The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1914-05-20
CROSS. FROM SEA
.,,70: 5 "a, BY CANAL
Traits Is Now Actually Passing
Through the Panama Canal
Barges First TO Pass.
TAKES TWELVE HOURS TO PASS
Barges Traverse Canal in Halt Day
With An Hour Spent in Ne. .
gotiating the Locks.

Washington, d. c., May 14-For
the first time in the worlds history
water borne traffic is now passing
through the Panama canal, according
to the reports that have been received
at the headquarters of the Panama
railroad in New York, forwarded here
today. ,, l5
Though confirmation OF the report
has not yet reached the Washington
Office of the ,lsthmian canal. it is
known that ample provision has been
made by Colonel Goethals for the i'm
stitution. Of water service, limited at
first strictly to barges., beginning, not
later than May 10th. l.,.a
J, rs As a matter of.fact, according to the
Panama railroad reports. the service
actually began last, Saturday and
steady stream Of barges in tow is now
passing through the. icanal.i,.! t}.@,
4 Closing Of Railroad Causes Opening
The tremendous congestion In inter
oceanic commerce caused by suspen-
sion of service on the Tehauntepec'
railroad In southern Mexico, as an: in.
fcident to tho rebellion, brought about
this rater premature opening >Ofs the
! canal to trade. Several Of the great
freight lines, (which in conjunction
with the similar service@on the Pacific;
maintained trade lines between the
far. east and TurOpeav Tehauntepec,'
have recently appeared ata.Colon fand
Panama offering cargoes for tranship-
ment overland far beyond the capacity
OF the Panama railroad. i i959.i3:
Finding that Colonel Goethals was
willing to assist them by clearing an
adequate channel for barges, at. least
,sthrOught the Cucharacha slide, the
company secured lot of the barges
that have been used for harbor, pur
peses at Colon and Panama, and,
established this service as an over:
flow to assist the railroad in meeting,
the trade demands. ei5S :. ~ 2;,'tj 4
Colonel Goethals has not yet re-
ported to- Washington .'just when the
canal will be- opened to merchant
shipping but the understanding here
is that the waterway is practically
finished and that even now, there is
a, sufficient channel. through the Guile
bra cut for almost any warshipf or
liner, and thatit is :oniyGfrOm azdesire
to- avoid a possible serious accident
through an unexpected renewal of
the earth movements in%the cult that
Colonel Gcethals has determined to
a1low'a period for observation before
actually opening the canal. ~
lit is understood that this 4, barge
service is to be operated on about
twelve hours schedule from the At
lantic to the Pacific, which allows
about an hours delay in each of the
locks. Il s's Z. ~ ~
The enormous freight traffic which
is expected to center at the Isthmus
of Panama as soon as the canal is
opened, is tosbe handled in the most
scientific and up to-date method.
z A commission, consisting of, Carroll
S.sSmith,, of New York J: M. Barrett,
of Buffalo, and statisticiantare max.
ing a. special study Of conditions on
the, .isthmuS, under orders ito submit
plans for the most practicable and
efficient methods of berthing ships, the
rapid handling OF cargoes; both to 9TH
erstvesselBa and to | the trains of the
Panama railroad. .,,t ..sn ~
q i The commission is also to fix the
charges as far as possible with view
to making them at least pay a fair
return on the capital invested in the
plants. ~ E;
I 1T is significant that the railway
management does not expect these
terminals will be self supporting as it
is a part OF the policy to attract traffic
tn ~ T'bornf0r0 fhn{ n1S.
sion is instructed to set, u scale that
shah be equitable, and: likely to con-.
serve the interests OF all concerned.