Norwich bulletin., 1911-11-08

v here nave cost ten million dollars ! mile and there is nearly ten miles of it. A mountain has been removed for 1 the canal and another one built for l the dam at Gatun. where the waters 1 of the Chagres river are imponded | for the operation of the locks, of which l there are three. It is expected that l three hours will be consumed in the 1 passage of the ship through the locks and II om ten to twelve hours in pass | ing through the completed canal. The passage of ships through Gatun lake which is 164 square miles VIII De by l the ships own power The locks are constructed for ship 1000 feet long and are 110 feet in width, arranged so i that vessels can pass The yearly cost l of operating the canal will be about l 1-2 millions of dollars and it is l hoped that the tolls based upon the tonnage of the ships which pass through will meet the maintenance and opel ating charges. A regiment of in 1 fantry and 8. battalion of marines now 1 occupy the zone
 CcmpIeted July 1, 1918.
 There are 35,0O0 employees now en- gagged in the work. Next February it 1 is expected that water will be turned i into a part of the canal and that the i work will be completed by July 1, ! 1913. No one can foreten the effect l upon the great ocean routes of the world which will in some measure al ter international relations when this great waterway is finally opened. Its l success is assured, and Americans have overcome the great difficulties which have baked others at tremen- dous sacrifice of life and property. The canal is essentially military proposition. It will be years, in my judgment, before a financial return will be received in excess of the op- erating and maintenance charges to 1 help pay the interest on t-e money ex- pended in it's construction. The tues ton of the government for the zone
 f1 nod in 1l1c eration ot the canal and the control and management permanently of our interests there are now before con
 gross.
 Little Opportunity for American Capi- There seems to me to be but little opportunity for American capital now at Panama. The character of the na tive population compares with Port Said, I should say. It is not eli mate adapted to the average resident of the United States for d great length
 of time One familiar with ag1icul-
 tural conditions in this country would
 find it difficult to apply familiar meth
 ods of cultivation.
 What Government Is Doing.
 The government of the United States
 operates a hotel at AncOn, is now
 building a $500, ,0O0 hotel on the At
 lantic side, is building docks and ware
 houses, proposes to build drydocks and coaling stations, now maintains
 commissary stores where some things
 car be bought cheaper than in the
 United States and does in part run
 an establishment complete in itself,
 with it's own police. fremen, post
 offices, sanitary officers and schools. The high wage scale prevailing has att
 tracted 8 splendid body of American citizens to the zone. Operators of with house to live in. and, with the exception of the common laborers, the wage scale is on the same basis throughout. The cheap labor is se- cured from Jamaica and nearby coun- tries.
 Credit Due Colonel GoethaIs
 The organization of the work seems vell-nigh perfect and too much credit cannot be given Col. George W. Gee- thaIs, the chief engineer and chair man of the commission, for his un- tiring efforts and wonderful engineer ing and executive abilities, which have made a success of this stupendous undertaking After the water has been can be formed of the magnitude of the undertaking ano the difficulties which were overcome. The actual progress of the work must be witnessed to form any conception of the undertaking.
 Need of Merchant Marine.
 It is my opinion that something ought to be done to stimulate a great CT interest in our merchant marine. Coal for this work has been trans ported from American ports to the isthmus m foreign ships because we had no American ships for it. The spectacle of our fleet making its trip around the world and depending upon foreign colliers for this necessity ought to arouse every American to the i'm portance of taking some positive af- hrrnatiVe action. This great ship way constructed bN Americans will for the most rart be lcsed by vessels flying a I foreign flag. American Freight m American Ships. l
 From being masters of the seas in the early days of our national history we have. so far as olIr merchant ma rine is concerned, sunk into insig- nIncance and allowed the great ocean ] carrying business of the world to go | to other pations not as populous. rich 1 or as able to carry on this business 1 American freight should be carried in i American ships and instead of our flag only being seen in foreign waters on l our men of var, it's former prestige i should be restored. Will Be Here Until Congress Opers. |
 MT. Higgins will remain in Norwich | until the meeting of congress on De- i cember 1. He said he expected the l session to last until just before the 1 national conventions, which will be some time in July. The president will 1 make some recommendation for tar tiff legislation as the report of the tar if commission $ expected on the wool early in December. Both branches of congress will take up the matter of amendments 10 the Sher- man antitrust law and the usual SUD- ply bills. aggrcgating nesrly billioE l dollars will have to become law be- fore adjournment.
 Much improved in Health
 Mr- Higgins has taken apartments at the Portland in Washington. as for nlerly. but his family will not leave Norwich until after the holidays He has greatly improved in health and the trip was one of great benefit to him 1 in the way of a change and a rest.
 Senator Brandegee's Statement.
 We spent ten days on the isthmus," said Senator Brandegee. We were received by Colonel Goethals and oth- CT commissioners, and devoted several days to an inspection of the canal l The rrogress of the work since my last visit two years ago is renarlza ble So far as it is possible to see into the future it looks as though the canal ! would be finished and opened for bus mess in 1913.
 Tt will be finished within the esti taE 1nSf If So-5 000 O0n