Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1913-10-15

=
al "a accomplished by the Ameri-
IA az cans in the construction OF
w the Panama canal would have
been deemed impossible in
such a short time. The single state
ment that, from May 4, 1904, until the
very nearing completion of the work.
about 2I5 100000 cubic yards of rock
and earth will have been excavated Is
sufficient to illustrate the success OF
this wonderful undertaking. During
the days when the Inflated French
company sought to bring about the
long desired union of the oceans it is
estimated that SO,000,000 cubic yards
were removed. The United States en-
gineers have utilized about 100000
yards of this work The same amount
of excavation. 245.000 cubic yards,
would complete a tunnel 5000 miles
long around the earth with diameter
of IA feet
The story Of the canal undertaking
is glorious one from the very outset
of American occupancy. They found
an almost impossible situation facing
them, conditions of the very worst as
regards health and the beginning OF
their work. The graveyard in which
lay buried hundreds of the French
workers was a grim reminder of the
awful carnage from yellow fever. Nor
was this needed, for one after another
many Of tie American pioneers we're
stricken fatally. The Spanish war
had brought about the solution of the
spread Of yellow fever. but even be-
fore the sanitation authorities under
Col. William c. Gorgas, could gain a
foothold in the Canal Zone, the Ameri
can death list was of appalling pro-
portions. Today the mortality is less
than that of the average American
city, and plans are already under way
for the making of a popular winter
resort at Panama
Yellow Fever Disappears.
Knowing the mosquito is responsible
for yellow fever, efforts were directed
toward the determination of this dan
gerous insect The usual breeding
spots, swamps and pools Of stagnant
water. we're destroyed and removed
and every house and building
screened The danger comes from a
mosquito biting a person stricken with
yellow fever and then injecting
the infection into the blood OF a
healthy human being. If the insect
cannot reach the sick, there can be no
spreading of the disease. In all fair
ness to the French it should be re-
membered that during the years of
their labors yellow fever was an alb
solute mystery Ia their efforts at
well-doing not iIfrequeEtly moves
were made which aided in the breed
ing of mosquitoes and increased the
danger of infection. There was little
or no action then in the direction of
modern sanitary precautions, although
medical and hospital facilities were Of
the best. None gave heed to screen
ing then; today resident in the
Canal Zone is absolutely compelled to
meet the regulations.
In studying the canal section the
reader must bear in mind that the
Isthmus is an east and west. not a
north and south strip of land connect
ing the two continents. At least in
the individual maps of the Canal Zone
this location may prove confusing, II
not considered. for Colon. the terminus
on the Atlantic ocean of the canal, is
nearly twenty miles west OF Panama.
the Pacific terminus. Thus, in con-
meeting an eastern with western
ocean the canal runs from the north
west to the southeast. The civil ad-
ministration of the canal Includes a
school system which is said to COM
pare favorably with the best in the