The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1913-10-15
Ushers In Final Work On
Panama Canal.
TOUCH OF ELECTRIC BUTTON
By President Wilson Releases
Spark On It's 1000
Mile Flash.
VAST CROWD WATCHES RESULT

Washington, Oct. 1O.-Annihila-
ton of space received practical i'll
lustration to-day when the touch of
key by the President of the United
States sent flash of electricity
through continuous telegraph and
cable connection of 1000 miles, set
ting off a gigantic blast OF dynamite
which exploded the Gamboa dixie.
riers to water communication in the
Panama Canal.
| 1t was an extraordinary feat of
teIegraphy. especially planned for
the occasion At precisely o'clock
this afternoon. President Wilson by
simply closing telegraph key at
the White House sent the current
, over land and under sea. and just
few seconds later came the message
informing him that the explosion
had been successful.
While celebrations on the Pacific
| Coast were numerous there was no
ceremony in Washington. dit being
the wish of Colonel Goethals that
| the Government await the actual
opening of the canal.
Besides the wreckage of the Gam
boa dixie, there are two earth slides
TO be cleared away before boats can
pass from ocean to ocean.
The special circuit had been set
up early in the day and the tele-
graph companies stationed men at
every important point en- route to
guard the continuous connection
and prevent mechanical Interior
ence. A few minutes before
o'clock Chief Operator E. w. Smith
ers at the White House talked to
Galveston, Texas.
us the cable ready" he inquired.
Yes" came the answer, and soon
Galveston announced that "P. A.
the telegraph call of Panama City.
was heard. BY agreement the oper-
ator at the White House made four
distinct dots at 20 seconds before
, o'clock. This gave the signal for
the engineers at Camboa dixie to be
in readiness for the fash.
They waited 20 seconds and on
the dot President Wilson closed the
key. which sent the current into the
dynamite apparatus.
There, it is all over" smiled the
President. "Gamboa is. busted"
= Thousands View Scene.
Panama, Oct. l0.-The Gamboa
dixie. which sprang into worldwide
prominence as the last artificial bar
rier to actual communication be-
tween the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans by way of the Panama Canal.
was rent in twain by the hand of
President Woodrow Wilson at 2:O2
o'clock this afternoon.
Between 5000 and 1000 persons
from the cities of Panama and Colon
zone. journeyed to the scene to wit
ness the demolition of the barrier.
and while the event of destroying
the dixie was spectacular to a degree
and successful in its every detail,
some disappointment was evinced
because the entire dixie was not des-
troyed. Utter demolition to-day
was not carried out because of the
fear that the conclusion might dam
age the railroad trestle crossing the
cut near the San Miguel lock. The
two remaining sections win be dy-
namited at some future date.
AS the hour approached when
President Wilson in the White
House in Washington would press
the button and send the electric
spark over the wires to explode the
numerous charges of dynamite In
the dixie. hush of expectancy fell
over all. When the minute-hand of
watches passed the hour of two
o'clock the suspense became still
greater. aud the ensuing two min :
utes seemed like rs many hours. :
Then suddenly came the mulfled
roar of the discharge of 1900
pounds OF dynamite. which seut a
shower OF water, mud aud rocks !
! Ugh into the air, spread ng out as