Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-04-01
CANAL ZONE UNDER
NEW GOVERNMENT
Goethals Becomes Governor
General as Commission Is Dis
soIved-No Ceremonies.

PANAMA. April 1.-The Panama
canal zone began business today I'M
der a permanent form of govern
ment
The Isthmian Canal Commission,
which has governed the zone during
the construction of the waterway,
was dissolved. and a civil administra-
ton, semi-military in character, was
established
Colonel George w. Goethals, by APP
pointment of the President of the
United States, became its first gov
ernor. His inauguration was remark
able. There were no ceremonies. no
speeches, no display.
In his office on the top of Culebra
hill, overlooking the now famous cut
OF that name. Colonel Goethals, chair
man and chief engineer of the 18th
milan Canal Commission, simply be-
gan his days work under a new III
tie, Governor and Chief of the De
partment of Operation and Mantle
nance"
In the big cut below, while the
colonel figuratively transferred his
power from one hand to another, the
steam dredges were tearing away at
the foot of Curcaracha slide, and
locomotives were busy hauling away
more of the daily spoil. Work prog
ressed as usual along the whole route
of the canal. There were no extra
flags flying, no outward show of any
KIND that the government of the
zone was undergoing any change.
so far as most of the canal workers
were concerned. Ever since Colonel
Goethals became the guiding spirit of
the work he has been the 'beneVo-
lent despot' of the ishmus, and there
are few new faces in the group of
men who have found a place in the
permanent government.
The list has been announced as fol-
lows:
Engineer of maintenance, Colonel
Harry r. Hodges, of the army engi-
neers.
Superintendent of Interpretations,
Captain Hugh Rodman, L. S. \.
Electrical engineer, Captain w. II.
Rose, of the army engineers.
Captains for the terminal ports,
Commander d. e. Dismukes and
Lieutenant Commander Henry Y.
Butler L. S. y.
Superintendent of shops and dry
docks. Naval Constructor D. c.
Nutting.
General purchasing officer. Major
+. C. Boggs, army engineers.
Chief quartermaster, Captain Il. Z.
Wood, United States cavalry (tem
porarily, pending reorganization of
the supply Department.
Auditor II. \. \. Smith; assistant,
b. F. Harrah.
Chief health officer Lieutenant
Colonel Charles f. Mason, Medical
Corps, u. S. a.
Chief officer of the quarantine di-
vision, Passed Assistant Surgeon
Marshall c. Guthrie, L. 5. Bureau of
Public Health.
Executive secretary, Y, \. Nell
Vaine
Only a small portion of Tx
nanent organization became actua.,y
effective today 1t probably will not
be perfected until all of the construc-
ton work has been done, which Will
require probably another year.
That part of the old organization
that will feel the new order of
things first Is the old department of
civil administration over which Rich
ard L. Metcalfe presided. AS fast as
this will be recognized and will be
placed under the new executive Sec
rotary. The courts, which formerly
were considered part of this de-
partment. already have been sepa-
rated and consolidated under the one
federal judge and his two assistants
at either end of the canal.
The sanitary and health depart
ments also will soon be off a per-
manent basis. The work practically
has been completed and the new de
partment of health, with Colonel Ma
son at it's head, will in future look
after the sanitation of the zone and
the Isthmus of Panama generally.
The departments of operation and
maintenance will not be fully estab
lished until the canal has been fully
completed.
The accounting department of the
permanent organization will succeed
to the work formerly done by the
division of disbursements and the ex-
aminer of accounts. Nothing more
than consolidation and a slight con
traction of working force will be
needed to make them ready for their
new work.
All departments will be directly
responsible to the governor of the
Panama canal, who, in turn, is re
sponsible to the President of the
United States through the war de-
partment.
When in operation it is estimated
there will be about 1000 American
white employees on the canal, and
perhaps q few hundred negro labor
ers, all residents of the canal zone.