in machinery during the past quarter
century. The old French cars had to
be entirely discarded. The new cars
hold from twenty-five to thirty yards
apiece, and instead Of the old clumsy
methods Of unloading them a steam
plow Is drawn from end to end of the
whole vestibuled train, immensely
economizing labor.
AS soon as the type of canal was de-
cided this work began in good earnest.
The rainy season will shortly be over,
and then there will be an immense in
crease In the amount taken out, but
even during the last three months
steady progress Is shown by the fig
ures: In August, 242,000 cubic yards;
In September, POI, 900 cubic yards, and
in October, 325,00 cubic yards. hope
to see the growth of healthy spirit of
emulation between the different shovel
and locomotive crews, just such a
spirit as has grown ON our battleships
between the different gun crews In
matters of craftsmanship. Passing
through the cut the amount of new
work can be seen at glance. In one
place the entire side Of q hill had been
taken out recently by twenty-seven
tons of dynamite, which were exploded
at one blast. On the top notch of the
Culebra cut the prism is now as wide
as 1t will be. All told, the canal bed
at this point has now been sunk about
200 feet below what it originally was.
1t will have to be sunk about 100 feet
farther Throughout the cut the drill
Ing blasting, shoveling and hauling
are going on with constantly increas-
ing energy, the huge shovels being
pressed up as If they were mountain
howitZers into the most unlikely look
ing places, where they eat their wav
into the hillsides.
Critics and Doubling Vhomases'
1t is not only natural, but inevitable,
that a work as gigantic as this should
arouse every species of hostility and
Criticism. IT would be absolutely out
Qf the question that mistakes should
not be made. Unforeseen difficulties
will arise. From time to time seem
jnglv we'll settled plans will have
be changed. At present $4,000 men are
engaged on the task. After awhile the
number will be doubled. In such a
multitude it is inevitable that there
should be here and there scoundrel.
In a place which has been for ages a
byword for unhealthfulness and with
so large a congregation Of strangers
suddenly put down and set to hard
work there will now and then be out
breaks of disease. There will be short
comings In administration; there will
be unlocked for accidents. Each such
incident will be entirely natural, and,
even though serious, no one of them
will mean more than a little extra de-
lay or trouble. Yet each, when dlscov-
cred by sensation mongers and retailed
to timid folk Of little faith, will serve |
as an excuse for the belief that the |
whole work is being badly managed. |
Experiments will continually be made |
in housing, in hygiene, in street repair
ing, In dredging and in digging earth
and rock. Now and then an experiment |
will be a failure, and among those
who hear Of 1t certain proportion of
doubling Thomases will at once be-
lieve that the whole work Is failure.
Doubtless here and there some minor
rascality will be uncovered, but as to
this l have to say that after the most
inquiry have been I'M
able to find q single reputable per-
son who had SO much as heard Of any
serious accusations affecting the hon
esty Of the commission or Of any re-
sponsible officer under 1t. 1t Is not too
much to say that the whole atmos-
phere of the commission breathes hon
esty as 1t breathes efficiency and ener-
gy.- Above all, the work has been kept
absolutely clear of politics. have
never beard even suggestion or
spells politics in connection with It.
.s1 Plan to Build by Contract.
After most careful consideration we
have decided to let out most of the
work by contract If we can come to
terms with the contract
ors. The whole work Is of kind
suited to the peculiar genius Of our
people, and our people have developed
the type of contractor best fitted to
with 1t. After much consid-
Grafton. the plan already promulgated
by the secretary. Of war was adopted |,
This plan was drafted by Chief Engi-