Decatur Democrat, Volume 53, Number 52, Decatur, Adams County, 29 December 1910 — Page 2

uX y wJ in the biggest job in the history or ” ~ ._ 4. .»■ I man Ift undertaking the constructio of the Panama canal. The work has now been In progress for six years, and there 1. not the least doubt that It will be carried out to a successful consummation. The casual passenger across the I Isthmus sees very little of the work being done, and It Is always difficult to convey an adequate idea of thjxigantic proportions of the undertaking, but the foilowing figures may bring home to the reader gome significance of it. ’’ The length of the canal from ocean to ocean will be about fifty miles. The average bottom width will be 649 feet. The minimum depth will be forty-one feet. The canal takes a southeastern course, starting from Colon on the Atr lantic side of the Isthmus, and ending at Panama or (Balboa) on the Pacific or southern side. ftiSst people think the canal runs east and west, but such is not the case. The country through which the canal is being built is very broken, and there is scarcely a level spot to be found on the zone. e The Gatun dam and locks will be the largest in the world. Some of the proportions are: 1 Length, 7,200 feet; greatest width, 1,900 feet; the height of crest of dam above sea level is 115 feet, width of crest, 100 feet; maximum width at bottom, 2,100 feet The area of Gatun lake, which will be formed by this dam, will be 167 square miles. Where are now forests, some small towns, and the old track of the Panama railroad will be submerged beneath this lake. The total amount of concrete to be used in the construction of the locks will he 2,096,000 cubic yards. The side walls of lock chambers will be 'SO feet wide at the bottom and eight feet at the top. ~4 Besides the Gatun dam and locks, dams and locks of almost as gigantic proportions are being constructed pt Pedro Miguel and Mirafiores. The official estimate for the construction of the canal is >375,000,000, but it is thought that it will eventually cost close upon $500,000,000. A look into the Gatun dam or into Culebra cut and the mind is baffled in its attempts to adequately describe the work to progress. The Alpine tunnels, the subways of New York and all other modern engineering feats offer no parallel, nor any comparison in the matter of magnitude and modern engineering skill. Gangs of steam and electric drills follow along wide swaths, boring holes of twenty to fifty feet deep into - which go tons of dynamite to be electrically touched off each day at 11 or five in the afternoon. The roar is tremenduous, one continuous bombardment thundering upon another, giving forth concussions so powerful even far distant from the blasting that one not accustomend to them feels most sensibly the heavy earth shocks. *Then follows upon this debris of earth and stones the steam shovels, which, scooping at the rate of a thousand tons a day, for each shovel digs out a new depth twenty feet wide and deep, loading one of the many trains of from eighteen to thirty-six cars which carry their tons away to the Laßoca sea wall or to the Gatun dam. Between the locks of the canal will be the great lake filled inainly from the Ohagres river, whose surface will be eighty-five feet above sea level. To transport all the material used in the construction of the canal, and to carry away the earth and rock that is being excavated from the cuts the government has and maintains about . 160 railway locomotives and hundreds of dump cars, and it takes thousands oL men to operate and keep these in rapair. Railway tracks are laid all through the canal, and have to be shifted con tinuously as the work progresses. Telephone and electric lines have to be maintained throughout the length of the canal, to operate the trains by, and to fire the electric blasts with. Monstrous electric cranes and towers are used in conveying the concrete for the locks and dams, and in different places suspension bridges the canal, some of them being 100 feet above the present level or bottom. ' Gold hill, commonly called the Cule- - bra cut. Is 660 feet above sea level, *■ and the canal will be 85 feet above sea level at its highest point This hill has been tjie stumbling block for both the French and U. S. governments and as the work progresses the difficulties become greater for the hili keeps sliding in, and at times tons-upon tons of earth and rock come sliding down in the cut Every foot of the canal is being worked upon, and all the then that can possibly be used to advantage are employed, but it takes years to make much of a showing on Culebra cut,

