The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-07-29
Colonel GoethaIs Talks of The
End of His Big Job-Not
Anxious for Another Like It
THOUGH HE HAS FOUND
PLEASURE IN THE TASK

and Machinery The New
Terminals and Uncle Sans
Bio Fuel Stations-He Will
Heat the Hotels and Rail-
road-The First Ship to Be
a Panama Railway Steamer
Something About the For
tifications and the Canal
Zone.
(By FRANK q. CARPENTER~)
Copyright. 1913, by Frank G. Car
penter.)
washington. b. C., July fit was
in q little ten by-twelve room in the
top OF the Mills building that l talked
with Col George w. Goethals as to
tho completion Of the Panama canal.
The colonel sat in front OF a window
looking out on the Potomac, the War
Department and the Washington Mon
ument. and the hot breeze which
blew through seemed like a north pole
zephyr in comparison with Panama.
II made his blue eyes bright, his dark
cheeks rosy. and he seemed as coOl as
the cented seed Of a cucumber. !
know now that he was loaded with
work. but he did not show It then.
Indeed, 1 find that the busiest men
are those who seem to have the most
leisure. They know how to use their
minds, and do not let their souls fly
TO the four corners of the world while
talking to you. The chief Of the great
work at Panama has had only a week
to spend in Washington, and every
bit Of hat time, with the exception
perhaps. of six hours at night fol
slceping. has been occupied with tht
President, the Secretary of War INT
anxiously inQuiring members Of tn.
were discussed. and matters involvin,
millions were weighed in the balance
Is was during one of the intervals o
such discussions hat | got an appoint
ment for an interview. l put my Ques
tons, and the answers promptly came
Said I:
When will the canal be done?"
II don't know. 1t will be finaN
opened in 1915. l expect to see 1t don
long in advance of that"
when will the water be let int
n Culebfa cut?'
!" oNtStt hSA
"But will the cut be ready by thu
timer
Tho cut is ready for the waite
now. The difficulty is that we cam,
get the dredge in. The situation
briefly this: When | went hack Ia.
February [ found thai two slides ha
developed and the engineers told n
that tho cut could not be made read
for the water until January 1, 1S1
So l had TO figure backward and 81
how soon after that time we cou
raise the level of Gatun lake from IL
fifty feet. which it is now. TO the T
Quired level of eighty-hve feet. TIL
could be done only during the rail
season. which does not begin un'
July. and it would have been (
along in November Of 1914 before '
could nave the maximum LAKE lev
The canal had to be opened, tho
oughly tested and ready for work
1915. and l could plainly see that tt
was impossible if we relied upon e
cavating the balance of the Culeb
cut in the dry and did not finish
me upon letting the water in duri
tho coming rainy season and complt
Ing the work with the dredges.
The ain season is now at abe
Its beginning. 1t will rise to the lev
Of seventy five feet by the LIST of c
SOOeI, WneN the Olkc winch Scpdfa)
he Lake from the cut will disappe
Ind n waters flow in"
but how about the work the
What kind Of progress can you ma
in scooping up the earth and rock
Of that mighty ditch Of water 70,
feet deep?'
THE progress is all a question
shdes." replied the engineer-in-chi
We expect to put in three drede
md Mr.. Comber. who Is in charge
khs Pacific division. tells me Il
these three dredges will take GU,
bali million cubic yards in one mon
believe we can do the work cheal
Ind quicker by the dredges than
he steam shovels. The arrangeme
Ge such that we Will get III dred
N about the first Of October.
contractors will finish one flight
locks throughout the canal by I
time. We Shall then blow up
Alike and let the suction dredges