Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1913-08-22

colon, y. IL am gong 10 take JOi
through the completed Panama cana
on the first vessel to pass across thu
lsthmus from the Atlantic ocean Il
the Pacific. True. the canal is not We
completed, and will not be for a yea
or so. but that shall not prevent oul
making the trip now-on paper.
Let us imagine ourselves, then, or
an ocean liner approaching the Allan
tic or northern entrance of the great
canal. prepared to enjoy this initial
trip and to wonder at the sights in
| store for us. In that word northern
lies the first surprise for many OF the
passengers who did not know that
but from northwest to southeast. This
seeming anomaly is due to the fact
that the Isthmus of Panama here
trends almost east and west.
II is still early morning when a
watchful passenger shouts Land, !"
and all who are up rush TO the port
rail to gaze upon the hilly, jungly
coast of the isthmus between Porto
Bello and Colon. AS the steamship
plows swiftly through the waters as
blue as ever were those of the Medi-
| terranean q cheer goes up from the
Ideck, for we have caught q glimpse OF
( the Stars and Stripes huttering above
fringe of cocoanut palms That
marks the location Of one Of the big
forts built to protect the canal in time
of war and is on Margarita island.
virtually a part of the mainland.
Colon, fat and unpicturesque, now
comes into view, and directly. ahead
OF US an. immense breakwater
stretches a mile out from the shore
on the right. At its land end, on
TOro point, is another fort whose
great guns are masked by the tropical
foliage.
Now we have virtually entered the
canal. for the 500-foot channel Extends
far out from the shore line. At re-
duced speed we enter Colon harbor
and the Bay of Limon and steam past
the pretentious Washington hotel, I'm
Gle Sam, proprietor: the docks OF
Colon, crowded with shipping from
the United States, Europe and many
a port OF Latin America, and the
American town OF CristCbal on. whose
water front stands the statue of Co
lumbus sent over long years ago by
the Empress Eugene. Skipping about
the bay, looking ike long, black water
beetles, are the cayukas or native dug
outs, and moving lazily before the sea
breeze are the little sailing craft in
which the queer San Bias Indians are
bringing their products TO market.
Four miles and a half we steam
through Limon bay and the shores
narrow in on our 500-foot channel, |
still at tide level Now look ahead |
three miles and get a glimpse of the |
Gatun locks, that tremendous flight Of |
three water steps up which we are to !
be lifted. In a few minutes we reach !
our own power is shut off and the
electric locomotives on the lock walls |
take US in tow. -Four of these power
full machines attach their hawsers to
our ship, two in front to pull it and two
astern to keep it steady and to bring
1t to a stop when entirely within the
lock chamber. The immense gates
close silently behind US and at once
the water begins to flow into the
chamber through culverts that have
their openings in the concrete floor.
Slowly the vessel rises until 1t is on
a level with the second chamber,
% 1-3 feet above sea level, when the
10 DC cd hn ole afr4f.a
mules move forward. this time up a
heavy grade by means OF the center
racks in the tracks. Twice this opera
lion Is repeated, and now we are at
he summit, IS feet above the sea-
The last gate opens and the locomo-
ives pull us into Gatun lake.
AS our propellers begin to turn
again and we steam out into this i'm
nense artificial lake, a marvelously
beautiful landscape is spread before
IS. The surface of the lake is dotted
With islets, once the SUBMITS of Tiger I
ill, Lion hill and dozen other emf {
fences; on both sides are steep pro ;
lovely little peninsuias and {
leep bays and inlets where the water {
las spread into the once Jungle-hlled s
alleys. {
Before we get too far from the
oeks, let us step to the starboard rail- J
nd have a look at the Gatun dam,
stretch Of rock. sand and {
lay that has formed Gatun lake by q
npounding tie waters OF the Chagres b
liver. 1t is in reality low ridge, one Ii
nd a half miles long, built across the il
alley, and when we are told that it s.
nearly half a mile wide at its base, 6
DO feet wide at the water surface and fl
DO feet wide at its crest, which is c.
Fenty feet above the level Of the o.
lie. how utterly ridiculous seem Che Ii
.ara OF those alarmisfs who predicted q
.a dam would be pushed over by the q
q