Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-27
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Canal

be given up to private residences nor to
private ownership
How are you getting on with the forti-
fications?''
Very well. We are building forts on
the islands at the Pacific terminal and
We shall have Notifications at the en-
trance from the Atlantic, as well a. a
canal"
win Uncle Sam be able to protect the
II don't think I should talk ahou, .ucn
matters" said the chief engineer. They
are military features and I would rather
not discuss them. There is no question
hut that the canal should be amply de-
Tended. and I have no doubt but that we
end"
"But. Col. Goethals. do not the improve
ments in flying machines make Ii impossi-
bic to defend work Of this nature
Could not an aerodrome fly over Panama
and knock a hole In your ditch with
stick Of dynamte?"
81 don't think that danger is great"
was the reply. 1T would take a good
many sticks OF dynamite to harm the
ditch proper. and to do any damage To
carefully located. You cannot do much
by scattering dynamite about as you
would have to do from a flying machine
II would be merely a matter of luck and
besides We have guns which can disable
almost any flying machine"
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When will the first ship go through the
canal?'
Just as soon as we can get the slides
sufficiently dredged to give US ample
depth and width for the vessels to move"
"Wiii you risk anything as to that"
Il will take no risk as to stating the
exact time OF o.. the passage Of the first
snip, said the great engineer.
What ship will you choose to make
the trial?" I asked
1T will be a boat belonging to the gov
the Panama railroad steamers. We shall
choose our own boat and then, IL any
thing happens to the dog. the dog Is ours.
and no one can blame US for having done
as We pleased with IT.
L see that one Of the Hamburg Ameri-
can line steamers Is advertised to pass
through the canal about the 1st Of next
February"
Yes. I have seen the advertisement It
is made upon their own responsibility. II
Is their own lookout whether IL goes
through or not"
How soon do you expect the canal to
be open to trafic"'
Il shall have to go back and answer
that just as | did before. 1t depends en-
tireiy upon the removal of the slides. As
soon as We have the canal clear we shall
have to run ships through and test the
machinery. and then We want as much
tramc as possible in order to give us the
practice necessary for the official opening
OF the canal in January. 1915. AZ that
time We shall have the vessels of all the
great navies passing through on their
way to San Francisco, and We do not
want them to be In the least danger"
What other representation will the ca
nal have at San Francisco, outside Of
those naval vessels" asked
II have no idea" replied Col Goethals.
IT have nothing to do with the exposition.
l have troubles enough of my own"
You do not look it," said I. You
seem to be In the pink Of condition and
your health is apparently perfect
My health Is all right" said the chief
engineer. "but there are times when this
job gets on ones nerves. and have been
at IT. you know, for quite a few years"
but yeu have enjoyed the job. have
you not?''
Yes. very much. especially since the
executive order Of 190s'
What are you going to do when the
canal Is completed? Have you picked
upon your next world to conquerr'
i am not going to conquer any more
worlds. One of the first things I shall do
after ] leave this job will be to take a
vacation. and ] shall perhaps write a
book about the canal. l am receiving a
number Of applications to do so from
some of the leading publishing houses.
and may make some arrangement TO
that effect"
FRANK G. CARPENTER.