The chronicle=news., 1913-11-08
History of Renes,a Canal ConstFsctiea
Greatest Engineering I e. Achievement
asWorld gi1dy IF3{r Knoiun

Firs, contemplated snd route ri
vsyed over is,hmus Of Darien by A.
eel sasvedra al about 1881.
Baron Alexander Won Humboldt.
famous German naturalist and trsv-
"ier suggests canal NJ lsthnns 81
Panama 1898.
spanish driven oas 1891.
Colombian republic becomes snr-
'rc!sn OF ,,'hmux Of Panama. 1881.
Panama railroad built 1880 aud
american government glvon certain,
rights regarding transportation of
troops. Gold seekers 10 calisorn'a
made free us of this soad.
President 4. s. Grant In first mes-
sage In congress. sug8esta constru--
lion Of an American eanal BY Aassi.
san people. 1868. Congress adopts
ioint resolution sppointinx commits
sion under Admiral Ammsa. u. q. y.
for exploration On the lsshmus.
Colombia gives I.Icat. lIacisn \. u.
wyse concession In build interoeean.
ic canal. 1875.
International scasresk Of onsiacsrs
IL. delegates Of whom ~ were from
tho United States. meets In Paris un-
der leadership os Ferdinand dc Lea
s.ps. To consider canal project IL
May 1879.
In i.r,scps. who built SucI cana'.
.-l.a D-. 81
1879.
Work hcsun on Sra level canal 10
bc finished In risht Year, at cost -
SIG. .00". 900. 1851.
French courts dissolve Panama
Canal Co. because Of financial diff
rnitics In 1853. Expenditures up 10
that time had been more than $780,
"u0.010 and the assets of tho con-
ccrn amounted TO n iittir over $780,.
000, ,000.
New ranama Canal Co. organized
lsst. with capital Of $i5.o0e.o6O.
President Mckinley appoints first
lsthmiaL canal comm ission In 1898
with Admiral ]. q. Walker. u. 2. y.
at head.
Walker commission reports favor
Ing Sicaraxusn canal. but later
makea supplementary report favorinn
Panama. Price naMed BY ranair.i
company fhr It's holdingx IL $4,000.
o.". which commission thinks 10 fair
United states accepts offer oI
Panama company. 1909. after hcatc!
debate regarding choice Of routes be-
!. tween Panama and Nicaragua
senate finally ratifies treaty with
Colombia. closing up canal purchass
March. 1903. treaty provides pay
mcnt Of $4,000. 900 To Colombia aat
s:a0.OO" annually beginning 3 year.
after date OF exchange treaty ratifi'
cations.
In juno. 1903. Colombian senate
met In ,,ro,ractcd session finally fail.
InS to ratify Treaty. creating great
dissatisfaction IN Panama. which on
Nov. I finally sccc,ied from Colombis
and sct up republic OF Panama.
United Statcs recognizes republic
Of Panama Nov. IL. 1908.
Treaty regarding canal concluded
Nov. is. 1908.
senate on Feb. 81. 1901. ratifiei
Panama treaty granting tho rnitct
States perpetual use. occnupation ant
control of zone OF land 10 miles II
width hctwccn cities OF Colon nne
Panama. excluding those cities. bu,
placing them under u. s. sanitar,
regulations.
Col. W. c. Gorgns. L. S. A.. ap
pointed sanitary officer March !
1904.
Commission charged with duty 81
constructing canal appointed June
1901. with Admiral Walker at hcat
and John r. Wallace as chief engin
Ger. Preliminary construction wori
begins.
Theodore F. Shon,s appointed hea'
of canal mmissiop 1905.
John +. stevens made chief cngin
ccr. 1905.
board Of consulting engineers, In
Guiding eight American and five for
ci9n, visit canal June. 905. and re
port in favor of sea level plah. will
minority report from five American
favoriug locy system. Presiden
Roosevelt recommends lock canal
Congress finally authorizes lock sys
TEN, May, 1905. Work on fina
plans actuall: begun with private
contractors in charge OF sections
Private contract work f3ils to com'
up to requirements.
Radical change in canal commits
sion made. entire work being turned
over to United States army cngin