The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1907-09-14

men as being almost calamity to
the work. Sharing somewhat in this
feeling at the time, it now seems TO
ME as only one event in the con-
struc-ion of the canal
Having done what was perhaps the
major portion of the work of pre-
paration and organization, he turned
over to the new chief engineea, Col
Goethals, a Going Machine, which
has continued to- move ever since
Col Goethals and the army Com
mission" have made many changes in
the organisation, but none of them
with hurriedness or seeming inad-
visednes. The whole commission is
Tow on the Isthmus and each menl-
Der is fulfilling some duty outside
OF that of commissioner. This
leaves the chief engineer more time
to attend to minor details, and he
has been more accessible to the en-
ployees generally than Mr.. Stevens
was because of this fact Add TO this
the further statement that he is ma
turally very unassuming and demo-
cratic man, and it will be readily
seen that he is popular with the em-
ployees This popularity has been
medied MANY minor abuses and
changed the attitude of the Panama
railroad connlissary from that of a
profit making venture to- one OF
self-supporting utility for the bene-
fit of the employees, causing a reduc-
tion of about IS per cent in cost of
food stuffs. A sanitary inspection or
food stuffs has also been instituted
a,,j n, f.fx t1S he p
ly improved.
To quote from the report of the
secretary of the commission under
date of August 2I, to cover the
month of July, 1907. the excavation
from Culebra Cut during 1907 has
been as follows:
January, cubic yards. ...... 566,75o
February, cubic yards. -. .63S, ,644
March, cubic yards. ...... .8I5 ,27o
April. cubic yards. ....... $40. 20
May, cubic yards ....... 600, ,365
June, cubic yards. ........ .624, ,365
July, ctbic yards .77o,57o
Total cubic yards. 49,. 4,o85,4o1
Or practically FIVE million yards
of excavation During May the
work done was reduced by reason OF
the strike of the steam shovel engi-
neers, the work being also retarded
in this month and June and July by
the rainy season. The dredging done
in addition to this work is 2,385,8I7
yards, which brings the total to about
seven and one half million yards, or
little over a million yards per
month At the present rate of pro-
gress the engineers are predicting
that all of the excavation for the
canal csn be accomplished in six
years. 1t rs a question whether this
work will not be completed some
time in advance of the locks, these
being of such magnitude that five
wears would be a moderate. estimate
for their completion in a temperate
climate under favorable conditions.
| Go not think THAT, barring epi-
denies or war, there is much doubt
that seven years from this time ryill
see the opening of the canal for
business. From the report quoted II
is gathered that during the month OF
June, 1907. the Panama railroad hand
led an average of 43 commercial
trains daily, and in addition I2y
trains for the moving of dirt and ma
terials for the canal work. This
gives I72 per dav or seven trains Der
hour. The building department has
erected. dhtrine the past year, 5S8
new buildings for the white and col
ored labor and in addition has erect
ed four very handsome two-story Y.
NJ. C. A. buildings, four school hous-
es and two lodge halls. The build
ings erected for the white married
employees are usually four roomed
cottages with kitchen and bath, well
~ divided with gallery space, piunbcd
for water and with sewer connec-
ton Each house is well screened
with mosquito proof wire netting
and is fhrrished. except bed IN
err and table and kitchen ware. Lights