New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1916-12-20
NEW ULM FOLKS SEE
PANAMA'S Big DITCH
DR.. STRICkLER AND PARTY ON
AN EXTENDED TRIP THRU
SOUTH.
SHRINERS VISIT NEW ORLEANS.
HAVANA AND OTHER POINTS
ON WAY:

DR.. and Mrs. O. c. Stricken and
daughter Vera, returned few days ago
from nearly a months trip in the south,
which extended to Havana, Cuba, and
the lsthmus of Panama, including the
canal zone, and journey thru the big
canal. They were accompanied by Mrs.
}. H. Siegel, who left the party on the
return trip at New Orleans, where they
were met by Mr.. Siegel. Mr.. and
Mrs. Siegel went from there to French
Lick Springs, Ind, where they will re-
main for time.
Was a Great Trip.
1T was great trip, said DR.. Strick-
Ter, since his return, "and we enjoyed
every minute of it. We left here on the :
afternoon of November FL, for St. Paul
where we met number of Shriners and
their wives. The party, which consisted
OF forty-seven people, left St. Paul that
night for New Orleans, stopping enroute
at Evansville, Ind, and Montgomery,
Ala. where we were given enthusiastic
receptions. At New Orleans we were
met by other shriners from various parts
OF the United States and after viewing
the city, we sailed for. Havana, the trip
occupying about two days. The weather
was rough the entire trip between New
Orleans and Havana and most of the
members of the party were sea sick
greater part of the way. A ceremonial
was held at Havana, after which we were
given ride for some fifteen miles into
the country, that we might see what
Cuba looked like. We Mera given
1eieElflor,g at Hayssra, viewed .lN1orro
castle and other historical scenes. We
were greatly impressed with prosperous
appearance of the Cubans, and those of
US who had never been there before
could only imagine the changes that had
been wrought since the island had been
wrested from Spanish rule.
Canal Zone Interesting.
We left there for the canal zone, ar
irving on Saturday, December 2, and
crossed the Isthn1us by rail, the trip
occupying an hour and forty-fv minutes,
arriving at Ancon, the. new city which
has been built up by the Americans since
work on the canal was begun. Ancon
joins the old city of Panama. Sunday
forenoon we viewed the ruins of the
old Panama castle, destroyed by Sir
John Morgan, in 1911. In the after
noon we made the round trip thru the
canal, and Monday morning we were
taken to the ratification constructed by
the United States government to protect
the Pacific entrance to the canal. This
was most interesting feature Of our
trip. The ratification is built on a
little island formed of solid rock, just
OFT the entrance to the canal. A rail-
road has been built to the island of
material taken from the canal while
excavating for. that great ditch. The
fertilization is veritable American
Gibraltar. The fortifcation. is well
equipped with immense guns said to be
the largest of the kind in the world, and
other armament, with sufficient num-
Der of soldiers to hold it against any
attack.
See Sights at Colon.
"The following day we again crossed
the Isthmus to the Atlantic end of the
canal, where is located the American
town Of Christobal, adjoining the old
Spanish city Of Colon. They are 50
closely Joined that one is unable to tell
where one begins and the other leaves
off except for the vast difference in con-
struction of the buildings, one being
entirely new and the other of ancient
habitations and business places Christie
bal is inhabited by Americans and others
of the white races, while Colon is made
up almost exclusively of natives By
observation Of these two features it is
impossible to make mistake when you
cross the line from one city to the other.
We were shown the workings of the
canal, but they have been described SO
often and by such able pens that any
thing along that line would be super
fiuous from me at this time.
Visit Ban ana Plantations.
Leaving the canal zone we sailed for
Bocas del Toro, at the north western end
Of Panama. Here we saWa vessel taking
On q cargo of 40, 7S3 punches of bananas.
From there we were driven inland about
Eorty-five miles to some Of the greatest
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