Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-12-30
1893 SHIPS USED
PANAMA CANAL IN
FIRST 10 MONTHS

Washington, Dec. GA detailed ac-
count of the operation and maintenance
of the Panama canal during the iirst ~
months and a half after 1t opening to com
inerce in August, 1914, is given In the an
nual report of Governor GoethalS or the
canal zone, made public tonight. f1nai
construction work just prior to the canal
openine also Is described in the report
which embraces the fiscal year cndlhs
June 30 last prior to the earth slide winch
blocked the channel
Between August ID, 1914. and June 30, 1al3'
$50 vessels, representing net Panama
canal tonnage OF 1,6Si12S and cargo ton
mage Of . rs, 49, were passed through frori
Atlantic TO Pacific and 5SS vessels, repre-
sentiug n Panama canal tonnage OF j.
a5s. 307 and q cargo tonnage of 2,S44oo' from
Pacific to Atlantic, making u total or
Loss vessels with a canal tonnage or s.
Si3O35 and cargo tonnage of 4,'"'''s-'
During this period three minor slides IN
terruptcd traffic. the channel being closed
from October "a to 20 and October 81 to
November 4, 1914, and March to ~, 1919.
Construction OF the canal proper, except
for dredging excavation and construction
of the east breakwater at Colon, virtually
was completed prior to this fiscal year
In the old Culebra cut. renamed the
Gailard cut, there were removed. IN the
process of construction during the year,
BOOST cubic yards at an average cost
of approximately AZ IA cents yard. In
maintaining the channel-including re-
moval yards at a cost of "a rs cents a
yard and from the channel at the Atlantic
entrance ,233, SOl cubic yards at cost
of 10 Ia cents a yard.
"Cucaracha slide" the report says,
was very active from July to October,
1914, quiet during the dry season. and
/ active again with the beginning Of the
rainy season in April On the west side
at Culebra the slide showed little activity
| through the greater part of the year.
but in June. 1915. the general movement
of the bank was noticeable and 1t was
| estimated that 100000 cubic yards OF
material wer in motion on June 80, 1916,
on the west side. 1t is estimated that
100000 cubic yards will have to be re-
moved from the east side"
/ OF the 1894 500. l49 appropria ted by Con
gress to Juno go last, the report states
that s146S9,S,3 has been spent on fortiflca-
tons: $4,000 to cover three annual pay
ments to the republic of Panama; s6,4io.
0OO for the operation Of the civil govern
ment of the canal zone for the fiscal year
1916, s4,2S9,lJ9 for the operation and
maintenance Of the canal to the end OF
the fiscal year 1915 while stock on hand
aggregates 81. 225 600 leaving 1866, 800 ll6 ap-
propriated for the actual construction OF
the canal and it's adjuncts.
Two million dollars Of this was invested
in golfers, and $685. 67 was returned to
the treasury department up to the close
of the fiscal year 1915 as miscellaneous
receipts, leaving s357. 436,o4s as the net
amount expended for the canal, including
the amount available for work still III
progress. A dry dock, two coaling sta
tons and terminal piers, not included in
these figures, are yet to be constructed
Health conditions in the canal zone
the report says We're very good during
the year. The total death rate from dis
ease was reduced from 14.46 in 1914 tC
| HI in 1915. Victims of malaria, the
principal cause of disability, were reduced
twenty per cent. in number and the death
rate 80 per cent. in year. The admission
rate to hospitals from typhoid was re.
duced more than &c per cent, from dry
sentery fifty per cent. and the death
rate from pneumonia was reduced more
than 50 per cent.
Labor conditions were excellent. More
than 600 men were given transportation
home because they could not be used.