The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-03-28
TOULM|N TALKS OF GREAT CANAL WORK Magnitude of Task Is Most
 Striking Feature GREATEST SIMPLICITY Wonderful Organization Also Makes Great Impression on Visitor-The
 Work Renews Mans Pride in
 Being an American
GREATEST SIMPLICITY

Prestly Toulmin, the well known en- gineer and coal operator. who has just returned from Panama, talks interesting ly of his trip.
 '1t seems remarkable" said Mir Foul min, "that more Is not written for the press by those who have had the priv ilege of visiting and going over the canal zone from Colon to Panama.
 "The majority of accounts one reads seems to wish to convey the idea that the troubles due to the immense slides that occur from tune to time are of the most vital importance and of great interest to the public Seen from the viewpoint of an engineer they are merely incidents looked for with equinimity and overcome with the greatest ease.
 "The three features that impress one most strongly are: First, the great mag nitude of the task. second it's simplicity; and third. the wonderful organization.
 Its immensity is such as to make one ask the question, especially when viewing the Culebra cut, near Gold Hill Can this be the work of man? and is it possible that this work and the construction or  nearly completed in so short a time? Mere figures convey so little. but think of a dam a mile and a half long, nearly one-half mile wide at the base and con- taning over 20,00O,0O0 cubic yards of ma- terial
 "rhis dam is now practically completed, and the lake is beginning to fill, though l no rapid rise will take place until the l rainy season.
 "It is difficult to get a proper concep- ton of the Gatun dam unless one Is so fortunate as to take trip down the Chagres river and returning, view it from the ocean side.
 Personally, l feel that the future will prove beyond all question that our en- gineers were right in constructing a lock canal. The locks are built double, and ships can pass each other in them as well as in the lake, and the form of con struction of the locks is such that the passing of vessels in the locks will econ omize rather than waste the water sup ply. However, there seems to be no ques- ton but that the supply of water will be ample, and that the question of hand ling the excess is of as great importance. This question has also been solved by the mode of construction of the spillway, and will certainly give no trouble The simplicity of it all adds to the credit due the men who have worked out the whole canal problem.
 AS to the organization, one must try to realize that on this comparatively small area there are now being employed up- ward of 5000 men. One never hears a sound except that made by the machinery and the men work as rapidly, quietly and with as good results as in q cooler climate.
 "Finally, while all credit must be given Colonel Goethals, we cannot overlook the work of Colonel Gorgas, who by his methods of sanitation has made the con structon of the canal in a tropical cli- mate possible.
 "Gvidenccs of his work are omnpresent and the health record is almost beyond belief.
 'The fact of having seen all that has | been done and is being done certainly 1 makes one who has been there still more | proud that he is an American"