The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-18
COMPLETE CANAL
WITHIN ONE YEAR
REPORT OF COLONEL COCKTAILS. IN
CHARGE OF WORK, IN.
DICTATES THIS.
MUCH IS TO BE DONE
ALL MATERIAL IL ON HAND Fos
BUILDING LOCK GATES AND
SHIPS SOON TO PAss
THROUGH.
MUCH IS TO BE DONE

WASHINGTON, Nov. 17.--That the
Panama canal will be completed with
ing the next twelve months 10 clearly
indicated by Colonel George W. Goe-
thals, in his annual report 10 the Sec
rotary Of War, wnlcn was made pub
hc here tonight
While the chief engineer OF the big
gest job on earth does not say IN
50 many words that his lapors VIII be
through In q year ne contrasts Tie
work that was done during the hscai
year ending June %, 1912, with what
work remains 10 be aone, and the rea-
sonable deduction is that by tins tune
next year Tie gigantic task wiz DC al
an end and vessels will DO threading
their way, back and forth between
the Atlantic and Pacific oceans
through the worlds greatest artinclal
waterway.
The most important work that Ia
yet to he done is the completion OF the
lock gates.
All the steel and other material that
is necessary to make these gates ale
now In the shops of the canal zone.
and the work Is gong forward rapidly.
The report gives detailed account
of everything that has. been done in
the zone during the hscal year which
in any way eneC.s the canal com
mission, or the government.
Builders and Diplomats. $.
This commission has not only had
the actual work OF constructing the
canal to look after, but its members
have had to act as diplomatic agents
for the government in treating win
The authorities Of the republic OF Pan
anna, a task which has at times re-
quired the most delicate tact.
/ In.June. 1912, there were 34,957 peo-
pie on the payroll of the commission
with an aggregate monthly salary Of
81, SOC. 600.
The population of the zone at the
present time Is $3.50.
OF this number. 42,174 are employees
and OFF, Gals of the United States gov
eminent, their wives and children.
During the year ending June 30th,
last there werc 1855 arrests; 6.452
males and sos females.
At the time the report was written
there were i41 conVicts in the peni-
tertiary at Calubra.
But this building has since been re-
moved to make room for the canal
work. and the convitts are held IN a
stockade
L ne commission conducts nineteen
hotels throughout the zone three night
restaurants, eighteen European labor
ers messes. and eighteen common Ia
horers kitchens, out of which they
made a total profit last year of sS7.-
I517.65.
But all these profits accrued from
the laborers nesSes and kitchens.
there being a Joss on the hotels Of
, sf2,0S5.37.
| The old French scrap, which the
commission bought for s2l5.000 was
! sold for about s750u0.
Health Conditions.
: In relation 10 the health conditions
on the Tsthmus the report says:
The total admissions to hospitals
and sick camps. including those sick
/ in quarters during the year, was As
2o7; the daily average sick was 22St
out OF every thousand employees 1s
against 2477 for 1s10-11. and 22o1
| for 1909-l0 on the basis that the to-
tai numbers employed during the years
mentioned were so COS 49f2s and So
535 respectively. The total number
Of deaths among employees was sos, OF
which 35 vera Americans. 70 were
white employees OF other nationaiities,
her Of deaths from violence ar~c-g ~
employees was 1874. as against IFS for
the preceding year. In addition on
the reccmm andation OF the medical
minins board, 1913 deportations
were made, l4i for disease, and SO
for injuries.