The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1912-01-05
RETURNS FROM
VISIT TO THE
PANAMA CANAL
ENGINEER coNANT TALKS INTER.
EsTINGLY OF GREAT WORK
NOW GOING ON.
He Spent a Week in the Canal Zone
and is High in His Praise of Work
Being Accomplished in the Great
Engineering Undertaking.

E. R. Conant, in charge of the local
U. s. engineers office, has just re-
turned after an absence of a month";,
during which time he visited the Pan
anna canal and thoroughly inspected
all the work now going on there. Mr..
Conant did not go on an official visit,
but merely desired water trip and
decided to visit Panama. Being in
terested in the mammoth work going
on he was thoroughly interested, and,
though he had pretty good idea of
just what was being done he expresses
himself as really surprised at the
great work that is being accom-
plished.
Mr.. Conant was asked yesterday by
a representative of The News to write
an article on his visit, and while he
said he would like very much to do
it, ne said that he saw and learned
so much that he really would not
know where to start or where to
end.
Discussing the progress of the work,
Mr.. Conant said that any true Ameri-
can who would visit the scene of op-
Grafton would at once think a great
deal more of his nation and be prouder
of ais country. I think more of my
country today than | ever did, he
said, indicating that the digging of
the canal was an undertaking that
and made a success of by any other
nation.
AS to the work now in progress,
Mr.. Ccnant said he had never seen
such perfect organization. There are
employed in the work 38,500 men,
5000 of whom are white Americans.
He said that he talked with all
classes of the employees, from the en-
gineers to the ordinary laborer, and
not once did he hear a man. express
himself as being dissatisfied, that
he wished he was back in the States,
ETC. "The organization is perfect;
the men are interested in their work;
Colonel Goethals, the engineer in
charge, has the best organization I
have ever seen, and, with these con-
ditiols prevailing, great progress is
being made" Colonel Goethals de-
serves great credit for the success of
the undertaking, says Mr.. Connant.
He has organization ability, business
ability and the engineering ability, ,and
this combination is what it takes for
such mammoth undertaking.
Mr. Conant spent an entire week in
the canal zone and went from one end
of the canal to the other, distance
of fifty miles. Being an engineer HIM
self he was extended many courte-
sizes in the way of motor cars, boats,
etc., and he had an opportunity to
visit all parts of the canal and view
the work, and much valuable infor-
nation was gained by him.
"The canal will be open for use
one year ahead of the schedule time, .
said Mr.. Conant. Under the contract
the work was to have been completed
in 1915, but it is now practically Ger
tain that the canal will be open for
commercial uss in 1914. 1t is eS-
pected that N November, 1913, tie
locks will be flooded and the lakes
filled and some vessel will be sent
through the canal in commemorat on
of lhe 250th anniversary of Caiitor
mia, but it will be some time later
before the canal will be formally op-
ened for traffic"
stUThAn fI1f. av1k -4e tod
many engineers, congressman and
others were quick to announce that
the work could not be done within the
estimated amount, 1915, 100000, but it
is now practically an assured fact
that the canal will be entirely COM
pleted at cost not greater than the
estimate
Speaking or the sanitary conditions
throughout the zone, Mr.. Conant ex-
pressed himself as being really sur
prised. Under the direction of Col
Gascas, the entire canal zone has
been drained, all of the underbrush
removed and the health condition
made excellent, and, as result, there
is very little sickness. AS for mos
quitoes, he said not one was seen by
him during his visit. ~ aa,55
Discussing the weather, Mr.. Conant
said this is the hottest season in the
canal zone The average temperature
during his visit was 80 degrees, and
the humidity during the day was great
but it was pleasant at night. To those