Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1913-11-04
By WILLIAM r. SCOTT
PROFILE MAP OF THE PANAMA CANAL.

by changing the name of tHp Pacific
terminal from La BOca to haIboa. 1t
is at Balboa that the permantnt ma
chine shops. drydocks. yards, wharves.
warehouses and general equipment to
cost $20.O00.0OO will be located.
In 1909 Colonel Goethals seems to
have had the idea Of making the canal
zone habitable. but since then he
changed his views in favor or making
the canal zone military reservation.
the part not In use to be left to the
jungle and only canal employees allow
ed withoCt special permission in che
ten mile limits
Work on the Notifications was begun
in 191 on Flamenco island, three miles
out in the bAy at the Pacific entrance.
and on Toro point. at the Atlantic en-.
trance. The estimate for their cost. as
fixed by the officers appointed to de-
sign them. is $12.415.32S. The latest
and largest disappearing rifles VIII be
installed after the concrete work is
finished. The locks ut the Pacific end
are nearly ten miles from the fortifica-
tons. which insures them against bonn
bardment by an enemy's ships. and
the Atlantic locks are seven miles from
Tense from airships must be worked
out.
When the canal is completed the
beautiful towns along the route will
be abandoned Gorgona, Bas Obispo.
Las Cascadas. Empire. Culebra and
Paradise will be RACED permanent
camp for the army will be located on
the east side of the canal. across the
cut from the town of Culebra. Ma.
rines have been in the canal zone since
1904, and in 1911 the Tenth infantry
was added to the permanent garrison.
which will be further augmented by
several regiments. The soldiers will
police the canal zone after construc-
ton work is finished. Balboa and
CristObal will be the principal cities.
though ut Gatun and Pedro Miguel
forces to operate the locks will be
housed.
President Taft signed on Aug. "a,
ment and operation Of the canal.
Colonel Cocktails ideas were followed
almost to the letter In drawing this
bill. The president Is authorized as
soon as the canal is sufficiently near
completion to abolish the present com.
mission and to appoint governor for
a term of four years ut salary Of $1O.'
In ,f a
president may substitute an army Of
ficer for this governor. Salaries ana
wages are not to be more than Is pei
cent greater than in the United States.
and many Of the perquisites now en-
joyed by the employees are to be elimi-
mated The canal zone will be open to
only such persons as the governor may
admit. American coastwise ships are
exempted from paying tolls for pas
sage. foreign built ships owned by
Americans may register under the
American flag. ships owned by rail
roads cannot pass through the canal.
the interstate commerce commission
given power to determine questions OF
competition. and the present judiciary
system Is continued with right Of ap-
peal to the federal courts in the United
States. In addition. the government
may sell ships supplies and coal and
provide facilities for repairing vessels
at the canal terminals.
At the close of the fiscal year ended
June 80. 1913. Colonel Cocktails could
look forward to one year more Of the
avluous labor and heavy responsibility
be has borne before the big Job would
be in the clear. Invoicing conditions
at that dute. we find that the great
Gatun dam was completed: the con
crete work in the locks and spillway
was about 80 per cent completed; the
Culebru cut was approximately 96 per
cent completed: the relocated Panama
railroad was finished. and the work OF
establishing permanent shipping facil-
|, tiles ut Balboa and Cristobal was IN
der way.
Owing to fresh slides in the Culebra
cut and to changes in plans in the Pa
cific division new estimate of the to-
tai excavation for the completed canal
and accessory plant became necessary
at the beginning Of the last complete
year of canal construction. Jan. l. 1912.
to Dec 30. 1913 The revised estimate
then placed the excavation at Dis. 1885,
299 cubic yards of which amount 2O2.-
9Ol 900 cubic yards had been removed
at the end of July. 1918. leaving to be
excavated for the completed canal To-
25.94S cubic yards. The canal organi-
cation cannot remove the uncOmpleted
portion before the first ship is sched-
ued to pass through the canal in Oc-
tober. 1913. but of the amount left
more than S.0OO,OO0 yards are to be ex-
cavated outside of the canal proper or
in the sites for the coaling station.
drydocks and terminal at Balboa. so
that the actual canal channel Substan-
TALLY will be finished before the pas
sage of the first ship.
During the early part Of 1913 the
Gatun lake was stationary at about
fifty feet. but with the beginning Of
the rainy season in May 1t began to
rise and will be allowed to rise to
eighty feet. and this would back the
water up by October. 1913. to depth
through the Culebra cut to permit the
passage of some kind Of ship. The
ultimate level OF the lake will be
eighty five feet
Colonel Goethals is indeed great
administrator Even If the employees
have had soft conditions of employ
uirnt II is an achievement to impress
31,aM men with - faith both in yOrI
calir'ty Is an engineer and your sprs'
of Justice This writer knows Of NJ