Yazoo City herald. [volume] (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1878-1976, 1914-09-04
PANAMA CANAL.
Some Historical Incidents Connected
With the Great Waterway.

With the Great Waterway.
The Panama Canal was opened to
the world on Aug. 18th. There was
no show nor pomp nor parade
simply opening to foreign commerce
with a U. S. battleship leading the
way. The celebration of its opening
is reserved for next winter. But
the canal was finished several months
ahead of time, and so was thrown
open now to the worlds commerce.
The following are some Of the his
torical incidents connected with the
isthmus and the canal:
First Crossing of the Isthmus. By
Balboa who, on Sept, 25, 1913, much
to his surprise, found himself gazing
upon the Pacific ocean after % days
journey on foot.
First Ships to Cross the lsthmus:
In 1914 Balboa and his men carried
two small ships, piecemeal, across the
isthmus, intending to use them foi
further exploration in the Pacific.
First Settlement of Old Panama:
In 1917. to become known later for a
time as the richest city in the world.
First Regular Traffic Across 18th
mus: The spoils of conquest sent
back to Spain from Peru, which be-
came so heavy that highways paved
with stone were laid for the pack
trains.
First Thought of Canal: Credit
ed to Salvadera, Spanish engi-
neer, one of Balboa's followers, who
was about to forward his plans to
King Charles V of Spain when he
latter died.
First Survey for a Canal: In 1881
by Spanish engineers who deemed
the project impossible of accomplish
ment.
First Official Decision on Canal
Project: By King Philip II, in 1920,
adversely after referring the matter
to the Dominican friars. The lat
ter, desiring to obey the kings or
ders, but unable to report intelligent
ly suggested that the project was
sacreligious. They quoted from the
Ne: "What God hath joined to-
gether, let no man put asunder."
Accordingly, the project was put on
the shelf for three centuries.
First british Interest: In latter
part of 18th century, when the ex-
petition launched by William Pater-
son, founder of the Bank of Eng
land, attempted to found commune
ty on the Isthmus of Rarien, south
of the present Panama, with the ulti-
mate intention Of establishing a
trans-isthmian route. The plan
proxed an utter failure. Many other
British surveys followed in later
years.
The German poet, Goethe, a hun
bred years ago, made this remark
able prophecy: at is absolutely in
dispensible that the United States eff
feet passage from the Mexican gulf
to the Pacific ocean, and / am GER
tain they will do it."
First Decision to Build: In 1914,
just 100 years ago, the Spanish gov
eminent by decree entered upon the
construction of an isthmian canal,
but the idea was blocked because
the Central American colonies sue
ceeded in throwing off the Spanish
yoke.
First French Interests: Came in
1925, when President Bolivar of the
republic of New Granada gave a
franchise for a canal at Panama to a
Frenchman, Baron, Thierry, who
failed to raise the required capital.
First Action by the United States:
In 1895, as result of o resolution
introduced in the Senate by Henry
Clay. Charles Biddle was sent by
President Jackson to visit the 18TH
mus and report on the various canal
routes proposed.
First Report to the United States
Government: BY Biddle in 1886 ia
voring the Panama route. He had
been so struck with it that he re-
turned to the United States without
examining the Nicaraguan, Darien or
Tehuantepec routes. No action fol-
lowed.
First Railroad Built: From 1919
to 1856, more than half as long a
time as has been taken to build the
present canal Fever killed SO many
thousands that it was said a labor
er was buried under every sleeper
on the Panama road.
First Actual Canal Building Begun:
In 1878 the Universal Interoceanic
Canal company, incorporated in Paris
by Ferdinand de Lesseps, who had
built the Suez canal.
First Blast: On Culebra hill, now
Culebra cut, on Jan. 10, 1880, by the