The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-10-11
BY ASSOCIATED PRESS.

Washington, Oct. 10.-An electric
spark which originated when President
Wilson pressed a button in the White
House was the silent agent which sped
more than 1000 miles over land and
under water and ignited the immense
chains of dynamite which practically
removed the last obstruction in the
Panama canal. Experts calculated that
within four seconds after President
Wilson pressed the button in Washing
ton the current threw a small switch
on an apparatus at Gamboa dixie, which
in turn set in motion other apparatus
which furnished the current for ex-
ploding the charges.
Elaborate preparations had been
made by the Western Union Telegraph
Company and the Central and South
American Telegraph Company for the
p-a ctically instantaneous transmission
of the presidents signal. From Wash
ington to Galveston, Texas, 1,556 miles,
the spark sped. There is was taken
up instantaneously by repeating in
struments and hurried over the cable
along the bottom of the Gulf Of Mexico
to CoatzacoaIcos, Mex, 793 miles fur
tner From that point 1t sped over
Land across the risthmus of Tehaunte-
pee oAs1. wires or the lIre Of fos othaf afn1rgs n1rgs
more on its Journey, to another cable
station at Sahna Cruz on the Pacific
ocean, where other sets Of sensitive
telegraph instruments snatched it up
and hurried in 766 miles along over an
other cable along the bottom of the
Pacific ocean to San Juan del Sur,
Nicaragua, a cable station where other
delicate machines transferred it to still !
another cable and shot 1t along 71S
as 70
spark emerged from it's long subma-
rine journey to the overland telegraph |
wires Of the Panama Railroad Com
pany and completed its mission at
Gamboa dixie
NOT ACTUALLY UNITED.
The Atlantic and Pacific oceans were
not actually united today when the
7amboa dixie was destroyed and the
waters Of Gatun lake were allowed to
low into Culebra cut, as lake and cut
are, at the normal surface of the water,
S5 feet above the level of the sea
The destruction of the Gamboa dixie
sowever, removes the last obstruction
. the navigation of the greater part
# the canal by light draft vessels and
gems up connection between the great
Tatun Lake, which already is prac-
ically ready to discharge vessels into ..
ne AildHLiC tne GdIun locks
nd the Pacific division. The waters
f the lake rushing through the broken
ike at Gamboa sweep through Gu :
sbra cut until they reach the locks at
'edro Miguel, which mark the begin
ing Of the descent from the top level !
the canal to the Pacific. ,
The first craft to enter will be the
cam dredges whose work is to clear y
nd open the channels. The presence
small craft in portions Of the canal,
owever, does not as yet mean ocean
ocean navigation. This will first be
'ssible when each link in the canal
Is sufficient depth of water and all
e locks are working.
In the intermediate stage, navigation
ay be effected in local lengths of the
nal and TO come degree may be ex-
ded from length to length along the do
7ole waterway. w
Today's event served to demonstrate of
e nearness Of the canal to the oper ST.
ng stage. 1t also formally brought w
a close the work of the central df- re
sion in the cut, for the dredging b
erations which are to succeed the he
am shovel work will be under a ap
ferent organization. Gamboa dixie WI
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