The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-02-25

Panama, Feb. 25.-It is, in many respects. very much like a college commencement season on the isth- mus just now From the thousands Of men who have been taking long courses in practical canal building, classes are being graduated almost daily, a commencement season which will probably continue for many
 months.
 Men who have put in the full course might be believed to welcome release from the tropics, but oni ew- cry hand there is a, sort of Alma Ma ter sentiment expressed by many in the hope that they will return to the scene of their engineering triumphS for further service of some sort. A majority of the men who are laying down their books and shovels are ,go- ing away with no other diploma than pride in having participated in a monumental work. That is enough to bind men together and it may. be no surprise that some such 8organiza- ton as the Canal Diggers' Alumni Association is an outgrowth of this common pride.
 There is general satisfaction ex- pressed that the chief engineer will stay until the last,e and overlap for a time at least as the civil governor of the Canal Zone. sBut this appoint ment of Colonel George w Goethals as governor is practically the only definite answer which the bigger men of thes canal work have been given as to what next for a big job.
 WORK IS CLEANED UP.
 with Colonel Goethals appoint ment. Richard L. Metcalfe, who had been in charge of the civil administra- ton. and Joseph -Bucklin aBiShop, sec retary of the Canal Commission. are winding up their work. Mir Metcalfe will probably return soon to the Unit rf4 7faf-1 "a that he intends to enter the race for the govern rnorship of Nebraska are err roneous He asserts that it is not his present intention toedo so, leaving his future an open questi on.
 It is generally understood in the zone that Secretary Bishop will be ap- pointed by President Wilson in the capacity of official historian of the canal It is intinated that this is the wish of Colonel Goethals, who be- .1ieves that the official history of the canal should be compiled while the undertaking is fresh in the minds of those who took part in it and by a man who was as intimately associat- led with it as was MT. Bishop. The secretary will probably remain here until the official opening of the wa terway, set for January, 1915.
 CONCRETE MAN RELIEVED Among the division engineers who have lately been re1ieyed5o of their du- lties is Lie Ut enant- Colonel William l.. Sibert, the .sconerete man. He was I in charge of the coHstructI0n of all concretes work on the Gatun locks,
 dam and spillway. Where -1les will go when the 18th hniank Canal Commis- lsion ceases to exist on April 1st is an other open question: but in some | quarters itis believed that the con 1 structions of the projected Alaskan railway may. furnish a suitable field l for his activities, as it will for many f who have finished their work here. 1 Every one believes that Colonel w. 1 C. Gorgas, the sanitary expert who I rid: the isthmus of yellow fever pests, and who is now engaged in a great | sanitary work in South Africa, will be the next surgeon general of the ar Imy.
 H. H. Rosseau, the naval engineer Ewho has always been regarded yas IColoneI Goetha1s' right hand man, will probably remain on the Isthnus until the finishing touches haves been | given all the docks and shops at both i ends of the Canal. At Balboa this fF work, in his charge, has only just be- sE gum and notwithstanding the head
 way that is being made daily it is apparent that it will be at least an other year before the building | which will serve as the fu ture headquarters of the canal force and the naval shops and dry dock will be ready to turn over to other hands l Even with this done it is believed that Col. Goetha1s will find further l -. I