Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1913-10-10

Colon. Panama. Oct THE Pana
ma canal war pronounced practlcally
finished today when preparations
were made for the removal OF tle
Gamhoa dixie. which has held the
waters OF Gatun lake out Of the cue
bra cut the only part Of the canal III
which. mp TIL the present time, there
has been no water.
The waters OF Gatun lake were per
mitted today to run into the Cuiepra
cut through big pipes that had been
pushed through the lambda dike'
This IL done az n preliminary 10 the
c0mp,ete removal OF tho dixie In order
that the water may rise gradually IN
the cut and eliminate the possibility
Of damage.
The final destruction OF the big dixie
liz scheduled for October 10, "hev
charges Of dynamite placed In holes
already drilled in the dixie VIII De
exploded. The explosion OF these
charges will not completely destroy
the dixie. but will weaken it and COS
cn the dirt so that the force OF tho
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
rially declared completed for some
time. and the formal opening or the
waterway to the Of the
world more than n 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 that remains 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 still remains some finishing
touches to be placed upon the locks,
but this work will take comparatively
little time and presents no engineer
ing difficulties such az have been EN-
countered in the past.
1NL, foat that tho Cnnnl stands nTnr-
tically complete more than a year be
fore the time originally set as the
date for its completion Is one OF the
remarkable features OF the work
When Count de Lesseps, the grea'
French engineer. abandoned his of
forts TO build the Panama canal after
eight years Of labor, he had scarcel,
made a beginning upon the gigantic
task In nine years, the American en-
gineers, starting almost at the sam
point as de Lesseps, for the latter
work was OF little value to the Ameri
cans. have virtually completed TIN
undertaking. When the work wa
started the world scoffed at the ide'
that II could be completed within tn,
time limit set, but hats are now OF
10 the American army engineers VIII
have more than kept their word. do
spite unforeseen difficulties that hav
beset them at every hand.
Goethals TO Make Final Test.
rh, Act vassoI IN maze throuph IN
canal probably will be a boat OF tn
Isthmian canal commission. Co
George W. Goethals. chairman OF tn
commission and chief engineer OF tn
canal. and his principal assistant
The final voyage through the canal
scheduled for some time during tn
month. Within another month II
expected the waters in Gatun LAX
will have risen high enough to brin
the waters In the entire canal up
the deep water level required for tt
passage OF the largest ships.
II is said that az long 6 az II
early part of August. assurances wei
given Washington officially that il Il
emergency should arise. the enti'
Atlantic battleship feet could be pr
through the canal into Pacific waite.
within 90 days from that date. I'll
work has been hurried with that er
In view It is said, as no emerEenC
has existed, but this assurance is 8
indication Of the belief OF the ent