The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-03

people realized what is being done on the isthmus. If a man of intelligence who had never left this country asked me if l would advise him to make a short trip to Europe or a trip to the Panama canal, 1 would without hesitation advise him to go to the Panama canal. He would there see in operation the completing of one of the great feats of modern times. Colonel Goethals and the men working under him are rendering a service to this country which can only be paralleled in our past history by some of the services rendered in certain wars.
 "Six years ago last spring the American government took possession of the isth- mus. The first two years were devoted to the sanitation of the isthmus, to assem- bling the plant and working force, and providing quarters, food and water sup plies. In all these points the success was extraordinary. From one of the plague spots of the globe, one of the most un- healthy regions in the entire world, the isthmus has been turned into singularly healthy abode, where the death rate is small and where hundreds of children are now being raised under as favorable con- ditions as in most parts of the United States The quarters food and water supply are excellent, and the plant the best ever gathered for such a purpose.
 
 begin until January, 1907
 Three years and a half have gone by since then, and three-dfths of the total ex- cavation has already been accomplished. The amount taken out has passed any thing which previous experience warrant ed us in belevoing to be possible. In 1908 and 1909 the monthly average of rock and earth removed was 100000 cubic yards, notwithstanding the fact that nine months of each year constituted a season of very heavy rainfall. There remains to be excaVated only about 60, 900, GOO cubic yards If we could keep up the past av- craze of excavation this should be done in 20 months but it is impossible to main tain such a rate as the depth increases for the output necessarily diminishes as the field of operations narrow. Still it is certain that such a rate can be main tained as will enable the workers to finish the excavation considerably in advance of the date fixed for opening the canal January l, 1915. Indeed, I shall be sur prised if the canal cannot be opened six months or even year in advance of the time set.
 Two Great Features
 .'The work has two great features-the Culebra cut, which I have been consider ing and the great dam at Gatunf The later is to imprison the waters of the Charges and other streams into lake with an area of 164 square miles. This work is advancing steadily and just as successfully as the work on the Cuebra cut The water which Is ultimately to fill the lock is now flowing through the concrete spillway in the center of the dam, the Charges having been diverted from it's bed and placed under complete control The construction of the dam has advanced sufficiently to convince the en- gineers in charge of the work of its ab- soute stability and imperviousness. The concrete work on the lock Is advancing so rapidly that the first dauble-set at Gatun will be completed this coming No veruhar. and the engineer In charge has announced that all the concrete In all the locks will be in place in two years hence. The date of final completion and formal opening of the canal to the commerce of the world will be determined by the time consumed in placing the great steel gates, emergency dams. and all appliances for operating the docks. But those in charge of the work announce without hesitation that everything will be finished well in advance of January 1, 1915.
 This Is a stupendous record of achieve ment As a people we are rather fond of criticising ourselves, and sometimes with very great justice; but even the Iaost pessimistic critic should sometimes think