The Washington herald., 1908-07-23
By FREDERIC J. HAsKIN.

Special Cor-espoudenoe The Washington Herald
Culebra- Canal Zone. July 12-It is the
old story Of Yankee brains. Yankee ca
Dacity for doing things. and Yankee grit
and determination As fine a force OF
Americans as one can hope TO meet IS
assembled on the isthmus. and the main
spring Of its action IS the brains which
the United States government has placed
over It 10 direct its Efforts From the
East the West, the North. and the
South the flower OF the professions has
been called 10 come down here and dig
this canal They have come and have
developed the force into a working ma
chine Of an unprecedented efficiency The
contractor on government jobs IN the
United States may well thank his stars
that the Panama Canal IS being dug IN
q country where everything is more than
expensive; If it were not so the United
States might decide after its experience
At Panama. that all public work in the
future should be done by this organi-
zation.
What Z. $. Grant was TO the Army
Of the Potomac. George ". GOethals is
~ ~--N -l-AAE U AaAE E14AalLAA AaL-dA Il
has been said that the decision 10 put
the building Of the canal IN the hands
OF the army was a master stroke. Be
fore that no little disorganlzation reign
Cd; but when the army took charge
every man on the isthmus learned that II
was question OF making good or get
ting out. As soon as the members OF tire
force became acquainted with the man
who was 10 command the canal army.
they worked as a matter Of devotion 10
the cause rather than as q matter Of
necessity Some men have the peculiar
faculty OF transmitting their enthusiasm
into the hearts OF al under them This
faculty Col. Goethals has in an unusual
degree
When one calls on him. he finds a
broad-shouldereC man, with hair as white
as the unsu1ned snow and face as brown
as a berry-a man OF modest demeanor,
yet business-like in every line OF his
makeup. He says frankly that there is
nothing TO hide, and that they want TO
extend 10 those interested an opportunity
20 see everything that is going on. He
tells you that i there Is anything which
forms ground for legitimate complaint he
wants 10 know Of II. as It is his mission
on the isthmus 70 remove every possible
ground tOr complaint Yet he adds that
Of course. there viii be found some things
that ought 10 be done and others that
ought 10 be left undore. since perfection
can never exist in this world
He may say that he finds the best way
70 see the Culebra Cut is 70 walk through
Il, and that he usually does 50. The cut
Is nine miles from end 10 end. and il IS
Just one example OF the thoroughness Of
the chief engineers work 70 say that he
walks the whole length whenever oppor-
unity affords Clad in the simple khaki
ElifOrn, he gets around over the work
egUlarly. and not an evening comes but
z knows just what has been going on all
ay long
Col Goethals thinks that the demand
IT the dirt 10 fly is an II-advlsed one
Te says that there are so many draw
sacks and hindrances that the dirt can
bot always be flying as fast as he OF the
American people would ike 20 have IL
As the years pass the difficulties Of every
phrase OF the work viii Increase As
many steam shOyels cannot be operated
70 advantage later on. as many dirt
trains cannot be run, the spoil viii have
10 be hauled farther away. and in a
hundred ways the work viii necessarily
Il IS this aspect Of the situation that
prevents the canal authorities from max
.Ig an exact prediction as 70 when the
canal VIII be completed or what the ulti-
nate cost viii be But they hope that the
good work they are now doing VIII cause
he people TO understand that they ars
soing the best that can be done when the
ilOw-Up tine cones
A bit of figuring on August / will show
hat they have excavated more material
5y half IN the first seven months OF the
present year than they DID during the
whole Of 1871. This was done. too. with
Dut any Important increase Of force OF
equipment The canal digging machine
has simply been put 70 the maximum Ell
eiency test Col Goethals proved the
manner OF man he IS, when. discussing
The work OF former chief engineers. he
said:
Stevens VIII never get the credit that
due him IN connection with this work
Tor instance. take this Cuiebra division
L is the big organization OF the canal
i IS being conducted to-day on the very
Ines he laid OUT the only changes we
lave made being those Of a routine Ia
uTe which he would certainly have made
lad he remained here"
One hears the same sort OF things about
Wallace and the preparatory work he
lid- The big engines he bought for the
sanal and the railroad. in the face OF
much adverse criticism, have proved
themselves 10 be the most important fac
or IN the big showing OF excavations
his year The biggest problem Of the
sanal IS 10 get the spoil away. and these
terculean engines AFFORD the solution Of
hat problem
Commissioner Cauiard and Commis-
TiOne- Sibert are both army officers.
lad have worked on some Of the most
lifhcult construction jobs IN the United
Itatss- Upon them, next to the chief
ngineer. depends the great task Of the
yctual digging OF The canal Together
With Col. GOethals they 90 over all the
epo-ls Of those under them, and over
lie work itself. and solve the problems
= hand Mai Sibert. as well as Col
iOethals. has had much experience IN
an building, notably on the Ohio Rive,
Fhere his good work has been praised by
very man who navigates those waters.
Commissioner Rousseau. In charge Of
he department OF municipal engineering.