Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-04-02
CANAL BUILDER
IS N0W,'GOvERNOR'
GEO. ". COCKTAILS
New Government of Panama
Zone Takes Office without
Display-Much Digging
Still Remains.

Panama April 1.-The Panama canal
zone began business to-day under a
permanent form of government.
The isthmian canal commission. which
has governed the zone during the con-
structon Of the waterway, was dissolved,
and a civil administration semi military
in character was established.
Col. George w. Goethals. by appoint
mcnt of the President of the United
States, became it's first governor His
inauguration was remarkable. There
were no ceremonies, no speeches, no dis
play.
In his office on the top OF Culebra hill
overlooking the now famous cut of that
name, Colonel Goethals, chairman and
chief engineer Of the isthman canal COM
mission. simply began his days work
under new titie,-'Governor and Chief
oor the Department Of Operation and
Maintenance.
In the big cut below. while the colonel
lguratively transferred his power from
one hand to another, the steam drcdges
were tearing away at the foot OF Cur
caracha slide, and locomotives were busy
hauling away more OF the daily spoil
Work progressed 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 changes. These We're
changes in name merely, so far as most
of the canal workers We're concerned.
Ever since Colonel Goethals became the
guiding spirit of the work he has been
the benevolent despot' of the isthmus.
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 follows:
Engineer of maintenance-Col. Harry f.
| Hodges of the army engineers.
Superintendent of transportations-Cap-
tain Hugh Rodman, L. S. n.
Electrical cngineer-CaptainW H. Rose
| of the army engineers.
| Captains for the terminal pOrts-Com-
mander ID. Il. Dsmukes and Lieutenant
Commander Henry V. Butler. u. S. n.
Superintendent of shops and drydocks-
Naval Constructor D. c. Nutting.
General purchasing officer-Maior F. c.
Boggs. army engineers.
Chief quartermaster-Capta r. +.
Wood, United States cavalry Oemporar-
| lily, pending reorganization Of the supply
Department..
Auditor-H. a. A. Smith, assistant, &. f.
Harrah.
| Chief health offlcer-I4eutenant- Colonel
| Charles f. Mason. medical corps, L. S, A.
| Chief officer of the quarantine division
Passed Assistant Surgeon Marshall c.
Guthrie T.. S. bureau of public health.
| Executive secretary--. A. McIivaine
Only a small portion of the permanent
| organization became actually effective to-
| day. 1t probably will not be perfected
until all of the construction 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 admlnistra-
ton over which Richard l.. Metcalfe pre-
sided. AS fast as practicable, Colonel
| Goethals said. this will be reorganized
and will be placed under the new eXecu-
| two secretary The courts, which
formerly were considered a part of this
department, already have been separ aztec
and consolidated under the one fedora
judge and his two assistants at eithe,
end of the canal.
The sanitary and health department.
also will soon he on the permanent basis
The work practically has been completed
and the new department of health Will
Colonel Mason, at its head, will in futur,
look after the sanitation OF the zone ar.
the Isthmus of Panama generally.
The departments of operation anC
maintenance will not be fully established
until the canal has been fully completed
The accounting department of tn,
permanent organization will succeed t,
the work formerly done by the division
of disbursements and the examiner O
accounts Nothing more than consolida
ton and slight contraction of workinl
force will be needed to make them read,
for their new work.
All departments will be directly re
| sponsible to the governor OF the Panam;
canal who. In turn. is responsible to tn,
President of the United States through
the war department.
When in operation 1t is estimated Their,
will be about 700 American white en-
ployes on the canal, and perhaps a few
hundred negro laborers. all residents o
the canal zone