Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1914-12-05
Slides Only Are Hindrance to
Operation of the Great
Waterway.
The Catholic Church Makes For
Christian Advancement and
Progress.
FORMAL Opening NEXT MONTH

Charles /. Cate and wife and two
children arrived in Louisville last
week from Panama, where for the
past seven years Mr.. Cate had been
employed by the Government in the
construction of the big canal. They
have been in the United States for
some time, visiting in New York,
Harrisburg and Washington, where
they were extensively entertained.
Mr.. and Mrs. Cate were quite prom
inent in Catholic circles on the Isth-
mus, where they will be greatly
missed. Mr.. Cate is a Past Grand
knight of Panama Council, Knights
of Columbus, and always took an
active part in forwarding the inter-
ests of the church and order. When
seen by the Kentucky Irish Ameri-
can representative Mr.. Cate said:
'"The eevning before we left for
our Louisville home about forty of
the Knights of Columbus, accom-
panied by their ladies, came to our
house and presented me with a beau
tiful watch fob, the emblem of the
order, bearing an appropriate in
scription on the back. The ladies
presented Mrs. Cate .an artistically
embroidered linen table cover and
also gifts for the children. AS they
retire early on the Isthmus, all gath
cred around and sang 'Auld Lang
Syne,' and with good wishes for the
future departed for their homes
after an evening that will long re-
main a pleasant memory. Territorial
DnnIItV II T. fA
to bid us goodbye and presented
Mrs. Cate handsome K. of c. pin,
souvenir of Panama The change
from the hot climate at this time of
year is decidedly radical, but for-
tunately the weather since we landed
in New York has been so perfect
that we have suffered no i'll effects.
81 left louisville in July, 1907,
when the work on the canal was Just
getting in full swing and remained
to see the practical completion of
the great undertaking, when the
ships began to pass from ocean to
ocean. My separation from the
service was not voluntary at this
time, but was caused by the reduc-
tion of the forces, owing to the COM
pletion of the work undertaken by
the Government. This reduction has
been going on for some time in the
transportation department and has
now reached the mechanical division,
and will eventually affect the other
departments. The only obstacle to
the rapid and final completion Of
the work is the slides in Culebra
Cut, and when these will be over
come no one can give any assurance
whatever.
about two weeks before | left
the channel was completely closed
for length of 1900 feet, with sew
eral ships waiting on both sides to
go through. 1t took ten days to open
channel which would permit of
their passage, and about a week
later this closed up again. The Off
cial oepning is set for January 1 and
will take place If the slides behave.
There is no warning when these
occur, but slowly the bottom of the
channel seems to rise until 1t is
level or nearly so with the surface
of the water. Then the ordinary
routine is changed to feverish ac-
tivity, and with dredges, barges and
tugs the assault is renewed There
are two dredges with dippers of
smaller, ones with five-yard dippers.
These load the material into barges
which the tugs tow to the dumping
ground. There are suction dredges
also with relay pumps on the bank.
which pump the material through
pipes over the hills to the valleys
and swamps behind.
Catholics on the Isthmus have
been active in church work in towns
where the church was established.
The Rev. Father Mcdonald, G. NJ,
is in charge of Catholic affairs in the
Zone. With the assistance of few
men he secured a building in
Corozal. where l lived, and opened
temporary chapel with a congrega-
tion OF twenty-five. In about two
months the number had increased to
1875, which has since been about the
average. Father Mcdonald has Sc
cured a site from the Governor and
is now engaged in raising funds with
which to build substantial concrete
church at Balboa, facing the Pacific
ocean, and which will be a suitable
and enduring monument to Ameri-
can Catholics as well as affording a
convenient place of worship for
those who remain there per-
manently.
while regretted leaving what
had been my home for over seven
years, | am glad to get back to Ken
lucky and receive the warm welcome
OF my many friends. Through the
Kentucky Irish American have
been kept in touch with things Cath
Ollie in louisville, and therefore
dnn,i feel a toial sfran ear -