Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-01-21
NOTED CANAL
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brains Of the army engineers; the
remarkable efficiency Of the work
ers who labored under them, and the
unusual organizing ability possessed
by Goethals that did in less than a
decade what the experts of other
nations declared could never be
done.
General Goethals was appointed
by President Roosevelt in 1905 to
take over the work of digging a
canal across the Isthmus. Previ-
ously several civilian engineers and
private construction companies had
undertaken the task ut the invita-
ton of the government, but their
slow progress and apparent inability
to surmount the countless prob
lens confronting them had heaped
volumes of criticism upon the pro-
ject, until for a time 1t seemed des-
tined TO 20 the way Of former at
empts. Goethals gathered about him
as aides the most efficient body Of
army Officers at the call OF the gov
eminent. and proceeded to Panama
with an organization almost wholly
military in its personnel.
w HGlliOn VI LnC 1dldImh Cdndl
and the officers who made il pos
sible would be complete without
naming the late Major General Will
liam Crawford Gorgas, chief sani-
tary officer OF the Canal Zone, the
man who cleaned up" the Isthmus,
protected the lives of the workers,
and made the digging Of the big
ditch" practicable. His name will
remain %indelibly linked with that of
Goethals.
After seven years Of unremitting
labor, wherein he drove himself as
hard and as relentlessly as he drove
the other Isthmian t~oilers, and dur
ing which he met and conquered al
most unbelievable obstacles of ma
ture and science, General Goethals
reported to the Of the
United States and to the world that
his life work was completed, and
that the two American continents at
last had been separated by a naviga-
BILE waterway.
General Goethals was born in
Brooklyn. n. Y, June %. 1858. His
early education was obtained there
and also in the City college Of New
York, following which he was ap-
pointed to the United States Mill
tary academy at West Point. where
he was graduated in 1880 as a sec
ond lieutenant in the engineering
corps. Fro mthen on his promo
motion was rapid. until he received
in 1915 the rank Of major general.
In the meantime he had been hon
ored with the degree Of LID. from
Princeton and also from the Uni
versity Of Pennsylvania.
A short time after his graduation.
General Goethals was appointed in
structor of astronomy and civil en-
cheering at West Point. and later
was sent to Cincinnati rs assistant
TO the army engineer in charge Of
improving the Ohio river for navi-
CATION. II was there that his first
experience in canal lock and dam
construction was obtained.
Throughout the Spanish-American
war he served a. chief Of corps en-
gineers, and later wss placed in
charge Of the Muscle Shoals canal
construction in the Tennessee river.
He also built A canal near Chat
tanooga and another at Colbert
Shoals.
After the Panama canal was open
ed in 1913. General Goethals served
for two years as governor Of the
Canal Zone. then requested retire
ment that he might withdraw to
civilian life after more than 80
years Of military duty. During the
World war. however. he was recall
ed to active service with the army
and was givea several important
missions.