The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-06
NOTED ENGINEER
DIES IN BALTIMORE
David d. Gaillard Succumbs
to Long Illness
FAILED GRADUALLY
Engineer Who Played Important Part
in Panama Canal Construction
Victim of Arduous Labors
Spent on Work

Baltimore. December 5.-Lieut. Col Da
vid Du Bose Gaillard, United States army,
who directed the engineering work in the
Culebra cut division of the Panama ca
nal, died at Johns Hopkins hospital here
today.
Colonel Gaillard had been a patient at
the hospital since August Il, 1913, suffer-
ing from a growth in his head, the result
of seven years arduous work in the canal
zone. He failed gradually but steadily
and for the last two months had been in
state of coma, due to the pressure of
the cranial growth on the brain cells.
The doctors decided some time ago that
an operation was useless. They believed
this would hasten his death He is sur
vived by his widow and son, Lieut..
David P. Gaillard, United States army.
Both were at the bedside when the end
came.
Lieutenant Colonel Gaillard was born
at Winnsboro, S, c., in 1853.
West Point Graduate
He graduated from West Point Military
academy in 1894 and since that time had
won many honors in the engineering
service.
| A bill was introduced in Congress last
month promoting him to the rank of
colonel, in recognition of his distinguished
services, which eliminated in his embraC
| ing the great engineering feat in the Gu
| Zebra section of the canal zone. When
Culebra cut was flooded by the blast
| ing of Gamboa dixie on October 10, last,
Colonel Gaillard lay unconscious in his
bed at the hospital.
Colonel Gaillard's death was the culmi
nation of breakdown brought about by
| long hours of work. He was always ex-
posed in the canal zone There he pitted
his skill as an engineer against the shift
ing soil of the Culebra cut
TO him had been given the most rare
task in connection with the canals con-
| struction, that of mastering the land
slides and quicksands which extended for
eight miles along the line of Culebra
cut.
During the early years of his contest
with the landsldes, Colonel Gaillard never
knew what morning was to bring about.
When the mountains moved and covered
with their deposits the railroad tracks
and cars which were used to remove ma
terial he renewed work again.
Worked Indomitably
Colonel Gaillard dug ndomtaby. Hill
after hill was found in equative angle.
Reposes were changed in contour The
slides were checked at Cucuracha and
points close by
There the sliding was persistent but haG
Nisibly weakened when he was compelled
to seek rest.
For the greater period of his work on
the sthmus Colonel Gaillard was With
out a chief assistant. He wanted to save
money. He gave his attention not only
to the picturesque engineering problems,
but to all the pages Of details of shovel
work, train work and drainage
| He checked up on the small things and
once it was computed that by his careful
foresight he hah saved the government
! $170O0,O00.
Men who worked with him said that
he gave u hours of each day to the Gu
Zebra cut. In addition he had a voice in
all matters embracing the engineering
work in the zone, to civil administration
and to the general conduct of affairs on
| the zone.
| He worked under a nervous strain, and
worried, with the tropical climate making
| inroads on his health the final hour of
his triumph neared. There was little left
to be done then but to remove the soft
| slide of earth at Cueuracha.
1nterment will take place in the Ma
| tional cemetery at Arlington on Monday.