Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1913-10-09

Colon. Panama, Oct. 1.-The Pana-
ma canal was pronounced practically
finished today when preparations
were made for the removal OF the
Gamboa dixie, which has held the
waters of Gatun lake out of the Guile
bra cut, the only part of the canal IN
which, up till the present time there
has been no water.
The waters of Gatun lake were per-
mitted today to run into the Culeora
Cut through big pipes that had been
pushed through the Gamboa dixie.
This is done as a preliminary TO the
complete removal of the dixie in order
hat the water may rise gradually in
he cut and eliminate the possibility
of damage.
The final destruction of the big dixie
Is scheduled for October 10, when
charges of dynamite placed in holes
already drilled in the dixie VIII be
exploded. The explosion of these
charges will not completely destroy
the dixie, but will weaken it and loos-
en- the dirt so that the force OF the
waters from Gatun lake will carry II
away. Steam shovels will remove the
remnants of the dixie, leaving an open
passageway from ocean to ocean.
Canal Really Complete Now.
Although the canal will not be Off
cially declared completed for some
time and the formal opening OF the
waterway to the commerce OF the
world more than a year distant, the
canal engineers look upon the de-
struction of the Gamboa dixie as mark
ing the real completion Of the canal.
The big engineering feats have all
been accomplished, the excavation
work practically has been completed,
and the great locks have been con-
structed. The work that4remains to
be done is largely detail, and is but
child's play as compared with that
which has been done. More dirt IS
to be removed from the channel but
this will be done with suction dredges
floating upon the waters OF the canal
There silll remains some finishing
but this work will take comparatively
little time and presents no engineer
ing difficulties such as have been en-
counteTed in the past.
The fact that the canal stands prac'
tically complete more than year BE-
fore the time originally set as the
date for it's completion is one of the
remarkable features OF the WORK.
When Count de Lesseps, the great
French engineer, abandoned his Ell
forts to build the Panama canal after
eight years of labor, he had scarcely
made a beginning upon the gigantic
task. In nine years, the American en-
gineers, starting almost at the same
point as de Lesseps,, for the latter's
work was of little value to the Ameri'
cans, have virtually completed the
undertaking. When the work was
started the world scoffed at the idea
thar it could be completed within the
t:mo limit set, but hats are now OH
TO the American army engineers who
have more than kept their word, de-
spite unforeseen difficulties that have
beset them at every hand.
Cocktails to Make Final Test.
,~he first vessel to pass through the
canal probably will be boat of the
Isthmian canal commission, Col.
q, ge w. Goethals, chairman of the
commission and chief engineer of the
canal. and his principal assistants.
The final voyage through the canal is
scheduled for some time during this
month. Within another month It Is
expected the waters in Gatun lake
will have risen high enough to bring
the waters in the entire canal up to
the deep water level required for the
passage of the largest ships.
It Is said that as long ago as the
early part Of August, assurances we're
given Washington officially that II the
emergency should arise, the entire
Atlantic battleship fleet could be put
through the canal into Pacific waters
within 60 days from that date. The
work has been hurried with that end
in view, 1t is said, as no emergency
has existed, but this assurance Is an
indication Of the belief of the engi-