Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1914-11-18
'G0ETHAL' WORK
ON Big DITCH
Tells of the Results Obtained in
Report to Garrison.

Washington, Nov. 17.-Concluding
chapters in the story Of American
pluck and perseverance that made
possible the construction of the Pana-
ma Canal are written by Colonel
George w. Goethals, Governor of the
Zone, in his annual report just sub
mitted to Secretary Garrison. The re-
port tells of the canal builders battle
against trick earth slides, OF the es-
tablshment of the permanent form Of
government in the Zone, with Colonel
Goethals as Governor, of the begin.
ming of the work on Notifications to
guard the great waterway against in
vasion, while imposing rows of fig
ures tell Of the cost of details in the
canals construction and mainten.
ance.
Cost Of the Ditch.
The report shows that the canals
cost, including the current appropria-
ton, now stands at $353,559, 049. SO.
More than $374,000,o00 was appropri.
ated. or that amount more than
$12,000,000 was for Notifications.
'NVork was continued during the
year on the gun and mortar batter
ies," the report states, "and by the
close Of the year the concrete work
was practically completed, as we'll as
the greater portion of the back fill.
On July 1, 1918, the construction of
redoubts in accordance with plans
prepared by a board appointed for
the purpose and approved by the Sec
rotary Of War, was undertaken, and
they were completed, as well as the
clearing necessary in connection with
them"
The continued earth slides that
checked the progress Of the canal
builders was described at length.
The total amount of material re-
moved in the dry from Culebra Cut"
the report states, from the begin
ming of American operations to June
ID, 1914, aggregated 110,261 1888 Gu
bic yards, at division cost Of $0.7066
per cubic yard; of this amount 25,-
206,1OO cubic yards were removed be-
cause of slides, or 22.S6 per cent
Describing the demolition of Gam
bou Dixie as on, Of the final steps in
the canals completion, the report re-
lates that with the exception of a
small pocket slide in the vicinity OF
Cascades, the admission Of water to
the cut has thus far had no bad ef-
fects, nor has there been any percep-
tible tendency for the presence Of wa
ter to produce slides"
Withstood Earthquake.
The Canals giant locks and dams
staunchly wiQthstood the earthquake
shocks which were more violent and
numerous during the last year than
in any since American occupation.
Eeighty-seven distinct shocks were
recorded at Ancon.
Practically all the shocks" the re-
port stated, seemed to originate in
the vicinity of the lower coast of Los
Santos Province, approximately 115
miles southwest of Arson. The most
violent shocks occurred October 2,
1913, and May 2S, 1914.
The shock of May % resulted in
slight damage to the new administra-
ton building then in course of con-
struction at Balboa Heights, but with
this exception the canal works suf-
fered no damage from these shocks"
AS : the construction of the canal
proceeded to the point where date
was set for the admission of the first
ship, the population of the zone stead
lily decreased. On June 30, 1914, the
force employed on the canal was 29,-
673, compared with 43,350, at the
close of the previous fiscal, year. "Ac-
companying the decrease the report
states, "there was large emigration
from the isthmus, and for the first
time since the work was started there
was an excess of departures over ar
rivals of about $4,000"
Inasmuch as the canal was not op-
ened to traffic until August Is, the
report does not tell of the passage
of the first merchant ships or of the
financial aspects of operation
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