The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-11-27
272 feet. between Gold and Contrac-

tors bills.
The equanimity with which Colonel
Goethals has met every unexpected de
velOpment In the construction work Is
a distinguishing feature of the mans
one moment entertained the shadow OF
q doubt of the success of the lock type
canal he has not allowed his fears to
be manifested. The slides. the slip fl
the Gatun dam. the volcanic evidences
In the Culebra cut. the cracks In tho
lock walls. earthquake disturbances
and host Of lesser troubles have net /
shaken his faith
Tho mammoth Gatun dam had beer
begun In 1906 and by 1908 was taking |
form under the constant dumping Of
rock and earth from the Culebra cut.
On Nov 20. 1908. toe Of the great |
dam slipped where the dam intersect-
ed the old French canal channel. carry |
ing about 200 feet of the structure |
away. The hostile press and those |
who had consistently opposed dam
ut Catnn Immediately raised storm
Of criticism against the stability Of the |
proposed artificial mountain. The old
wound. caused from the battle of the |
levels. was reopened. and SO violent was
the ouiburst that President Roosevelt
took characteristic step to quiet the
issue.
He asked President Elect Taft to 60
10 the isthmus. accompanied by Fred
eric r. Stearns. Arthur r. Davis. Henry
\. Allen. James y. Schuyler Isham
Randolph, John r. Freeman and Allen
Hazen. all eminent engineers. to make
an investigation. The report made on
Feb l6. 1000. completely vindicated
the plan for dam at Gatnn with the
statement that il any error had been
made 1t was on the side Of precuuti0n
| They found the dan, started along
| lines SO excessively stable that they
recommended that the height be cut
from l35 feet above sen level to ll5
feet. which would still leave the top Of
the dam thirty feet above the level Of
Gatnn lake.
The six years from Jan. l. 1907. to
/ Ian I. 1913. constitute the main con.
strnctinn period Of the Panama canal.
Colonel Goethals has been chief engi
neer all but three months of tlat time.
Steadily. foot by foot. the walls of the,
locks crept mp and the bottom of the
Cnlehrn cut went down. BY October.
t90S. the preparatory work. substan-
tialiy accomplished by Mr.. Stevens.
passed its highest point. and all ener
gies were centered on the work Of con-
struction. Quarters. municipal work.
rnadmaking. subsistence and commits
sary were solved problems. and the
No Help Wanted" sign was displayed.
the labor problem. too. being substan-
tally worked out
Sixty-fhree steam shOvels In 1907
we're incrcnsed to 100: the mileage in
the canal zone was increased from l85
!. to about 500 miles for the Panama rail-
rOad and commission tracks: the num-
0cr 0f unloaders, bank spreaders, track
shifters and pile drivers was increased
from Il third to three times the num-
ber left by Mr.. Stevens: twenty
dretlges were put in service. besides
much other machinery and equipment
not SO noteworthy Practically all re-
pairs and creative mechanical work
were concentrated in the Gorgona and
empire shops. with capacities COM
mensurate with the equipment. The
date when the equipment reached a
maximum Is fixed by Colonel Goethals
as July J, 1910 About 35O, 900 tons Ot
coal and 5O0.OO0 barrels OF oil have
been used annually.
Dredging had progressed In the Pa.
cific entrance to point where five
] miles of the canal could be opened t1
navigation on Feb. /. 1909. The New
I port and San Jose of the Pacific Mai
tieet. of American register. were the
first ships to 60 through.
Columbus had been honored by nam
ing Colon ard Cristobal for him al
q the Atlantic entrance Of the canal. and
D an executive order on April 30. 1910
Z honored the discoverer OF the Pacific
by changing the name of the Pacifi,
terminal from La Boca to Balboa 4
is at Balboa that the permanent ma
o chine shops. drydocks. yards, wharves
warehouses and general equipment t.
cost 500. 100000 will be located.
I In 1870 Colonel Goethals seems Il
have had the idea OF making the cana
D zone habitable, but since then h'
Y changed his views in favor OF making
4 the canal zone a military reservation
the part not In use to be left to tn
. jungle and only canal employees allow
y ed without special permission In tn
3 ten mile limits.
. Work on the fortificaticns was begul
In 1911 on Flamenco island. three mile
Y out In the bay at the Pacific entrance
= and on TOro point. ut the Atlantic en-
Do rance The estimate for their cost. a
% lxed by the officers appointed TO dt
y Ign them. Is $12.475.328. The lntes
ana largest disappearing rines VIII
a Installed after the concrete work
= finished. The locks ut the Pacific en-
90 are nearly ten miles from the fOrtifics
W lions, which insures them against bon
:. bardment by an enemy's ships. an
~ - the Atlantic locks are seven miles froi
% The Notifications. Some form OF d.
20 tense from airships must be worke
- 3ut.
"a When the canal II completed 4
beautiful towns along the route VI
be abandoned Gorgons. Bas Obisp
Las Cascadas. Empire. Culebrn ar
I.araiso will be razed. A permanel
~ can,D for the army will be located I