The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-02-23
Canal Ready In 1913,
 Predicts Goe1halS
Chief Engineer of the Big Ditch Says Work Will be Fin
 iShed June 1
CAN SAIL THROUGH JULY i
Water Will Be Turned Into Gatun Lake Soon After April 1 of This
 Year, He Says.

New York, Feb. 23--Americans who have been discovering the Panama Canal for the first time this winter have been making enthusiastic predic- tfons upon their return as to the ear- ly completion of the great waterway many of them far in advance of the date set for official opening. Col. George W. Goethals, the chairman of the Isthmian Canal Commission and the chief engineer of the big ditch, beat them all in their prophecies yes- terday upon his arrival from Wash fngton, where he has been undergoing questioning and ross-quest tfoning at the hands of various Congressional committees. Col. Goethals said he ex- pected the construction work of the canal to be finished and in working order by July 1, 1913.
 Col. Goethals went still a little fur ther. He said he was aiming to get all the work done by June 1, 1913, which as anybody who will take the trouble to calculate may reckon is just little over fifteen months from now. That may be one reason why Americans are crowdfng every steam CT bound for the Isthmus just now and why the steamship companies have been putting on so many extra steamers to accommodate them. They hurry up and make their visit there won't be anything to see but water. There was a time when Col. Goethals was urging Americans to go down there and see the canal before it was built, but yesterday he declined to discuss the subject. Another man who was recently down there said yester- day that tourists of late had been swarming upon the Isthmus in such numbers that a lot of valuable time has been taken up. The hope is said to have been expressed that the tour ists who want to see the ditch before Nnr ned Ina "a made their visits by April 1. For soon after that the water is going to be turned on again into Gatun Lake, which will grow and grow, and then work that has been done on the 18th mus will become obliterated.
 "The official opening of the canal is still set for January 1, 1915" said Col. But we are hoping to put boats through during the latter part of 1913. Oh, yes, commercial vessels. First we shall make the trial with what ever of our ships that happen to be there at the time we are ready; then if everything goes all right we shall be only too glad to have other ships to go through so that we can train our force for the operation of the canal
 'It is most imperative that our ma chinery. shall all have received thorough tuning up before the official opening takes place and that the men who are to do the operating shall be trained, so that when the regular time comes they shall be able to pass the fleets of the world through with out a hitch.
 q do not anticipate any delay about the delivery Of the big machin- cry for the locks. As a matter of fact lot of it has been installed all ready and the installation is proceed ing steadily. I expect to have it all in place by July 1, 1913. In fact have strong hopes that everything will be in place by June of next year, though owing to certain fea- lures of the contracts the installation may take until the first of the fol- lowing month"
 How nearly completed would you estimate the canal to be?" Col. Goe- thals was asked
 Now that Is a case where figures do not convey adequate ideas. But the Gatun locks are S9 per cent. fin ished, the locks at Pedro Miguel are more than 90 per cent. completed and from 75 to 80 per cent. of the CulebraI cut is done.
 "As far as the operation of the canal proper is concerned, exclusive of civil and sanitary administration, about 2,500 men will be required. The number required for the work of san