The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1913-10-22
WAS COMMENCED BY FRENCH
Who Made a Failure OF The
Job-Then Unt.e Sam
Took a Hand.
FRENCH USED MUCH BRIBERY

ed in Paris, successfully u Oompic'c
that great work. The principal ones
are:
Unsanitary condition of the 18TH
mus OF Panama, causing disease.
Ancient and Anticipated mechani-
cal appliances.
Absurd underestimate of the
amount of time and money probably
necessary TO construct the canal.
General ineficiency and lack of
cooperation.
Graft
when the United States finally
sCok over TIE worF OF constructing
the big ditch the first moves made
we're to eradicate all OF these evil
features. Tic canal zone was mad
clean of yellow fever and m1l'r'a
NV the Introduction Of sanitation
and tie draining of swamp lands.
The most modern mechanical appli-
ances we're brought into use. and
the best engineering brains of
America were set at work. While
the United States underestimate
the cost of constructing the canal,
the expenditures being double the
first estimate, the estimate of the
time came close to being accurate.
Efficiency and cooperation were
obtained largely through the con-
Df
biity. Colonel George Washington
Goethals, Chairman of the lsthmian
Canal Commission, Chief En-
gineer of the commission and Gov
ernor Of the canal zone, is an ex-
ample of this concentration. Form
erly three different men had held
these POSTS. Goethals, being made
into little Car, infused others
,,plth his dynamic energy and de-
Ennnded Of others efficiency equal
10 his own remarkable capability.
Graft was eliminated as far as
possible.
An interesting contrast in Amer
lean and French methods may be
found in the. fact that when the
French started to build tile canal
great celebration and banquet
was held. There was no doubt at
chat tine in the minds OF any of the
promoters but that the canal would
be finished on schedule time with
colors flying. Much champagne was
consumed, impressive speeches were
made and lot of motor boats were
exhibited. which the French fondly
told each other should be the first
boats to pass through the canal
when finished.
There was no banquet, no cham
pagne and there were no motor
boats when the United States took
mold. The banquets. the champagne
and the speeches will come in 1915
waen the final touches have been
put on the canal. And as banquet
and celebration the Panama-Pacific
International Exposition Is going to
nc some little picnic Pending that
tiune Uncle Sam will just continue
10 dig and build and fortify.
Lieutenant Lucien N. b. Nyse and
Others obtained the first concession
frein Colombia for the construction
OF "a canal across the isthmus In
1873. Nyse and his associates. how
ever. sold out for 100000 francs
40 the Compagnie Universalle du
Canal Inter Oceanique de Panama.
Ferdinand de Lesseps. who short
time before that presided over an
International congress of engineers
which had Endorsed as practicable
the plans for the construction OF the
canal, was President of the COM
pany.
Under the De Lesseps plan the Ca
nal was to have been sea level one
and was to be completed within
eight years at cost Of Sl2I,OOO,-
OOo Work was begun in 1881.
Soon after, however. II was realized
by the promoters with something of
"A shock that the estimates OF the
amount OF time and money necessa-
ny had. been ridiculously low.
Ia an effort to hide the facts from
the public bribery was resorted to
with startling recklessness. News
papers were subsidized and members
Of the French Chamber OF Deputies
were corrupted. Finally the hnan-
cal difficulties OF the company we're
seen TO be insurmountable. and the
was dissolved by a
Court order. . receiver being APP
TO take charge OF Its assets.
not excepting the motor boats.
watch we're to have been the first