The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1914-05-15
A COUNTRY EDITOR
SEES PANAMA CANAL
And Tells the Echo Readers of His Trip
And What tie Sees and Hears

the Panama Canal. AS we slipped
into the harbor past the giant break
water which when its mate is COM
pleted will form a snug harbor, we
could see even in this early light evil
dence of unusual enterprise for these
ATTITUDES. Heretofore in our travels
everything had been suggestive OF age.
The style of architecture, the manner
of doing things, whether in harbor or
on shore was all suggestive OF ancient
customs and foreign methods. Here
for the first time since leaving New
York were seen the diamond sparkle Of
arc lamps. The city of Colon was lit
by gas but farther up the canal en-
trance the city Of Gatun showed un-
mistably American in the very way
they lit their streets.
Colon, at one time the despair Of
the health department of the canal
commission has managed to pull her
self together and now presents fairly
decent appearance. Only four feet
above sea level the problem of drain
age and cleanliness is serious matter.
However ten years of American oc-
cupancy has made wonderful change
in the city. The swamps at the back
of the city have been filled up and the
streets have been cleaned and on the
whole it is not such a bad place.
I might as well begin at the begin
ming with the statement that the canal
is finished.
No longer is it possible for the re-
turned traveller to say he saw them
building the Panama canal. 1t is COM
pleted. All over but the finishing
touches and the shouting and the lat
ter will come along about the first of
next January when the official opening
takes place.
AS I looked upon this work of man
was impressed with the thought that
this was the end of a great effort. 1t
seemed to me that the great future to
which everybody was looking was not
the real keynote Of the moment.
The completed task represented
more to me in thought than all the
glorious hopes of the future, for the
future, now that the thing is possible
will take care of itself.
Here was not the glorious dawn OF
great commercial awakening but the
glorious end of dream that has
haunted the fancy Of white men eyer
since Balboa first peeped over the d.
viding line 400 years ago.
1t is noticeable that while evidences
of a re-historic civilization abound all
through this country. From Central
America to Peru and that in some mat
tiers they were far advanced in the arts
and in civilization, the idea of con-
Meeting the two great oceans never oc-
CURED until the coming of the white
man. And with his advent Immediately
sprung the desire to cross. Balboa.
whose untiring perseverance always
aouses my admiration, never gave HIM
self rest until he had forced passage.
Not satisfied with this he took three
ships apart and forced the natives, at
no one knows what sacrifice to carry
them over the isthmus where he re-
assembled them and started a mer-
chant marine OF his own.
But Balboa was too progressive for
his time. The Spanish governor be-
ing more or less OF the stand pat per-
suasion grew jealous Of Balboa and SO
had him hanged.
OF course Balboa would have passed
out early in his career anyway as ne
was of temperament which forbade
longevity in those times, but would
have liked to see him have his
chance, just to see what he would have
made OF it.
But nevertheless as looked down
into the muddy depths Of the Panama
Canal my mind went back over the
long list of attempts; of hopes and am
billions Of one nation after another and
it was a source of satisfaction to me
that the job was finally completed, and
that by the accident Of birth hap
pened to belong TO the nation which
put on the finishing touches.
Another thing which wish to put
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