The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-14
Col GOotha1S Plans to Make the
Canal Zone
One of the Biggest Game Pre-
serves of America.
BOOM Of GUN SELDOM HEARD
Birds and Animals of All Kinds
Have Increased.
Only People Like Roosevelt
Will Be Permitted.

Panama. Feb. 1.-THE coming OF H.
E. Anthony and George Shiras as rep
resentatives of the American Museum
Of Natural History in New York to
hunt game in the Panama jungle with
camera and gun brings to notlce Colo
mel Goethals' ambition to make the
canal zone a large and safe maven TOT
beast and fowl as well as gateway
for commerce. While the bars Will be
let down for the present party anu
probably for all who. like Colonel
Roosevelt, may come as "faunai nat
uralists,' Colonel Goethals Will carry
out strictly as the zones first civil gov
ernor what he has insisted upon dur
ing his engineering work-that the ca
nal zone shall be a game preserve.
So strict have his orders been fol-
lowed during the past few years tnat
seldom has a gun been heard on the
isthmus except IN certain Driei open
seasons and despite the noise and pow
der smoke of the canal blasting, w1!o
fowl and isthmus game Of all kinds
have greatly increased. knowing well
that they are practically safe from mo-
lestation. 1t Is probable .nat ne .ne
better specimens than would have been
possible before the canal diggers be-
gan work here.
Gatrn lake, which covers an area
now Of more than 12O square miles, is
the paradise for feathered game OF all
kinds. They are coming to the lake In
great numbers and each season sees
the feathered tribes increase. Most OF
these birds are attracted by the nsn
with which the lake Is filled.
The shores and floating islands on the
lake abound in blue and white heron.
the latter being the bird from which
IS obtained the beautiful aigrette now
barred from the United States by the
new tariff act. Then there are blue
and white cranes. cormorants. pelicans
and several species of the rail family:
An odd feature is the recent arrival OF
a number of wild duck. They are be-
ginning to come in ever increasing
numbers.
deer and the number is on the increase
1nspite of the fact that they still are
b ing hunted. They are not yet on the
taboo list Tapir, or forest cattle as
the natives call them, also are numer-
oHs and are becoming quite tame. 1t
has been noted within the last few
weeks that the wildcat Is also on the
increase. Then there are reported to
be many alligators in Gatun lake and
the Chagre and other smaller rivers.
With the depopulation of the zone.
which is we'll under way. there will be
even less hunting and fishing than
there is now. Wild fowls and game
will be undisturbed and probably will
make Of the isthmus a permanent home
and haven.
Making both ends meet" is Col.
GoethaIs' present problem, somewhat
as 1t was when he came to dig the
canal, but it now concerns itself with
income and outgo instead of bringing
the two oceans together. There are
only $47,000,00O Left of the funds ap-
prOpriated for construction OF the
canal, and while this may appear a
liberal sum for the finishing touches,
Col GOethalS believes that only an
era of far reaching economy will as
sure keeping within his allowance. He
is determined that the $47,OOO,OOO
shall last until the canal is finally
opened for commercial use. Notwith-
standing that many economies have
already been put into practice, includ-
ing a great reduction of both the ex
ecutive and laboring forces, expendi-
lures generally must be still further
cut down to make the appropriation
last.
Nearly every ship that leaves the
isthmus for the United States is car
rying big men and great who have
laid down their shovels. Their work
on the canal is finished, and they must
seek other employment. In some in
stances they hope to return as en-
ployees of the permanent operating
force, but that organization is in such
an embryonic state that none can
know with what success he will meet.
1t is probable that many will seek
later to transfer the scene of their
operations from the tropics to the
frozen north if the government goes
ahead with the Alaskan railway pro-
ject.
Sanitation of the isthmus is also
again looming up as one of the prob
lens of the canal While not SO acute
as 1t was during the early years of
construction, 1t is now an important
matter by reason of the great extent
of Gatun lake, formed by the closing
of the spillway at Gatun dam.
Gatun Lake at the S5 foot level at
which it is proposed to maintain this
portion OF the great cal al, has covered
an area of a little more than 120
square miles of jungle. AS the waters
rose there was backed up in many out
of the way places much backwater
that is more or less stagnant. Some of
this IL already being oiled by the San
itary Division but much of it is in
isolated places and difficult of access
The oiling squads will have to be
kept at work indefinitely and this will