The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1912-03-14

ABOUT Panama and the canal for
the readers of the NEWS.
ms great engineering project
IS OF such magnitude and the var
lous phases of it's construction are
SO complex that to go into min
ute detail would impose an arti-
Gle too long and tiresome, and
therefore | shall touch only upon
the most important characteristics
OF the work and give a few i'm
presslons of Panama and the life
down here in the tropics.
There are many surprises for
a person on his first visit to the
lsthmus. AS your ship sails into
Colon Harbor from the Caribbean
Sea, you naturally expect to have
your first sight of land on your
right, but you are surprised to
enter the harbor with Colon on
your left. The isthmus lies in a
northeasterly by a southwesterly
direction, and the canal crossing
nearly at right angles runs in a
general direction from northwest
to southeast.
Sun Rises and Sets Wrong.
Another surprising peculiarly
Is the fact that the sun rises over
the Pacific Ocean and sheds it's
last rays over the Atlantic Ocean.
Also the great difference in tides
IN the two oceans is strange; the
variation between low and high
tide in the Atlantic Ocean is
only Is inches, while for the Pa
cific Ocean it is over 20 feet.
A tourist on a recent visit to
the isthmus boarded a Panama
Railroad train and noticing the
large letters "P. r. r." on the
coaches, exclaimed, why | did
MT know that the Pennsylvania
Railroad runs way down here. "
Railroad Built in 40's.
The Panama Railroad built way
back in the 40's has a history
well worth reading. 1t is said
that every cross-tie represents a
life lost in its construction. Its
roadbed parallels the canal and
crosses it twice. Way back in tn
old days it cost $50 to ride across
the isthmus and $40 for the privi-
lege of hitting the ties" The
fare has been gradually reduced
until at present the regular rate
is 5 cents per mile; employees,
however, being charged only half
fare.
With the exception of a low
swampy stretch about one half
mile long, known as the "Black
Swamp" the entire line is dou-
ble-tracked. 1t has been necessary
to relocate about two-thirds of
the entire line, or that portion
that will be submerged by Gatun
Lake, and the west side Of the
canal.
Everywhere on the isthmus the
vegetation and jungle growth is
very dense. The only place
where there is a natural clear
ing is the green rolling land
known as LAS Sabanas. This
beautiful country is located over
on the Pacific side near Panama
City. Here are located the coun-
try homes of the better class of
Panamanians.
For about half the distance
from Colon across the isthmus,
the country is rather low and flat
After crossing the valley Of the
Chagres river, the country be-
comes hilly and mountainous, al
though the highest summit is not
over 1900 feet above sea level.
About half way across the
isthmus is Balboa Hill from
which, it is supposed, Balboa
first saw the Pacific Ocean. On
clear day both oceans can be
seen from the summit Of this
hill.
To one accustomed to the
changing seasons of the United
/ States. the constant sameness of
seasons, climate, and appearance
of vegetation, becomes very mo-
notonOus.
Healthier Than Our Cities.
One cannot help being inn
pressed with the good sanitary
conditions that prevail on the
canal zone. The first two years
of American occupancy were
spent in draining off the swami