The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-05
TELLS STUDENTS
OF PANAMA CANAL
Dean Thornton Explains En-
gineering Task Which Has
Been Accomplished.
[ Especial to The Times-Dispatch. J

Especial to The Times Dispatch
Charlottesville. Va, December A.
Dean William NJ Thornton. OF the
school of engineering at the University
of Virginia, addressed several hundred
students in Caben Hall at university
hour to-day on the Panama Canal he
told especially Of his trip TO the 18TH
mus last summer.
This great engineering achievement
was described with the technical skill
OF the scientist and with the pride and
hopefulness OF the Southerner and
American. After speaking OF the fact
that Southern men are responsible for
great part of the success OF the vast
undertaking. Professor Thornton said;
And yet 1 feel assured that there
arises In the heart OF every man VINO
hears me a feeling nobler and truer
and higher than any sentiment Of local
pride and local love. We are South
erners, yes, and we are Americans, too.
and this vast work is the work OF our
whole country. God sent it TO Us. and
We have done IT, not for profit, not for
pride. not for glory, not for greed. but
for Him and our fellow man. We took
ling and have held our forward way
with faith and hope. Close before US
we see the triumphant end. Let Us
strive that in this end ali the nations
of the earth shall be helped and
blessed"
Professor Thornton paid tribute 10
the skill of the French canal builders
who preceded the Americans on the
Isthmus. The Isthmus still abounds,
he said. with evidences OF their intel
igent and skiIlfui work. The type OF
building now prevailing. the general
location of the canal axis. the besuti-
full hospital site on Ancon Hill-for all
OF these things and many more, he
said, we are debtors to the French
The honesty. skill. courage. ambition
of the French engineers might have
prevailed against the natural difficua-
ties of the location. and even against
the treachery and greed OF the pirates
of the Paris Bourse; but there was one
foe which the French did MT know
how 10 fab and which made success
for them impossible. That foe was the
fever"
The story of the sanitary conquest
OF the Isthmus was eloquently related
by Professor Thornton He spoke OF
the great discovery Of Walter Reed
that the yellow fever bug is carried by
the MOSQUITO. and recalled the fast
that both Reed and Henry Carter. who
also did wonderfully effective work in
sanitation on the Tsthmus, were sradu-
ates OF the University OF Virginia
The brilliant work OF Coloael Gorgas
may be judged by a fact related by
Professor Thornton. namely. that dur
Ing = visit % twelve days on the 18th
mus ne die not sec a mosquito nor a buS
OF any desert ption. and only two flies
along the whole line o. the canal
Professor Thornton said the top3s-
-aphy Of the Isthmus. from Gatun 90
the Pacific. T. rot unlike the Ragged
Mountains 81 Virginia He described
in detail and IN words and figures -
that the most untechnicslly trained
could follow him intelussntly the
whole engineering scheme.
The address closed with 8 tribute
70 the men who have built the canal
20 the civil engineers who planned
the solution OF this great problem on
lines OF striking originality and power
to Colonel GOethais. who has developed
and executed these plans with an IN
exampled saEacity ard holiness. 20 the
division engineers. who have brought
20 their duties such skill and loyalty
and conservation as are above ali praise
to each and all OF these America
should render ungrudsinsly praise
gratitude ami reco xnition."
As a S0uthcrner. Professor Thorn
ton said he spoke with peculiar pride
~ the division engineers % the Altar
tic. Central and Psclic divisions and q
the chief sanitary officer q the whole
zone They are lieutenant -Cclou.l
william l. Sibcrt 81 Alabama. Lieu
tenant Colonel u. y. ssaiiisrd. - South
Carolina. sidney y. Williams n. % ~
rinia. and Colonel william e GorEas
- Tennessee They ana marf ff
their srbordinstes Ssis ProfsrsA
Thornton. show what service TIE >oa-1
- able and wiling to DO for tae na-
tea