La Junta tribune. (La Junta, Bent County, Colo.) 1881-1939, 1917-01-20
THROUGH THE PANAMA CANAL
Incidents OF n Journey Through I'm.
Gle Sans Big Ditch ~ Told
by u La Juntaite


McCune Brinkman, former we'll
known resident Of La Junta, is here
with continued from last week, CIV
ing an interesting description OF OBJ
servations while en- route through the
Panama Canal.
We walked around Gatun, saw all
the Fords in town, and then went to
the locks. For a description Of the
locks | shall have to refer you to
any number of magazine articles. be-
cause l have not the technical in
formation necessary to an authentic
description. / know that l had the
impression that the whole canal was
a series OF locks, and there are five
three on the Atlantic side and two
on the Pacific side. and In between
the locks is Gatun Lake. the Charges
River and Culebra Cut where all the
slides were.
After seeing all that was visible
in Gatun. including people playing a
Sunday game of golf, we decided to
go back to the boat. but wanted
some ice cream and said so. Just
then We happened to meet the cap
tain OF our boat He was just COM
ing in from a trip with some people
In the motor boat, and he heard my
plaintiye wall and told us that we
could get ice cream at the Y. NJ. G.
A. So We went there. The Y. NJ.
c. A. building is much the same as
the rest of Gatun. and the inside is
spacious and airy and has everything
that the same organization has in the
States.
We had chocolate ice cream, then
we had a fine dinner. and then more
ice cream. Then We went to the
reading room, read many of the per-
iodicals We wanted to. listened to the
victrola and had very pleasant
Sunday afternoon. About five
o'clock We sauntered down TO the
place where the motor boat was to
come for us. No one does anything
but saunter In the canal zone-that
and carry an umbrella. Down on the
beach we saw all of Gatun in bath
ing. The littlest kiddies were in,
and they were surely adorable. Near
the landing place native had
monkey and a bunch OF bananas for
sale.
The United Fruit Company con
tracts for bananas at eleven and
twelve cents bunch. Think OF the
profit, when they are twenty and
thirty cents dozen In the States.
or course no cultivation is necessary.
Certain territory is leased by the
people handling the contracts; then
they hire natives TO 40 into the jun
gle and bring In the bananas. This
is the one good thing that We had
to eat on the Quilpue-bananas. We
have just had four banana trees
planted here.
While we were waiting the boat
came up with the canal pilet and
his family and our Captain Morgan
on board. They had been into the
Jungle after fruit and flowers, They
gave me some queer kind OF fruit.
but ! didn't like II though was
repeatedly assured II Was great
delicacy.
We finally reached the Quilaue
about six o'clock. after u most inter
csting day. We had peercd into the
mechanism OF one OF the greatest
and modern achievements. and had
marvelcd NJ the immensty Of the
canal ~ = whole. and We asked our
selves II any other nation had done
this think. would II seem 80 Won
derfui. and I for one really cannot
say. For Il In 20 splendid that one
would be forced 10 admire the work
itself. regardless Of personal feel.
inGs.
Tuesday about five o'clock In the
afternoon We left Gatun Lake and
proceeded 10 Oamboa. where We
again anchored. To reach Gamboa
from the lake we had 10 20 through
the Charges river. The canal OF the
river has becn dccpened and bouys
on each side show the proper course.
when we left GAtun there were
eight other ships In the lake. all big.
ger boats than the QuIipuc. which
drew nineteen feet Of water. The
others drew from twenty to thirty
two. and all were loaded 10 the
water limo. They let US 20 first be-
cause we were the smallest and we
stood . better chance than the 9th.
ers Of getting throush ths cut. The
boats In the lake were from every
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