The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-09-04
CUBA, JAMAICA AND PANAMA

BOOKINGS Register Bureau. Washington, d.
(By j. f. Jones)
There are 10000 workmen at the
canal, a little larger crew than old
King Solomon employed on his temple
1t is history that the various bands OF
workmen were so carefully arranged
that nothing disturbed the universal
peace which pervaded the world at the
important period when wise old SI
built his magnificent harem. Solomon
had nothing on Goethals in the way of
harmony, every thing moves along as
smooth as grease" on the Isthmus.
Colonel Goethals, whom we honor and
admire in the states, is loved on the
Isthmus, and every one there will tell
you that there is a square deal here
for all"
Forty thousand writer's have at.
tempted to describe this canal. and
working collectively they might have
succeeded; but individually they have
failed, just as Solomon's methods of
wooden mauls and tall cedars would
prove inadequate in this engineering
job where miles of steam shovels and
cement by the millions of tons. are
playing their important part. The
moral is plain; Don't think that you
can explain the canal. 1t can't be done
If there were a book written that con-
tanned nothing but adjectives / might
consume it, and then perorate, ring
ing in the recollections of my Journey
on The Maid Of the Mist beneath
Niagara's roaring cataract, or the mar.
row margins which mark the sweet
present from the great divide in Can.
ada's Rockies. Now if there happen
to be anything big enough in human
experience and Observation-Disclosures
ing fish stories heard at sea, it might
be used to clarity a story of achieve
ment ~unequaled in the history of the
world.
The picture has the literary chaps
~dfstanced, and now that | have seen
for myself, the only recollection of
beforehand knowledge, are of nights
at the movies and particularly the
kinemacolor views. And even these
expensive films lack in showing dis
lance, they failed absolutely in de-
picting the magnitude, the o%ver-awing
bigness of things.
In a document l have before me 1t
is related that seven years after Bal
boa discovered the Pacific ocean in
1913, an enterprising Spaniard had a
crude notion of piercing the Isthmus,
and systematically some long-haired
individual has contracted the same
idea, until the railroad finally cross ed
the lsthmus to supply the demand of
the "forty-niners," who travelled in
path to the California gold fields.
We rode out through Culebra cut
with a congressional party from
Washington, and saw evidences left
by the French who gave up the ghost
in 1902, and were glad enough to take
$40, 10000 American dollars to get
out. Ours was a personally con
party" with one of the great
engineers of the canal in charge, and
Colonel linn told me that American
engineers have no criticism of the
methods" He added that they
lacked funds to go ahead. We
saw the places where they had left of,
evidently having accomplished much
to aid the Americans who came after
them. Considering that 600 out of
1000 persons who went to Pan
died within the year, the French
did splendidly. Now in this healthful
men, women and children live in
veritable health resort where the
death rate is less than nine persons
IN each 1000. The black men with
their little squirt guns that shoot
petroleum from huge tin cans, con-
tinue to keep mosquitoes and vermin
put of the canal zone, and this story
which We have all heard reminds one
that st. Patrick's job with the snakes
Of Ireland was crude compared to
Colonel Gorgas has done for
in driving the mosquitoes
from the canal.
1t Is Sunday morning as / write, on :
s~hipboard, somewhere a few hundred !
of the coast OF Florida, and
and hesitate. for / do not know
what to say Of Culebra. Forewarned !
hat so many others have failed in the :
description, and determined to avoid :
he dangerous trail. l close my eyes :
'or q moment, and the picture is there :
lit must answer: There ~ my sailor :
nat ''sailinE" down Culebra! I watch !
{ go. In full confidence that q Jamai-
AN Negro will use It for q party raj :
nent. or that q stsam shovel will have
{ Tor dinner. Workmen everywhere
yreat hills rising on either side, loosen- !
ID dirt rattling down Into the canal; :
keam shovels grabbing large mouth 9
alsr ton q more at = time. drop !. !
'lng To captive dirt ca trains, that
49, - en~w~~h~- ~--a q