It must be taken into consideration that the natural conditions and reto any part of the United fore the government was to make could live and live comfortably, else It could not expect to keep them here. in order to make the canal zone a place where men and their families could live and enjoy the comforts of life, and to show what strides have been taken in this line, I will enumerate a few of the many improvements the government has made which will give some idea of the fitness of the canal zone at the present time. Has built towns along the canal which are from one to three miles apart Built a sewer system in each and every town. Installed electric light plants, which permits every town to have electric light and power. Has a good water system and every house has water and bath. Paid fire department in each and every town. Metropolitan police system throughout the entire zone and order is strictly enforced. Dispensary in each town where all employees can get free medical attention. Commissaries in each town where all articles of merchandise such as are .usually kept for sale in any first class general store, can be bought at a minimum cost. Has built thousands of houses, which are classed as bachelor, or married quarters. ’ Bachelor quarters are built to accomodate from eight to sixteen men or ladies and are mostly-all two-story houses with veranda ‘ all around, which is screened in, are a” furnished with bed, springs, mattresses, dresser, commode, and all have electris lights and bath. 5 Married quarters are both one and two-story houses to accommodate from one to four families and are furnished complete, Including ice box and water cooler. Coal, kindlings, light and sterilized water is furnished free of charge. Have, compelled the natives to clean up the hillsides, and also helped them to be more sanitary jn every respect. Maintains a prison and the prisoners are worked on the public highways. Established a telephone system for each town. \ , U. 8. money orders can be bought at U. 8. rates. Good banks in the principle cities and towns. American news stands, where U. 8. papers and magazines are furnished at double U. 8. prices. Has built and maintains magnificent Y. M. C. A’s in each town which are modern in every respect Has built and maintains about twenty mess houses for white emplayees, where good table board is furnished at 30c per meal. Established U. 8. courts. Has a large ice plant that furnishes ice (made from sterilized water) for the entire canhl zone. Maintains its own bakeries and ice cream plants. Has cold storage houses, whoch are. filled with the best meats, vegetables, creamery butter, and all kinds of eatables that can be procured in the states. * Has waged a war on all kinds of diseases until the once-dreaded yellow fever is entirely stamped out and the death rate is lower here today than in many cities in the U. 8. A. And above all "The Grand Old Rag” floats on the breeze of the country that Alonzo Ojeda discovered in ' 1499. r' ■' , Most people have entirely the wrong opinion of the isthmus so far as climate and health conditions are ’ concerned at the present time. The time was when the canal zone was , considered a veritable pest hole, but all these improvements, combined ' with what is now being done, have p eliminated disease to such an extent that modem medical skill has conj quered. There are two seasons on the isth--5 mus, known as the wet and dry. The t dry season begins about the first of e January and last until May or June, e and then the rainy season begins and t, it rains a little more each month until

j I you realize J limits of Panama. This territory to * i * I * .■» i ifidiction of the United States j I To carry out this monstrous under* whom are Americans ** 1 WK + .. is ; When one takes into consideration the construction of the canal, the . and the clothing they wear, and in fact almost everything used in the zone, must be transported across the] [ high seas, a distance of from one to three thousand miles, you may begin . to realize the enormity of the under- . taking, but magnificent will be the spectacle of seeing the white squadron, or the merchant marine ride mad jestically through these mountains, crossing from ocean to ocean. Electric lights win be provided to illuminate the canal for night service while at either extremity will be naval and military posts to safeguard national right*. . It is estimated that the canal will be opened for service January 1,1915, which will no doubt be accompanied TKe and it. ™ J lliary, the Royal Neighbors, have over the Holthouse drug store and Wednesday night moved to their new 'tißss§**tw r orders y pi I sublX b d e ”yTem\ h lso b to oS DeJ SwnCZWoodmlnTnd XhlorX elded Vlearc K. ot P. hall and the moving thereto was speedily accomplished Wednesday evening. The moving of the Woodmen goat occasioned no little difficulty, but it was finally boxed and with CUffton Haugh-1 ton at toe lead, was gotten safely! over. The new hall is comfortably! and conveniently arranged and will be I a most admirable place for the or-1 ders to begin a new year's life The! Meibers’ hall has been leased by the American Yeomen, who have been ocl cupying it with the other two orders ! for Some time. 7, —o ■ ' i, ■I FRED WIELTFELDT INJURED. Dislocated Knee Cap Monday Evening When He Fell. J Fred WleltfeMt, living six miles north of the city, sustained a painful injury Monday evening while doing some work around the barn. In» some manner, not clear to himself he slipVlo* TX/V I Paid little attention to the matter at first, but later tfce-knee became swollen and pained 1 him severely. This morning .he came to town andswent to Dr. Beavers, who examined the Injured member and found that the knee cap was dislocated, and the knee otherwise badly sprained. He dressed the injured limb, and Fred is feeling somewhat better, although it will] be several days before he can use it as he did befere. { «■»—<>,■ .1.! ...aREV. HUDSON REGAINS HEALTH. In a letter to Mrs. Daniel Sprang, Mrs. c. G. Hudson of Anderson, wife of Rev. C. G. Hudson, former pastor of the Methodist church of this city, stated that Rev. Hudson has fully recovered ffoni his recent disability and is In very good health. Following a stroke of paralysis recentlyTßev. Hudson had been practically helpless, but has now regained his good health. This will be very good news to their host of friends here. Mrs. Hudson, however, has been suffering from rheumatism of the hand somewhat Children Cry 1 FOR FLETCHER'S 1 CASTORIA

