The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1910-09-09

err; and the best naval opinion
had been that no suclt feat
was possible, that is, that no such
cruise as that we actually made
could be undertaken by a fleet of
such size without innumerable
breakdowns and accidents. The sue
cess of the cruise, performed as it
was without a single accident, inn
measurably raised the prestige, not
only Of our fleet, but of our nation;
and was a distinct help tn the cause
of International peace.
AS regards the Panama canal, l
really think that outside nations
have a juster idea than our own peo-
pie of the magnitude and success of
the work. l wish our people real
lied what is being done on the
Isthmus. If a man of intelligence
who had never left this country ask
ed me whether l would advise him
to make a short trip to Europe, or
a trip to the Panama canal, ! would,
without hesitation, advise him to go
to the Panama canal. He would
there see in operation the complet-
ing of one of the greatest feats OF
modern times. Colonel Goethals and
the men working under him are rem
dering a service to this country
which can only be paralleled in
our past history by some Of the SER
vices rendered in certain wars.
Six years ago last spring the
American government took posses
sion of the Isthmus. The first two
years were devoted to the sanitation
of the lsthmus, to assembling the
plant and working force, and pro-
viding quarters, food, and water
supplies. In all these points the sue.
cess was extraordinary. From one
of the most unhealthy regions in the
entire world, the Isthmus has been
turned into a s%ingularly healthy
place of abode, where the death rate
is small, and where hundreds OF
children are now being raised under
as favorable conditions as in mos
parts of the United States. The quar-
ters, food and water supply are ex
cellent, and the plant the best eve
gathered for such a purpose. Activ'
excavation on a large scale did no
begin until January, 1907. Tire
years and a half have gone by sine
then, and three-tifths of the tota
excavation has already been &C
complished. The amount taken on
has passed anything which previou
experience warranted us in believin
to be possible. In 1908 and 100
, the monthly average of rock an
!, earth removed was three million cut
, ic yards, Notwithstanding the fac
that nine months of each year COZ
! stituted a season Of very heavy rair
fall. There remains to be excavate
y only about sixty million cubic yards
II VIC SOulu hCCp up lHS pdSC ave
: age of excavation, this should /
done in twenty months; but it
impossible to maintain such a rati
as the depth increases; for the on
, put necessarily diminishes as til
field Of operation narrows. Still,
q is certain that such a ate can L
: maintained as will enable the worl
ers to finish the excavation conside
f ably in advance of the date fixe
i for opening the. Canal, January
1915. Indeed, l shall be surprise
+ it the canal cannot be opened S
f months Or ever a year in advant
of the time set.
n The work has two great feature.
n The Culebra Cut, which l have bee
n considering, and the great dam
Il Gatum. The latter is to imprisc
a the water of the Chagres and 9th,
q stream into a lake with an area
q 164 square miles. This work is a,
n vancing steadily, and just as success
' fully as the work OF the Culebra Gu
The water which is ultimately
fill the lock is now flowing throue
the concrete spillway in the cent,
: Of the dam, the Chagres having bee
diverted from it's he'd and nlace