Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-11-04
The Americans
In Panama
Story of the Panama Canal
From Start to Finish
By WILLIAM R. SCOTT
Published by the statier Publish
Ing company. bol Fifth avenue.
New York city.
Copyright. 1912 and 1914 by William
r Scott
By WILLIAM R. SCOTT
IcoyTIyUED.1

(coNT1NUEp.]
When the canal Is competed the
beautiful towns along the route will
be abandoned. Gorgona. Bas Obispo.
Las Cascadas. Empire. Culebra and
Paraiso will be razed. A permanent
camp for the army will be located on
the east side Of the canal. across the
cut from the town Of Culebra. Ma
rines have been In the canal zone since
1904, and In 1911 the Tenth infantry
was added to the permanent garrison,
which will be further augmented by
several regiments. The soldiers will
police the canal zone after construe-
ton work Is finished. Balboa and
Cristobal will be the principal cities,
though at Gatun and Pedro Miguel
forces to operate the locks will be
housed.
President Taft signed on Aug. "a.
1912. bill for the permanent govern
ment and operation Of the canal.
Colonel Goethals' ideas were followed
almost to the letter In drawing this
bill. The president Is authorized as
soon as the canal Is sufficiently near
completion to abolish the present COM
mission and to appoint a governor for
a term of four years at salary of S1O,-
600 per annum. In time Of war the
president may substitute an army Of
ficer for this governor. Salaries and
wages are not to be more than 20 per
cent greater than In the United States.
and many Of the perquisites now en-
joyed by the employees are to be eiimi-
mated. The canal zone will be open to
only such persons as the governor may
admit, American coastwise ships are
exempted from paying tolls for pas
sage, foreign built ships owned by
Americans may register under the
American flag, ships owned by rail-
roads cannot pass through the canal,
the interstate commerce commission Is
given power to determine questions OF
competition, and the present judiciary
system Is continued with right Of ap-
peal to the federal courts In the United
States. In addition, the government
may sell ships supplies and coal and
provide facilities for repairing vessels
at the canal terminals.
At the close of the fiscal year ended
June 80. 1913. Colonel Goethals could
look forward to one year more OF the
ariuous labor and heavy responsibility
he has borne before the big job would
be In the clear. Invoicing conditions
at that date. we find that the great
Gatun dam was completed; the con
crete work In the locks and spillway
was about 90 per cent completed; the
Culebru cut was approximately W per
cent completed; the relocated Panama
railroad was finished, and the work OF
establishing permanent shipping facll-
tiles ut Balboa and Cristobal was un-
der way.
OWN. to fresh slides In the Culebra
cut and to changes IN plans in the Pa
cific division new estimate OF the to-
tai excavation for the completed canal
and accessory plant became necessary
at the beginning Of the last complete
year Of canal construction, Jan. l, l0l2'
to Dec. 80, 1913. The revised estimate
then placed the excavation at 21S,13S.-
900 cubic yards. Of which amount 2O2,'
0O1 900 cubic yards had been removed
at the end Of July, 1913. leaving to be
excavated for the completed canal To-
325.04S cubic yards. The canal organi-
zation cannot remove the uncompleted
portion before the first ship Is sched'
uled to pass through the canal In oc-
tober. 1918. but Of the amount left
more than 100000 yards are to be e1-
cavated outside Of the canal proper or
in the sites for the coaling station.
drydocks and terminal at Balboa, SO
that the actual canal channel substan-
tially will be finished before the pas
srge Of the first ship. d.
During the early part Of 1913 the
Gatun lake was stationary at about
fifty feet. but with the beginning OF
the rainy season in May 1t began to
rise and will be allowed to rise to
eighty feet, and this would back the
water up by October, 1913. to depth
through the Culebra cut to permit the
passage of some kind Of ship. The
ultimate level of the lake will be
elghty-f1ve feet
Colonel Goethals Is indeed a great
administrator. Even II the employees
have had soft conditions Of employ
ment It is an achievement to impress
$4,000 men with a faith both In your
capacity as an engineer and your sense
of. Justice. This writer knows OF no
higher tribute that can be paid to him
than the statement that In FIVE months
in the canal zone he never heard any
one speak slurringly OF the chief eng1'
neer.
As Admiral Schley said Of the con
troversy over the battle Of Santiago
There Is honor enough for us all. 30
with regard to the Panama canal
Colonel Goethals, as the star OF the
last six years. gets the curtain calls.
but Messrs. Stevens and Wallace, too.
did their parts WE'LL And the whole
company Of Americans. composing the
chorus or supernumeraries. have con-
tributed vitally to the success Of the
play. After all. 1t Is no one man. but
the spirit Of Americanism. indomitable
and triumphant. that we admire In
Panama.
CHAPTER xi.
Wonderful Locks and Dams.