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either one at 'em for fear thev’d find eimer one 01 em iw leaf ukj u imu | - ■ ■» ChMUe-Wlut bare jOTbeeo Soln. 1 ssr.s more exercise -IJlMtrated Bit* '■ ■< y. .■ 31 Scott—Half the neonle In the world

i?’ v y. I Frank Davit Has an Unusual Bxpe rl * The. nine-lived cat Is not in it with J toe hog butchered Tuesday by Frank I Davis, who lives north of the city. | The animal in question weighed be- g tween four and five hundred pounds | life which It hud struggled so bravely • came in whe nthe men attempted to kill it. It Was shot four or five times | before It fell. It was then "stuck’’ i and dragged into the barrel for scald- | Ing, Just as the butchers were about J ti htl t to 1 F fl > blows with a heavy ax were Ineffect- 4 the invincible animal to the grbund 1 once more, but It was not yet ready to die. In the course of an hour its . i life-blood ebbed away, and it was 4 forced to relinquish its hold on that to defend. When the hog whs hung 1 up it was found that it had a double skull, being nearly an inch space between the two. The outer one was .. ... h h sh hll ♦ 1 blows of the ax, while the inner OT? 0 was wtQW?b * d ’ .. ?|| — s fboy Hart Oom to Kenton-John Flemlna to Huntlnaton -14 jonn 1* IdniiAg. employed for more y w a r o road« has resismed hfs nostiHon as agent at Kenton Ohio and wW Z % sXXSt' P tTciri fl front . . 4 4 j ro T e to me position vacatou oy Mr. r 16m* Ing.—Huntington News-Democrat. Mr. Fleming was transferred to KenUm from this city, where he served .? several years as agent for the Erie, he and his wife being known to many 3 here They foftnerlv raided Hunt. 3 ington and the iQttiro there w4il no« 3 doubt be a joyful home-coming to them. - AY ■ 'J| 1 ■■■'■'' 1 O —r— *— . A Very nroftv hnmA whiner tonlr puce the home of the bride’s parents, Mr. i; ana Mrs. Henry scnuitz, when their the bride of Mr. Carl Hanna, son of y Mrs. Emma Hanna of Ossian. The (ijsrfiffljQny ’performed by the Rev A IT ftHYfeanfra nf Port- Wevna ar»4 waswitnes&ed b of the groom. The bride, who is a'young lady of always pretty and dainty ap- , t a Aftnr Ain3 After the ceremony, a-wedding dinner was served and Mr. and Mrs. A 1 TT ~ » _ 4 ■ which Place they took a PdhwlvanYa i train to Chicago? -where they will | spend several days on their honey- | moon. They will be at home on their return, at 1705 Lafayette street, Fort •%yae, in which city Mr. Hanna is j employed as a machinist The bride’<|3 /oing-away gown was a handsome lone-piece tailored costumd of blue I broadclcffb, with velvet band trim- ' Iming. She wore a coat to match, ' which with a gray hat and gloves | completed a very pretty costume. The * couple is highly deserving of all the J good wishes bestowed upon them by 4 their frlehds. zf-, »*—■■' 11 '»»'■ Washington, D. C., Dec. 22-(SPec-lai to Dally Democrat)-The census population of the cities: Anderson, 22,476; Elwood, lip || 022; Hammond, 20,095; Huntington, J 10,272; Jeffersonville, 10,012; Koko- 1 mo, 17,010; Lafayette, 20,081; Laporte, g 10,525; Logansport, 19,050; Marlon, J 19,359; Michigan City, 19,027; Muncie, 1 24,005; New Albany, 20,629; Newcas- 1 tie, 9,446; Peru, 10,910; Richmond, 22,324; Vincennes, 14,895; Bedford, 8,- ‘v 716; Brazil, 9,840; Crawfordsville, 9,- -i 871; Frankfort, 8,624; Goshen, 8,514; ’ Princeton, 6,448; Shelbyville, 9,500; i Valparaiso, 6,987; Wabash,, 8,687. to'XrDeXXl-S’e Xd | of pardons in session here this afternoon decided not to take any. action 4 Z T 2 e c i ses ? efore them « •< X 1 kuirwt&bh DEMOCRAT WANT ADS’ PAY BIG b . Children Ory a'■/' Rm iwtHtrs num wJF I aaR -OMI •. fli Mm.* - I-- A ■ J -»-» « ’’