Arizona republican., 1911-04-04
THE N. K. FAIRBANK COMPANY
 CHICAGO

depth of channels, and technical de- scription of the locks and dams, much of which will be necessarily omitted.
 Colonel Goethels since taking charge of the government work in the 18th mus of Panama has divided the canal zone into three districts. known as the Atlantic. Central and Pacific dis tricts. The Atlantic district, at pres ent under the direction of Colonel Sibert, includes the Gatun dam, Gatun locks, and all the project to the east including the ocean channel up to and through the Limon Bay. This district also includes the gov ernment quarries located at Porto Bello twenty-five miles south of Colon. The Central district, of which Colonel Gaillard of the army engi- neers is in charge includes the DOT ton of the project which lies be- tween the Gatun dam and locks on the east to the Pedro Miguel locks on the west The district takes in the Culebra cut. The Pacific district. under the direction of Civil Engineer Williamson of the government, in cludes all the project lying west of the Pedro Miguel locks. taking in the ocean approach to the western en- trance of the canal. and including the Miraflores locks, situated a short dis tance west of the Pedro Miguel locks.
 Since the administration of Colonel Goethels began in the Panama canal zone the men working on the project. numbering at this time approximately 35.OOO. have been given sanitary and healthful town sites for their residence. and by an adoption of stringent rules to enforce the Observ- ance of sanitary laws the fever which carried of a large percentage of the workmen previous to his appointment as engineer in charge has been al- most entirely done away with. Hos pitals have been established at vari- ous places along the line of the canal. this department of the work being In charge of Colonel Gorgas of the med ical corps of the United States Army. and the death rate of the canal zone has decreased to such a degree that at present it will compare favorably with the rate in the northern part of the continent. One of the salient features of Colonel Goethels' admins tration has been the change brought about in the food provided for the laborers on the canal. and he has del- egated this department to Colonel Devol of the army service who acts as quartermaster. Residence points have been located with particular re- gard to the health of the workmen, and at Ancon. Culebra, Gatun and Christobel where towns have been built, a condition as nearly perfect as is possible has been created from standpoint of sanitation and health. The men now working on the canal. numbering 5000 Americans, and the remainder made up of Jamaicans. Barbadoes. and natives of the West Indies generally. with several thou sand Italians and Spaniards, are con tented and happy in the conditions provided for their health and comfort by Colonel Goethels. and they work enthusiastically with their chiefs in an attempt to complete the canal be- fore or by January 1st. 1914, which will be exactly one year in advance of the date set for the official open ing
 The Culebra cut, without question the most stupendous undertaking i'm volved in the construction of the be- tween ocean channel. is rapidly being sunk to it's final level The total ex caVation for the cut as originally planned was to have been in the neighborhood of 50.000 cubic yards. but by a subsequent order of the president the plan was changed, and the yardage increased to 89.7S3,493. The greater part of this has already been excavated. and the balance is being thrown out at the rate of L. 900, 900 cubic yards a day. There are 100 steam shovels working in the zone at this time most of which are employed in the Culebra cut.
 The construction of the Gatun dam was specially remarked by General Godfrey. This dam, built on the At lantic side immediately north of the Gatun locks, extends over a low sec ton of land for a length of 5000 feet making a wall for the great artificial lake which will lie between the Gatun and Pedro Miguel locks. Ocean go- ing ships will sail at full speed through this lake for a distance of twenty-fo four miles. the principal delay in going through the canal being the
 
 for the filling and emptying of the locks which will raise and lower the ships from sea level to the height of the Gatun lake. The Gatun dam was built by constructing two masonry walls 1900 feet apart from the dam site to the higher land to the north. and filling in the huge space between the masonry by hydraulic sluicing which made a solid wall 1,500 feet thick to withstand the mighty pres sure of the waters of the lake. which will cover an area of 164 square miles.
 After 1915 the canal will be open for the largest sea going vessels, the ship channels being made forty-five feet deep, considerably more than is required for the draft of the largest ship now afloat. Entrance will be made from the Atlantic side through Limon Bay which has been protected by long breakwaters of stone extending out in two long arms from the north and south creating a