The chronicle=news., 1914-09-26

sitter terms. but the engineers never
changed their plans. and after 1t was
completed In 1918 these same muck
rakers were loud in their praise.
Others took up the slides In Culebr.
Cut. and one sent report to his paper
that the sides of the cut were smoking
END that a volcano was under the
Gold Fill. The report spread over thc
country and experts were sent to th-
y;thmus only to md that no such con-
6itions existed.
All sorts OF ridiculous stories were
circulated. Even the Commissary De-
partment came in for a share OF the
criticism yet every canal employe vii!
tell you that he has been able to sup
port his family on food just as pure
as that sold in the United States and
at far less cost. The worknen were
we'll housed-far better than those
who are engaged in factory labor IN
the United States. OF course, once IN
awhile disgruntied workman gave
out a story OF unfair treatment Which
upon Investigation was found to be
merely a tritiing disagreement between
the foreman and himself. The women
too. sometimes plained--perhap-
because Mrs. Brown had better looking
dining-room furniture. or the apart
ment Of Mrs. Jones had larger rooms
but on the whole even the women
agree that life on the Canal Zone Is All
that could be wished for. and thar
everybody was given fair deal.
Every act Of the Commission was
made public, and each employee from
the chief engineer to the poorest Ia
borer was given, hearing II he feit
that he was not receiving his just
deserts, Colonel Goethals for several
years held open court every Sunday
m orning for the purpose OF hearing
complaints Indeed, this court has
gone down. in history rs one of the
most remarkable ways Of dealing out
Justice. Each member Of the Commits.
sion had a special duty-a duty which
was SO well performed that one Of Its
members, Colonel D. D. Gaillard. gave
his 1ife in that line--a martyr to the
greatest work ever undertaken by
man. When the Commission conlplet-
! ed their task the canal was practically
| ready Tor small steamers and was
| opened to them on the tenth day of
! May. Had 1t not been for the activity
/ OF the Cucuracha slide the canal as
far as the waterway was concerned,
| WOulO nave. Occh toAHpASeS>A q > -,
| fore its formal opening. which has
been set for January LIST. 1915. AS 1t
ts, barring accidents. it Is believed tina!
it will be ready for the use of all ves-
sells In September.
Cucuracha Slide Troublesome.
The Cucuracha slide has been the
bette noir ever since the work began.
and even In the days of the French
it was the hoodoo of progress. The
channel through Cluebra Cut Is al
present about two hundred feet wide.
! one hundred feet less than 1t will be
when completed. The slides there
have already reached the enormous
total of 25.O00,00O cubic yards OF
earth and still the monster Curcuracha
resists control. Colonel Gaillard, who
was the engineer in charge of the Cen
trail Division since 1908. believed that
the water would give stability to the
sides and stop its progress, and per-
haps 1t has in u measure. but not as
completely as Colonel Gaillard had
hoped. The nght against Cucuracha
led to Colonel Gaillards death. Day
and night he planned against Its prog
ress,. only to meet defeat. Finally
nature could stand no more and the
faithful officer came North for rest
and medical treatment-a' physical
aud mental wreck. dying few months
| 1AHAr