The state herald., 1913-10-10

ed his task without the assistance Of
such men as Col. H. F. Hodges, Lieut.
Col. David Du B. Ballard and Lieut.
Col. William L. Sibert, army en-
engineers, who have had charge OF va
rious phases Of the work. but Col. Goe
thals is recognized as the real builder
of the canal
Under Colonel Goethals the greater
part Of the 1915. 100000 which the can
al will have cost when 1t is completed
has been spent. II has been by far
the costllest engineering project in
the world. Nearly three-fifths OF Q
hillion dollars has been spent in dig
ging a 40-mile ditch" This means
that the Panama canal has cost the
United States $1O,OO0,0OO a mile.
Over $15,000.000 of the total amount
spent has been used to make the canal
zone habitable and sanitary. It has
been suggested that this is an enor'
nous amount Of money to spend in
cleaning up place in which few peo-
pie will reside permanently. but the
engineers say that the sanitation Of
the canal zone was the chief factor In
making the canal reality. The fall.
ure OF the French has been attributed
to a large extent to the fact that
the workmen could not survive in the
fever and pest ridden country.
The building OF the great locks
which raise a vessel to q height OF 81
feet above sea level at one end Of
the canal and lower 1t the same dis
tance at the other end. has been in
charge of two Of Colonel Goethals
assistants. Colonel Hodges and Lieu
tenant Colonel Sibert. Colonel Hodges
work In installing the immense lock
gates that form 30 important a part
of the operating machinery OF the
canal. and his ability to overcome all
obstacles had led Colonel Goethals to
call him a genius. The building. pois-
ing and operation of the lock gates
constitute one Of the delicate prob
lens OF lock canal construction, and
the proper handling OF this problem
has been Colonel Hodges contribu
tion TO the work OF construction OF
the canal
Lieutenant Colonel Sibert has had
charge OF the building OF the great
dam and locks at Gatun. In addition
TO other duties He saw long. ac
tive service In the Philippines. and
he is known In the army as fight
er as well as an engineer.
Realize Dream Of Centuries.
Through the work OF these men-al
OF them members OF Uncle SANS
fighting body. the United States hal
been able to attain what has been Il
truth the dream OF centuries. In min,
years these men have carried through
an undertaking that was iirst though
OF several hundreds OF years ago
The United States government nrs
took definite action looking ,owars
the construction OF an isthmian cana
In 1894. when the senate voted fo
the building OF u Nicaraguan canal
An expedition was sent to NicaraEuI
TO make an investigation, and report
ed that the canal could be construct
ed for s25,0Oo,oo, hardly onetwcntI
eth OF the amount that the panami
canal Will have cost when completed
De lessept Flrs, TO dig.
The matter rested until after tn,
Civil war, when negotiations for
canal commission were entered int,
by the United States government. he
fore anything had been accomplishe,
the concession for Panama cana
had been given TO Lucien Napoleon
Bonnparto Wyse. Frenchman. n
organized n company. which sold ou
later 10 the lnanciers associated witt
Ferdinand dc Lcsseps. Tho compan
organized with dc Lessops at itr hca,
wnH the first one to actually begin OF
crntions on the inthmus For eiEh
yonrs de Losneps struggled manfuii
against tho greatest odds that ma
ever was called upon to face. The
he was forced to give up the night
his company collapsing as n result Q
dishonesty and oxtravagancc on IN
part OF It's promoters. and do Lcsscpl
driven Insane by tho scandal. cndc
his days In an asylum.
Such was tho history OF the istf
mian canal project for some 400 O
400 yearp. until tho day In 1904 who
Uncle Sam undertook tho task.
In nine years the dream OF tho cot
turtles has been realized