The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-11

Before sending the signal President
Wilson dispatched this message to
Col George Goethals, chief engineer
in the canal zone:
My warmest congratulations"
Practically no ceremony accompan-
led the giving of the signal. The
President went to an office in the
executive mansion where the instru-
ment was waiting. Chief Operator
f. w. Smithers tested the line lust
before 2 o'clock and sent four dots
flashing through to Panama as the
signal that the President was ready.
Mr.. Wilson stepped forward just as the
hands of the White House clock touched
the hour and pressed the button, flashing
to Panama the current which was to
send thousands of tons of the Gamboa
dixie flying heavenward.
Well that's all there is to it." said
the President with a smile. "Gamboa is
busted"
The special circuit had been set up
early in the day and the telegraph COM
panies stationed men at every important
point en- route to guard the continuous
connection and prevent mechanical inter-
ference. A few minutes before o'clock
Chief Operator e. w. Smithers at ths
White House talked to Galveston, Tex.
YIs tue cable ready. he inquired
Yes" came the answer and soon Cal
weston announced that Pa the tele-
graphic call of Panama City, was heard.
BY agreement the operator at the White
House made four distinct dots at 20 Sec
onds before o'clock. This gave the
signal for the engineers at the Ganiboa
dixie to be in readiness for the fash They
waited 20 second and on the dot Presi-
dent Wilson closed the key, which sent
the current into the dynamite apparatus.
The President sent Colonel Goethals,
engineer of the canal, brief message of
congratulations and turned to those about
him happy in the thrill but peril of the
moment--for it brought anticipation of
the final step that will open to the world
a short waterway between the Atlantic
and the Paciiic-the dream of centuries.
While the scene at the White House
was happy one, at Johns Hopkins hos
pita, 40 miles away, there lay at tha
point of death the man who would have
given most 10 witness the destruction OF
Gamboa dixie. Ii was Lieut. Col David
DUB. Gaillard, the engineer who directed
the excavation of Cuebra cut. one end
of which was blocked by the Gamboa
dixie. Colonel Gailard is suffering from
a general breakdown as a result of his
long labors in the canal zone
Engineers now are looking forward to
the final dredging of the great ditch with
the hope that lighter draft vessels used
by the diggers will be able to pass
through the entire canal in a few weeks
OCEANS NOT
ACTUALLY UNITED
The Atlantic and Pacific oceans were
not actually united today When the Gam
boa dixie was destroyed and the waters
of Gatun lake were allowed to flow into
Culebra cut. as lake and cut are, at the
normal surface of the water SO feet above
sea level
Destruction of the Gamboa dixie, how
ever, removes the last obstruction to the
navigation of the greater part of the
canal by light draft vessels, and opens
up connection between the great Gatun
lake, which already is practically ready
to discharge vessels into the Atlantic
through Gatun locks, and the Pacific di-
vision.
The waters of the lake. rushing through
the broken dixie at Gamboa sweep through
Culebra cut until they reach the locks
at Pedro Miguel, which mark the begin
ming of the descent from the top level
of the canal to the Pacific
The first craft to enter will be the steam
dredges whose work is to clear and
open the channels.
The presence of small craft in portions
of the canal, however. does not as yet
mean ocean-to-ocean navigation. This will
first be possible when each link in the
canal has a sufficient depth of water
and all the locks are working.
In the intermediate stage, navigation
may be effected in local lengths Of the
canal and to some degree may be ex-
Continued ON Page Nine)