The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-11-27
By WILLIAM r. SCOTT
CHAPTER TX.
The Canal Under GosthaIs.

~ RESIDENT ROOSEVELT had
at last found public sentiment
educated to the point where
the canal could be put exclusive
ly In the hands of the government en-
gineers. The personnel of the third
commission he appointed on April l.
1907. was as follows:
Lieutenant Colonel George W. Goe-
thals. chairman and chief engineer;
Major D. b. Gaillard. O. s. A.: Major
William L. Sibert, O.. g. A.; 81. 81.
Rousseau, q. s. N; Colonel W. G. Cor
gas. U. s. A.. medical corps; J. G. 8.
Blackburn, Jackson Smith. Joseph |
Bucklin Bishop. secretary.
Tie president also took advantage OF
the reorganization Of the commission
to further consolidate power in the
chairman. Not only was Colonel Goe.
thals made chairman of the isthmian
canal commission and chief engineer
of the Panama canal. but the exe,.u-
tive power in the canal zone. formerly
exercised by the governor. WAS vested
in him. as well as the presidency Of
the Panama Railroad company thus
making every official and employee
and the members of the commissions
subordinate to him.
Colonel GOethals appreciated the
feelings the employees had over the
prospect of army engineers for direc.
tors Of the enterprise and In his first
speech In the canal zone dispelled the
idea OF militarism in the canal man
agement. He promised II fair hear
ing to every man with "A grievance.
the manner in which he carried out
this promise being one Of the distinc-
lively great qualities he later revealed
as an administrator. Few persons in
the canal zone had heard Of Colonel
Goethals before his appointment as
chief engineer Yet his previous OK.
perience had qualified him ideally for
the important work now in hand. He
had been building locks and dams. had
been chief of engineers in the Spanish
American war. was a graduate Of and
had taught In West Point and had
seen other construction experience that
made him Mt home in any kind OF work
the canal should require.
Contrast for moment the situation
as faced by Colonel (soethals with that
faced by Mr.. Stevens in 1907 In 1907
Gre was under the boiler and steam
WIS up. When Mr.. Stevens relii1uish
ed the throttle the army Of workers
had bcxun to come close to the mil
lion mark in monthly excavations IL
the Culebra cut There were sixty.
three steam shoveis at work on the ca
nal. The Panama railroad had beer
double tracked throughout and the
mileage in the Culebra cut and else.
where brought up to 1O6.7S miles: the
machine shops ut Gorgona and Empire
were equipped for any kind Of repair
work or original construction
There were approximately 10000 EN-.
ployees. and the recruiting agencies In
Europe, the West Indies and the Unit
ed States constantly were sending ad
litions. Quarters for employees. office
buildings and all other structures con
sisted Of 1900 buildings of American
design and 1886 reinodeied Frencf
buildings. The commissary for supply
ing food, clothing and general mer
| chanliise tc employees was organized
and had branches in seven canal zone
towns. There were fifteen hotels II
operation for bachelor employees. ant
| four recreation clubhouses had beel
| constructed, besides church and iodg'
buildings. Twenty -four public schools
afforded educational facilities to thu
canal zone children The police sys
TEN, the courts, postofices and fire de
partments were thoroughly organized
In short, the preparatory stage OF tin
canal had passed and the constructive
stage had begun.
Necessarily all tho basic work &C
t complished under Wallace and Steven
is lost sight Of in view Of the magni6
cent superstrticture erected under Colo
mel Goethals. Tho modern sightsee
las nothing to remind him OF th
wretched conditions OF the drst tw
years. the battle with disease. the al
duous labor Of creating In the jungle
duplicate American civilization. tn
tantalizing struggle with .governmen
red tame before stick Of timber.
pound OF iron, shipment Of food
| nm efficient workman could be secured
Colonel Ooethuls deserves the adm
! rat,on that his service on the canal ha
| evoked, but the generality Of writer
| looking at what exists today and heet
= -