The Detroit times., 1913-10-10

COLON, Canal Zone, Oct. l0.-The
bamboo dam, the last remaining OBJ
styuction in the Panama canal was
blown up today by tremendous
charge Of dynamite This opens the
biz canal from ocean to ocean.
y4rst contemplated and route sur,
Ssysd over Isthmus Of Darten by Angel
0aavsdra at about 1871.
Baron Alexander Won honpoie.. n
suggests canal 1T Isthmus or Panama
Spanish driven oot. 1884. =
prsiGn Of isthmus OF Panama, lsal.
PSnama railroad built 1850 and
American government given certain
s eSs r eca .ssker ssan;o0ftcsiHi
Frssidsnt q. s. Grant in frst mes
sage to congress, suggests h, Son nmsri.
can people, 1859. Congress aoopts
| joint resolution appointing commission
under Admiral Ammen, U. .. NJ tor eA-
Colombia gives Lieut.. Lucien N q.
Wye concession to build inter-oceanic
international congress Of engineers.
I13E delegates Of whom IL were from
/ United states, meets in Paris under
lead ership of Ferdinand de Lesseps, 10
consider canal project. IN May, iS svaI
chosen to construct Panama cahai'
Work begun on sea level canal to be
nnished In years II COST Oh 'iN'o'o'-
French courts dissolve Panama Canal
Co. because Of financial difficulties IN
hs SI been more than ,4oo, 900. 900 and the
assets of the concern amounted to
little over Sl5o,Ooo,o0o:
New Panama ma, C =, sIa o GS 600 sA"'Aeo
President Mckinley appoints first
isthmian canal commission In 1893,
with Admiral J. q. Walker. U. 3. NJ at
walker commission reports favoring
Nicaraguan canal. but later makes sup
pIsmcntary report favoring Panama.
it, holdings IL $40, 600. OOo. which COM
mission thinks 10 fair.
United states accepts offer of Pan
s%: is sSco s Of reSsss be-
tween Panama and Nicaragua: .s
Senate finally ratines treaty Win
Colombia, closing up canal p urUnsnee
81 SiS, ooo. 900 to Colombia and $3.50, 900
annually beginning years after date
o. exchange Of treaty ratincauonS
n nrotracted session. finally failing to
fStfy treaty. creating great dissatis.
faction In Panama, which on NOV.
0Nolly seceeded from Colombia and set
hb republic Of Panama. /.
United States recognises republic OF
P4nama Nov. IL. 1898. ,-,.....
Treaty Degrading canal concluded
senate. on Feb. 20. 1904. ratines Pan
ANA tre14y granting United states PEI.
pstual use. occupation and control o.
some Of land 10 miles In width petwoen
offieo OF Colon and Panama. excluding
those cities, but placing them under u.
n. sanitary regulations.
Col w. G. Qorgas, y. 8. A.. appointed
sanitary officer March /, 1904;
Commission charged with duty OF
censtructing canal appointed June;
1907 With Admiral walker at nead
Proliminary construction work begins:
Theodore p. Shonts appointed head
Of canal commission 1905.
John r. Stevens made chief engineer
Board OF consulting engineers. In
O1udIng eight American and hve for-
0lgn, visit canal June. 1905, and report
a favor Of sea level plan. with min
oT1ty report from Ave Americans raw
or5ng lock system. Canal commission
Sayofs lock system. President Roose-
6nally authorizes lock system. May.
1905. Work on nnal plans actually be-
run with private contractors In charge
0f sections. Private contract work
fails to come up to requirements:
Radical change In canal commission
made. entire work being turned over
% United States army engineers under
|, 10adersh1p of Lieut.. Col. George w.
0osthals. with Lieut. Col. David DUB.