Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-04-24
PANAMA CANAL OPENED AGAIN
ny FREDERIC j. HAsKIN

WASHINGTON. d. c.. April %
When tho slides pinchcd tho Panama
Canal closed, all the world knew It.
Now that II has been reopened with
q better prospect OF remaining SO
than ever before, the fact is scarcely
ships OF the United States Navy pass
ed through the big waterway In
March. and since that timo regular
commercial traffic has been resumed.
IT Is notable fact that. although
the public confidence In tho canal
sagged perceptihly when tho slides
blocked It's channel, the shipping
world never lost faith in IT for a mo-
ment. All through tho period OF
dredging vessels kept coming TO Colon
and Balboa, ready to wait for pas
sage through tho canal II the zone
government would give them any as
suranceS But the officials would
make no promise. and tho ships went
their long way via tho Straits OF Ma
gellan. When Mt last the canal was
announced to open, there were yes
sells waiting. Also tho South Ameri-
can Steamship Company. operating
between Panama and Chile, which gets
most OF It's business through the canal,
has increased its fleet from three YES
sells to five. and now schedules five
sailings in six weeks.
So the shipping world hns kept its
faith in the canal and. meantime, the
canal government. by means OF lib lit
tie railroad. has done Its best to han
die the business across the Isthmus. 4
dozen big lines have been wholly de-
pendent an the Panama railroad, and
they have been fairly we'll served.
though not without n terrific straining
of resources. The force OF the rail-
was was increased by 900 men, and
1t was run 10 capacity. 1t might
have handled erSular through bust
ness fairly we'll, but n great deal OF
cargo was delivered Mt tho Atlantic
terminals, to DO trans shipped when
ever Pacific bottoms could be found
TO accommodate 1t.
Vessels Booked Ahend.
Tho shipping business was exceed
ingly lively. Nessele soon became
booked with orders far ahead and
they began to refuse the cheaper
kinds OF freight. Hence. cargoes piled
up mountain high on the great gov
eminent terminals, leaving just space
enough between tn. piles for the toll
ing trucks and black men to move
about. Tho berths were filled with
vessels waiting n chance to unload.
Worst Of all, rolling stock OF the rail-
road was left under load when It was
badly needed. The railroad finally de-
clared an embargo on all cargo des-
tined for points south OF Callao.
Now the stress and overcrowdinG
will be quickly relieved, and the Pan
ANA Canal Will take its place again
In the worlds commerce. better equip
ped 10 do its work than ever before.
While the dredgcs have been clearing
out Culebra cnt. great improvements
have been under way at the Pacific
terminals. An immense ooaling plant,
dry dock 1000 feet long and new
piers arc now nearing completion. a
now water tank has been built at Bal
boa, and a signal station established
on the top OF Sosa hill. which Is 500
feet high and overlooks an important
stretch OF tho canal. BY means OF
time-ba signals, it will be possible
to control vessels from this eminence.
There is hardly department OF the
canal government that has not
strengthened Itself while the canal was
idle. The commissary department.,
which has built up an immense busi-
ness in fresh meat is laying out pas
ture Of 10000 acres. The sea-going
dredge Caribbean has been adapted for
use as a cattle boat. In this vessel
native cattle Will be brought in. and
then fattened on the government pas
lures. The commissary department al
ready uses 500 head monthly, and the
demand is steadily growing.
No Chickens Allowed.
Tho health department is also busy.
1t may be said to have practically
eliminated malaria and yellow fever
from the Canal Zone, and is now turn
ing It's attention moro particularly to
bubonic plague. The quarantine. of
course, is pretty certain guard
against this terrible disease, but the
Canal Zone is in constant touch with
infected ports by reason OF the traf-
fic passing through the canal, and the
health officials are determined to tako
no chances. Rats are the great car
rierS Of bubonic plague. Hence all tho
government buildings have been made
ratproof. But this is not all. Recently
the edict went forth that no chickens
were To be kept within the limits Of the
Canal Zone. There was howl OF pro-
test from the employees many Of
whom kept few chickens on their
premises. They loudly asserted that
the anti-chicken proclamation was q
violation OF individual rights. The
government was polite, but firm. It Is
sued lonG statement explaining that
rats were above all fond of chickens,
and wcra invariably found where chick
ems were kept. 1t would be absurd to
risk an epidemic OF bubonic plague
for the sake few eggs and broilers
So now the chicken has disappeared
finally and completely from the Canal
Zone.
When Governor Cocktails returned to
the United States not long ago, he said
that the defenses OF tho Canal Zone
made 1t safe from any attack. With
international complications arising
both TO east and to west of us, and
only ono real frst-class navy to de :.
reno both coasts. tho safety Of the
Panama Canal is a most important
consideration. It's coast and harbor
defenses have long been considered very
l. oderQlafA SoYf nyYnv nhqoarS hsun a ..