Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-04-06
ON THE IsTHMUS.
National Pride Attracts m trmy I"
Tcu-,s,. 10 panan,n Canal.

I
son As tho t'r'o f1r the % ching Of the
wa',rrev Approaches tho eyes Of tho
world are conferred upon this narrow mock
Of land To tho American there Is. 90
course. the Increased attraction Of tho
patriotic pride folt tn this astonishing
eng noor'ne feat In some respects tho
winter is tho '1ost f1vorahlo time possible
for visiting the great ditch. Thr mild
Wintor temperature Of tho tropics offers
= pleasant contrast to that Of northern
ct'es. Enough of the canal has hecn com
pletcd 70 give on excellent idea Of It's
general appearance. Meanwhile the great
skeleton of this International waterway
has rapidly taken shape ana IS, of course
FAR moro interesting than When It's enrin-
eerinC secrets have been covered with va
ter
Colon ~ the entrance Of tho canal
has become a busting American town
Against the picturesque background IF
tropical foliage and native life. the great
American projec; il being pushed 20 rap
id compilation. Tho tourist on going ashore
AZ tho isthmus discovers streets which
have borrowed much ~ tho color Of his
home city. Here tho the drug stores and
countless shoe stores which arc being
transferred bodily across tho tropo seas
and set down beneath towering palm
trees.
Tho tourist AZ Colon. the entrance 70 the
canal. might we'll ima eine himself IN an
American town Il comes rs 2 surprise
TO the average traveller TO find that tho
canal for some three miles inland lie~
pra ctically complete. Following tt" orig
nal surveys of the French engineer de
Lesscps. and utilizing the ditch partly OK
cavated, the American engineers have
here practically completed their task. EX-
cept for tho doching facilities the en-
trance 20 tho canal appe9rs to-day much
tho same as when tho great fleets of
merchant ships await their turn 10 enter
IFS waters. Tho canal At this point has
tn" appearance OF = large river and al
re- adv many vessels have found their way
20 uoin' seven mics inland
The canal will he protected by = great
outer brealivater built Of concrete, run
/ ing into the sea for two miles Inside
this shcitpring arm will hc found the
United States naval anchorage which
will ne broad enough to shelter the COM
bired fleets OF tho navies of the world.
To facilitate shipping the Panama rail
road viii lc run down literall, to tho va
ters edge occupying IN elaborate sYs-
TEN of docks and slins. The present plans
! provide four giant docks where tho
| steamers Will ne horthed preparatory ~
! passing through the canal. The enCid-
GERS looked very Ear ahead I'm designing
! these docks. that the canal may hc ah'a
| to accommodate the largest ships of the
| future,
! The docks at tho canal entrance will
| be of the same standard size used fpr
the locks % the canal itself They will
! be lofo feet in length and lao feet in
width by 800 feet in IN. clear between the
Piers. great liner l.r1 feet 3" Length
! will thus no lblc to find 2-'omwoda
| lion i'm tie watcrWay which divides tive
American continents These docks are
10 be built on the slant system. and vii
he tidal docks. This design viii make Il
| POSSIBLE" for snip coming from either
direction 10 run her nose into the piers
while she is travelling rudrr NCr own po"'
| 90. She viii thUe no pr 4ctIrslIN ind7pcu-
, dent Of tuEhpats and "'n'' a~eistdr. g.
! Al 10 IS viii Ic equipped ".th the most
modern ria' hirc~y - hHai''0" carro"s
4 80 steamer wiz .or'pi'toi 10 pas
/ through tn" co'a' "~'p'l "rioy h'r oW;
power Ea'H slir will e. oi sol to CONT
10 stop sororc cuferra
Tro "Trip t"ra.a NE anal wifi ta%'
'cu hours. A't.o'',t Tho at'.u distance
f'c'1 coast to ,'1't j. auo'f fo"IN mill"
SOME :f,. 0-.l,e ".,i have to hc va
Eerecd. . ..('oE the nas,'vo tho Erot
yr.ps Wiil h. raised - a lo mt ~ eighty
I five foot above tie !Nrs' - t." sea and I!
'urr lowered. rhi, Inr, '" " work H!0 l
.mp'lsn"d y, 'Nroo cnnr'H'ue locks -