The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1913-09-19

and last, $2G5 100000 in the enter
prise.
The French were theatrical IN their
plans for launching the enterprise. A
world congress of engineers was in
vited to assemble in Paris in May.
1879. to decide upon the type and cost
of the canal. N. de Lesseps presided
and guided the decision to a sea level
type. the same as at Suez. There were
eleven Americans in the assembly, the
extent of American interest.
Under the stimulus Of these proceed
ings the new companys stock was
oversubscribed by the admiring coun-
trymen of the great De Lesseps. the
first issue being for $60,000y000 NJ
de Lesseps then made Il spectacular
trip to Panama, arriving at Colon on
Dec 80. 1879.
IThe first blast of an explosive in the
construction of the isthmian canal was
set off by one of the young daughters
of NJ de LeSSeps at Culebra on Jan
TO- 1880. After several weeks of ban
quoting SOuul ut LtSsepS iSit iNi w
United States to stir the imagination
of the Americans over the enterprise
About the only result was to attract
the attention of some contractors to
the work.
Operations went ahead rapidly from
| 1880 onward. the method being to let
contracts for the different phases of
the work, The canal started near Co
lon. in Limon bay, and was to follow
the valley of the Chagres river for
about thirty miles, thence through the
continental divide to the Pacific, three
miles west of Panama, about where
the canal begins.
BY 1885, however, extravaganza and
graft had emptied the company's
treasury. The contractors, as rule,
did little and exacted much. 1t be-
came apparent. too. that a sea level
type presented staggering difficulties
NJ. de LesSeps gave his consent to a
change in plans to II lock type. but the
dam was to be at Bohio instead of at
Gatun. Bohio is seventeen miles from
the Caribbean, while Gatun is only
seven miles distant from that sea.
All the theatrical methods conceiva-
BILE were employed to float a new bond
issue for $1G0O00.000, but the public
had grown dubious over the success of
the enterprise The amount was rails
ed. however, and was poured into the
project with more millions until 1889
when, after 1924. 795,0l7 had been in
vested. the company became bankrupt
The French treated their white EN-
ployees with extravagant generosity
Living accommodations were ON "a
scale of open handed libcrality. Little
was done beyond building hospitals to
conquer the bad health conditions o..
the isthmus, and. while the l'rencl
left patterns for much of the late
American activities. the sanitary con
troll of the jungle distinctively is an
American triumph. The death rate
among French employees on the cana
was from two to three times as high
us under the Americans.
III lC,JO an tAtCIlSlbll vi ltI NNaiS u
the time for completing the canal was
granted by Colombia, and subsequent
~ extensions were permitted that I'D
vanced the life of the concession unit
Oct 81. 1910. new Panama Cana
company was organized III 1894, witt
capital of $13,000,000, and. while il
spent this amount and more. it never
attained the momentum of the frs
company. The maximum force under
the first company, was $4,000 men ani
under the second regime 5000
The total excavation by the Frencl
in Panama was 7S.0OO,000 yards. o
which the first company took out 81,
100000 yards. but out of all their wori
only 29.90S000 yards We're eNravatec