Omaha daily bee., 1912-04-14

lAk6II cash in the Andes which is to
~ bring the shipping OF the two
oceans together. 1t practically begins at
Fedro Miguel, where We shall start. and
II runs in winding canyon through the
mountains from there on until 1t is lost
In the great lake of Gatun. The ships
VIII come through the lake and steam
on at full speed through the cut. and the
water Of the cut and the lake will be at
the same level
The Culebra cut Is at the lowest pass
OF the Andes. those mighty mountains
which in South America rise more than
four miles above the sea, but bow down
humbly as they reach the isthmus on
their way north to join with the Rock
les. Right here at Panama the mountains
are on the average only about one-third
mile high, and at Culenra the tallest
peak, known as Gold Hill. is 500 feet
ABOVE the sea. The lowest pass Is only
)" feet and We have cut this down so
that ships can sail through IL and the
surface Of the canal waters be only
oishty-five feet above the level OF the
two oceans.
Through the Cut on Foot.
we snail start for our trip about nine
miles from the Pacific right under the
mighty lock OF Pedro Miguel, into which
the steamers will come when they have
passed through the cut. This lock is as
tai as a three-story house, and II will
crop the ships to the level of the locks
at Miraflores. where they have two more
gigantic drops before they reach the level
Of the Pacific.
We crawl down into the locks and 20
carefully as We wind our way about
through the network of steel wires and
cables, so many in number that they look
ike a thicket. We dodge TO keen ont
OF the day OF the concrete which is falling
into the network and pick out our path
along the line OF the railroad.
We soon reach the beginning OF ,he
cut and there start on our walk To Cule.
bra. The average man goes through
these works on a motor car or Is sn,t
ny them on a special train, which makes
understanding impossible. In this trim of
ours we shall take our feet in our hands
and move In and out among the ma
ohinery and workmen. lodging the spoil
trains which are carrying their rivers of
earth and rock down to the great dam
at 9atun and TO the mighty Pacific
ocean breakwater which is Connecting
Balboa with the island of Macs. Much
OF our way is on the ties Of the railroads.
some OF II is over the masses OF rocks
cast up by rhe explosions and we shall
nave IN climb from,
avoid tripping over the electric wires
which run here and there. We must be
ever on guard to Jump out of the way
OF the trains and also to watch out for
the explosions of dynamite which are pre-
pairing the rock for the steam shovels.
blasting Down the Andes.
There are steam shovels everywhere
working. There are hundreds OF Jamai-
can and Barbadian negroes engaged in
drilling. There are gangs Of Italians
moving the tracks, and other gangs OF
negroes and whites. in water up 10 their
waists. repairing the shovels. The drill
Ing goes on everywhere. and l venture
you have never seen such drilling before.
The drills have derricks above them.
They are. in fact. derricks on wheels.
and you can see a thicket of the derricks
In elumps as you look up the cut Eaeh
drill consists Of one OF these derricks
and long steel shaft, which rises and
falls, making a dynamite hole as big
around as your arm and twenty-six feet
deep for the blasting. The force which
moves the drill is compressed air sent
through pipe as thick as the waist of
your sweetheart. which runs from one
end of the cut to the other. There are
altogether more than thirteen miles OF
such pipes. the air coming from com,
pressers at Rio Grande, Empire and Las
Cascades.
Here they are charging the drillings
With dynamite. That long line Of holes
running 1000 yards up the cut is ready
for an explosion. The men are testing
them before they put in the candles. BY
and by they will go off with the noise
Of battleship in action. Farther on is
another gang drilling In front Of the
steam shOyels which are working on the
explosions Of yesterday night. That Il
the way the mountain Is cut down. The
rock is first broken 10 pieces and ther
loaded by steam shovels into the cars
and carried on the railroad out Of the
cut.
But let US move onward. Watch out
for your feet. You may trip on the wire,
and an electric shock send you to HEAVIER
or the reverse. Don't you see that trair
coming? You must get far off the track
Those cars are loaded with rocks anC
earth, and huge rocks frequently fall anC
men are killed by them. The air is full
Of sharp dust, carried on by the motion
The train is 90 feet long and every cal
is loaded with that mighty blue rock.
Giants with strength of Hundreds
But let Us stop at this great steam
shovel and watch II. See how it gouge
out the rocks and earth exploded b,
dynamite. There are scores Of othe
shovels at work in the cut. and each i
accomplishing more than the labor Of -
men.
There are. altogether. more than 10
shovels on the isthmus and they equa
a force half as large as the whole Unite,
States army. Fifty thousand Samson
could not do what they do.
We take seat on the stones on tn
level above the ditch where the shove
is working. The huge monster make
one think Of a giant on wheels with
mighty arm at the front which ends II
a mouth OF steel as big as a hogshead
This mouth has four long. sharp. crus
steel teeth on the edge Of its lower HT
sad it gouges out ten tons Of earth at