The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-09-04
CUBA, JAMAICA AND PANAMA

CBy ]. r. Jones)
There are 10000 workmen at the
canal, a little larger crew than old
King Solomon employed on his temple.
1t is history that the various bands of
workmen were so carefully arranged
that nothing disturbed the universal
peace which pervaded the world at the
important period when wise old s IL.
built his magnificent harem. Solomon
had nothing on Goethals in the way of
harmony, every thing moves along as
smooth as grease" on the Isthmus.
Colonel Cocktails, whom we honor and
admire in the states, is loved on the
Isthmus, and every n there will tell
you that there is a square deal here
for all"
Forty thousand writer's have at
tempted to describe this canal, and
working collectively they might have
succeeded; but individually they have
failed, just as Solomon's methods of
wooden mauls and tall cedars would
prove inadequate in this engineering
job where miles of steam shovels and
cement by the millions Of tons, are
playing their important part. The
moral is plain; Don't think that you
can explain the canal. 1t can't be done.
If there were a book written that con-
tanned nothing but ~adjectives | might
consume it, and then perorate, ring
ing in the ~recollections of my journey
on The Maid Of the Mist beneath
Niagara's roaring cataract, or the mar
row margins which mark the sweet
present from the great divide in Can
ada's Rockies. Now if there happen
to be anything big enough in human
experience and recollection-includ-
ing fish stories heard at sea, it might
be used to clarity a story of achieve
ment u%nequaled in the history of the
world.
The picture has the literary chaps
distanced, and now that | have seen
for myself, the only recollection Of
beforehand knowledge, are of nights
at the movies" and particularly the
kinemacolor views. And even these
expensive films lack in showing dis
lance, they failed absolutely in de-
picting the magnitude, the over-awing
bigness of things.
In a document | have before me it
is related that seven years after Bal
boa discovered the Pacific ocean in
1913, an enterprising Spaniard had a
crude notion of piercing the Isthmus,
and spasmodically some long-haired
individual has contracted the same
idea, until the railroad finally cross ed
the Isthmus to supply the demand of
the "forty-niners," who travelled in
that path to the California gold fields.
We rode out through Culebra cut
with a congressional party from
Washington, and saw evidences left
w NV ichSh WIN save uP Lie ShOSt
in 1902, and we're glad enough to take
100000, 900 American dollars to get
out. Ours was a personally con
Quoted party" with one of the great
engineers of the canal in charge, and
Colonel linn told me that American
engineers have no criticism of the
French methods" He added that they
simply lacked funds to go ahead. We
saw the places where they had left Off,
evidently having accomplished much
to aid the Americans who came after
them. Considering that 600 out of
each 1000 persons who went to Pan
anna died within the year, the French
did splendidly. Now in this healthful
zone men, women and children live in
a veritable health resort where the
death rate is less than nine persons
in each 1000. The black men with
their little squirt guns" that shoot
petroleum from huge tin cans. con-
tinue to keep mosquitoes and vermin
out of the canal zone, and this story
which we have all heard reminds one
that st. Patrick's job with the snakes
of Ireland was crude compared to
what Colonel Gorgas has done for
civilization in driving the mosquitoes
from the canal.
1t Ii Sunday morning as / write, on
shipboard, somewhere a few hundred
miles of the coast OF Florida, and i
wobble and hesitate. for I do not know
what to say Of Culebra. Forewarned
that SO many others have failed in the
description. and determined to avoid
the dangerous trail, I close my eyes
for a moment, and the picture is there
lit must answer There b my sailor
hat "sailinE" down Culebra! / watch
Ut go, IN full confidence that q Jamai-
can Negro win use It for . party raj
ment. or that . stsam shovel will have
IL t0r dinner. Worimen everywhere
great hills rising on either side. loosen
ed dirt rattling down into the canal;
|steam sh0vsls grabbing large mouth
Ifulsr ton or more 1t = dime. drop
Iping Tie captive dirt on trains. that
''tAoot oR somewAers. ~ unloaded In