Bisbee daily review. [volume] (Bisbee, Ariz.) 1901-1971, 1913-02-09

AHAhNitu II liiDbSHiblt ADF MIN 10
coax any more out of the pockets %
she poor peasants and servant girls
of France did he admit failure and
relindaished the dictatorship. Then
came the great scandal, when he and
others in the directorate were arrest
ed and tried for misrepresentation OF
the company funds, and, while he
was partially eXonerated, his closing
years must have been fun OF bitter.
ness. What France sacrificed Amer.
lea gained. The failure was almost
necessary 10 final success: we saw
how not to do H. Thus, Upon the
stepping stones of our dead selves
We rise 10 higher things"
AS matter of fact, the French -
complished quite great deal. they
eXcayated some so million cubic
yards although only some 80 million
of this have been used by the Amer
leans. The cost TO the French is sa d
TO have been $500 00O, 900 90. but may
have been much more. II was scar
cely possible that a work of sucL
magnitude could be carried out as .
private enterprise; il was tasi
which only a powerful government
clothed with international authority
and backed with unlimited financial
resources could be expected 10 carry
out successfully, and in the flush OF
victory we should accord all homo
TO the great French engineers whc
blazed the way for our success an6
to the pluck and enterprise of tn
French people who made such a mis-
toric sacrifice in an attempt to ad
- sr.N
the world
In 1904 the French canal propertie
concessions and rights were purchas
ed by the United States government
for $4,000. 100000. rshis was dirt
cheap when the experience purchas-
ed with them is also considered
Even this money did not reach the
pockets OF the people to whom l.
should have rightfully gone. but wa'
filched from them by some modern
political "Euccaneers" in this country,
if current reports be true.
Before satisfactory arrangements
could be carried out for the cOnstruc
ton and maintenance Of the canal
new republic had to be made, as
the Republic of Columbia to whic'
the lsthmus belonged was found &c
be obdurate in its unreasonable de
mands. This was skillfully accom-.
plished' in a manner il may be vel
not to Investigate too closely. and the
Republic of Panama with a govern
ment quite amenable to the Unitel
States was formed by a bioodless
revolution in 1903.
The Canal Zone was then formed
a strip Of land 10 miles wide across
the Isthmus, ; miles on each side OF
the center line Of the canal. was prac
tically coded to the United States
for $I0DO0,O 100000 This government
also agreed to pay the Panama gov
eminent S25O,0O0.00 per year from
1918. when il was expected to have
the Canal in operation. The 18th
milan Canal commission was thel
formed 10 take charge of the actual
work of construction. An investiga
ton into the respective merits OF c
sea level or lock canal was made by
a body OF engineers of internationa
reputation, and the minority report
recommending a lock canal, was,
think. wisely adopted At first the
government tried TO run the work
rom Washington, but, as was the
inevitable consequence of trying 10
operate important work of this kind
at such long range, internal Jealousy
and friction resulted; the initiative
OF those on the ground and in 2
position to know, was throttled, and
satisfactory progress was impossible
Finally. full power was granted the
chief engineer on the ground, who
was made chairman Of the commits
sion, and under his masteTful hanGl
ing of the ent:e organization the re
suits accomplished have been maTvei
Gus. The War department is respo1
sible for the carrying out of the wort
and military organization and disCi
pline is in evidence everywhere.
many q the engineers being Yves;
Point men.
While the Isthmus is 40 miles
across the Canal is actually 80 miles
long. for the salt water approaches
at each end had to be dredged out 20
deep water. AS a matter OF fact
there are only miles of heavy rock
and earth cutting in the whole 50.
This is called the Culebra Cut, but
what a Herculanean task is has been.