The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1913-12-10
FAMOUS SOUTH CAROLlNAN dies
AT BALTIMORE
CONQUERER OF ..CULEBRA
Born at Winnsboro, David Duboss
Gaillard Becomes One Of the Fore
most Of Army Engineers and Was
Largely Responsible for the Sue
cess at Panama.
cess at Panama.

Lieut.. Col. David Dubose Gaillard,
United States army, who directed the
engineering work in the Culebra Cut.
a division of the Panama canal, died
at John Hopkins ho. '!tal at Balti-
more Friday. Lieut.. Col. Gatllarc
had been a patient at the <hospita.
since August II last, suffering from
a growth in the head, the result Of
seven years arduous labor In the
tropical climate Of the Canal Zone.
He failed gradually but steadily,
and for the last two months had been;
in state Of coma, due to the pres
sure of the cranial growth upon the
brain cells. The physicians decided
some time ago that an operation was
useless and might hasten his death.
He is survived by his widow and .
son, Lieut.. David P. Gaillard, United
States army. Both were at the bed
side when the end came.
Lieut.. Col. Gaillard was born at
Winnsboro, S. c., In 1854. He grad
uated from West Point Military
Academy in 1851 and since that time
had won many honors In the engi-
neering service. A bill was intro
duced in congress last month pro-
noting him to the rank Of colonel In
recognition of his distinguished ser
vices which eliminated in the great
engineering feat in the Culebra sec
tion Of the Panama canal When
Culebra Cut was flooded by the blast
ing of Gamboa dixie on October 10
last Col. Gaillard lay unconscious in
his bed at the hospital.
Col. Gaillard's death is the cul-
mination Of breakdown incurred by
long hours Of work and exposure in
the Canal Zone, where he pitted his
skill as an engineer against the shift
ing soil Of the Culebra Cut. To him
had been given the most difficult task
in connection with the canals con-
struction, to master the landslides
and quicksands which extended for
eight miles along the line Of the CuI-
ebra cut.
During the early years of his con-
test with the landslides Col. Gaillard
never knew what morning was to
bring forth. Over night the noun
tains moved and covered with their
deposit the tracks, and even the cars,
which were used to remove material.
The Culebra Cut runs through the
backbone Of the American continent.
Gaillard dug indomitably until hill
after hill found its angle Of repose
and he checked the landslides save at
Cucuracha and points nearby. There
the sliding was persistent, but had
visibly weakened, when the engineer
was compelled to stop his work and
seek rest.
For the greater period Of his work
on the Isthmus Col. Gaillard was
without chief assistant. He wanted
to save money. He gave his atten-
tion not only to the great engineering
problems, but to all the details or
shovel work, train work and drain
age. He checked up on the small
things and once it was computed that
by his careful oversight he had saved
the government s17,000,000.
Men wno worked with him said
that he gave twelve hours Of each
day to the Cuiebra Cut. In addition
he had voice in all matters pertain
ing to engineering work in the zone.
to civil administration and to the
general conduct of affairs. The hard
work, the nervous strain, the worry
and the tropical climate combined
broke his health at the hour Of his
nnal triumph. There was little left
there to be done but to remove the
soft earth Of the side Of Cucuracha.