Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-02-25
CANAL employees
OFF FOR HOMES
Diggers' Alumni Association
May Be Formed by Army
Engaged in Work.

Panama, Feb. 25.-It is, in many re-
spects, very much like a college COM
mencement season on the Isthmus just
now. From the thousands of men who
have been taking long courses in prac-
teal canal building classes are being
graduated almost daily, commence
ment season which will probably con-
tinue for many months.
Men who have put in the full course
might be believed to welcome release
from the tropics, but on every hand
there is a sort of Alma Mater senti-
ment 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 or
the men who are laying down their
books and shovels are going away with
no other diploma than pride in having
participated in a monumental work.
That is enough to bind many men to-
gether and it may be no surprise that
some such organization as the Canal
Diggers' Alumni association is an out
growth of this common pride.
There Is general satisfaction ex-
pressed that the chief engineer will
stay until the last, and overlap for
time at least as the civil governor of
the canal zone. But this appointment
of Colonel George w Cocktails as gov
ernor is practically the only definite
answer which the bigger men of the
canal work have been given as to what
next for the big job.
With Colonel Cocktails appointment
Richard L. Metcalfe, who had been in
charge of the civil administration. and
Joseph Bucklin Bishop, secretary of
the canal commission, are winding up
their work Mr. Metcalfe will prob
ably return soon to the United States
but he declares that reports that he
intends to enter the race for the gov
ernorship of Nebraska are erroneous.
He asserts that it is not his present
intention to do so, leaving his future
an open question.
1t 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. 1t is intimated that this is the
wish of Colonel Goethals, who believes
that the official history of the canal |
should be compiled while the under |
taking is fresh in the minds of those |
who took part in it and by a man who |
was as intimately associated with it as
was Mr. Bishop. The secretary will I
remain here until the official !
opening of the waterway, set for Janu-
airy. 1915.
Among the division engineers who !
nave lately been relieved of their du-
les is Lieutenant-Colo1el William L. !,
Sibert, the concrete man" He was
n charge OF the construction of all
work on the Gatun locks,
lam and spillway. Where he will go
when the Isthmian Canal commission
leases to exist on April l is another
pen question, but in some quarters it
S believed that the construction of
he projected Alankan railway may
urnish a suitable field fo- his activi-
les, as it will for many who have
nished their work here. II
Everyone believes that Colonel w.
:. Gorgas, the sanitary expert who
i'd the Isthmus of yellow fever pests,
nd who is now engaged in a great
anitary work in South Africa, will be
ne next surgeon-general of the army
II. II. Rosseau, the naval engineer
'ho has always been regarded al
olonel Cocktails right hand man, will
robably remain on the Isthmus until
he finishing touches have been given
u the docks and ships at both ends
the canal. At Balboa this work, in
IS charge, has only just begun and
the Roadway that is
sing made daily it is apparent that il
nj be at least another year before the
Hiding which viii serve as the future
sadquarters of the canal force and
e naval shops and dry dock will bel