The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-22
THE PANAMA CANAL
IS NEAR FOOL PROOF
AS It CAN Be MADE
Innumerable Lighted and
Unlighted Buoys Mark
the Channel
COLON HARBOR LIGHT
is VISIBLE 1S MILES
Will Be Many Signal Towers Along
Canal Route-Canal Workers Are
Anxiously Awaiting Word
Anent the Income Tax

Panama. February 21.-(Special) when
the Panama canal is completed and the
first ship is piloted through from Cristo-
hal to Balboa or tho other way, 1t will
be as near "fool-proof' as it is possible
TO make 1t. In every possible way has
the safe navigation of the great water
way been provided for by the construc-
tion of almost countless aids to naviga-
ton.
The first thing the pilot of an incoming
vessel sees ahead of him as he reaches
the entrance of the canal is a huge light
tower which in conf unction with another
points the way toward the first set of
locks at either end. on either side of
him a he proceeds he finds innumerable
cghted and unlighted bouys and beacons
that indicate the limits of the channel
The locks themselves will be as bril-
nantly lighted as the Great White Way"
itself and the passage of a large ship
herself brilliantly lighted from stem to
s.ern with electricity, Is expected to be-
come one OF the most spectacular fea-
lures OF an interocean voyage. Then comes
the passage through the canal with its
numerous range light towers on either
bank. its beacons and buoys, all of them
rhowing either a white, red or green
light.
There are along the canal 20 acetylene
lighted range towers, u electric lighted
ones 45 electric lighted beacons, eight
acetyene lighted beacons and about 81
acetylene lighted buoys The range lights
mark line 125 feet on either side of the
middle of the channel forming a lane go
feet wide. Floating on the water along
he Ell Of ri 10
scetylene buoys, and on the shore mark
ing the various tangents of the channel
ere the lighted beacons
The approach to Colon harbor, on the
Atlantic side is lighted by the main light
On Toro Point which is visible IS miles or
more on a clear night. Then there are
the beacons on the seaward ends of the
21a-mile breakwater that protects the har-
Dor from the high seas that usually run
in the Atlantic.
On the Pacific end of the canal there
are numerous buoys and beacons besides
the range lights that indicate the canal
channel BY day the channel is not only
marked by can buoys, but also about 50
spar buoys and the many concrete
trpodes, painted brilliant white. BY day
the range light towers are easily seen
due to the brilliant white they are
inted.
Tor is this all Capt. Hugh Rodman,
s. N, superintendent of operation,
just completed establishing the loca-
Is for a number of signal towers along
canal route. They are to be used in
aling from station to station the COM
and going of steamers and to arrange
ing places. The signalmen will prac-
ly functionate on the lines OF the
railway train dispatcher.
Income Tax Causing Anxiety
Canal workers are anxiously waiting
to hear definitely from Washington as
10 whether they will have to pay an
income tax. There is no one within the
zone who is prepared to give official
information on the point, not even the
law department or Col. Tom Cook. col
iector of customs for the zone. The law
department however, points out that the
canal territory has been declared by
10 less an authority than the United
States supreme court. as not part
of United States territory. Frank Fouille,
chief legal officer of the zone, has told
many inquirers that the canal zone is
not mentioned in the new income tax
law.
With March / set as the date for maxi
ing returns to income tax collectors in
the United States, the canal worker is
impatient to learn his status. If he is
TO be required to pay the tax he is
also wondering whether II will be with
held at the source. which, in most cases,
is the war department.