The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1906-12-17

composed of the earth taken out Of the
cut and very possibly the building of
the locks and dams will take even
longer than the cutting in Culebra it,
self.
The main work is now being done
in the Culebra cut. 1t was striking
and Impressive to see the huge steam
shovels in full play, the dumping
trains carrying away the rock and
earth they dislodged. The implements
Of French excavating machinery,
which often stand a little way from
the line Of work, though of excellent
construction. look like the veriest toys
when compared with these new steam
shovels, just as the French dumping
cars seem like toy cars when COM
pared 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
OF a century. No doubt a quarter of
a century hence this new machinery,
OF which we are now so proud, will
similarly seem out of date, but it is
certainly serving it's purpose we'll now.
We still have in use a few Of the more
modern, but not most modern, cars,
which hold but IL yards Of earth. They
can be employed on certain lines with
sharp curves. But the recent cars
mold from rs to 80 yards apiece. and
instead Of the old clumsy methods of
unloading them, steam pillow is drawn
from end to enl CT the whole vesti-
buled train,, thus immensely economic
ing labor In the rainy season the
steam shovels can do but little in
dirt, but they work steadily in rock
and in the harder gronud. There were
some rs at work during the time 1
was on the Isthmus, and their ire
mendous power and efficiency were
most impressive.
Rainy Season Closing.
AS soon as the type Of canal was
decided this work began in good earn
est. The rainy season will shortly be
over and then there will be an i'm
mense increase in the amount taken
out; but even during the last three
months, in the rainy season, steady
progress is shown by the figures: In
August, 242,OOO cubic yards; in sep
TENDER, $4,000 cubic yards and in
October, $4,000 cubic yards. In Oc-
tober new records were established for
the output of individual shovels as
we'll as for the tonnage haul Of indl-
vidual locomotives. 1 hope to see the
growth of healthy spirit of emula-
ton between the different shovel and
locomotive crews, just such a spirit as
has grown on our battle ships between
the different gun crews in matters
Of craftsmanship. Passing through
the cut the amount of new work can
be seen at a glance. In one place the
entire side of a hill had been taken
out recently by q tons of dynamite,
another place 1 was given a presiden-
tial salute of p charges of dynamite.
On the top notch of the Culebra cut
the prism is now as wide as it will be;
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. Through
out the cut the drilling, blasting, show
cling and hauling are going on with
constantly increasing energy, the huge
shovels being pressed up, as if they
were mountain howitzers, into the
most unlikely looking places, where
they eat their way into the hillsides.
With Modern Ideas.
The most advanced methods, not
only in construction, but in railroad
management, have been applied in the
zone, with corresponding economies in
time and cost. This has been shown
in the handling of the tonnage from
ships into cars, and from cars into
ships on the Panama railroad, where,
thanks largely to the efficiency OF
General Manager Bierd, the saving in
time and cost, has been noteworthy.
MY examination tended to show that
some of the departments had doubt
less necessarily become overdevelOp-
ed, and could now be reduced or sub
ordinated without impairment OF efn-
cheney and with a saving of cost. Tne
chairman of the commission, MT.
Shonts, has all matters of this KIND
constantly in view, and is now reor-
ganizing the government of the zone'