THE BIG DITCH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15169, 7 December 1912, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE BIG DITCH.

MOVING MOUNTAINS TO CUT THE

PANAMA CANAL.

DYNAMITE CAVALCADE.

A GREAT army of workers of many nations is labouring day and night on the great Panama Canal works in order that President Taft's promise— may expect to see the first ship go through on July 1, "213"— bo fulfilled.

About 100 various grades of steam shovels arc used, and so quickly and perfectly are these operated that about 120 tons per shovel are taken out per day. From the place of excavation to tho dump-ing-ground as many as 333 trains have been run, in a eingle day. On every side axe men working in gangs, says the Hon. Mrs. C. Gideon Murray in a very interesting account of the progress of the wcrk communicated to Chambers's Journal—men of every race, of many types and tongues, swarming like- ants as they move over tho railway lines .or group around the dirt trains, gangs working at tho drilling machines, at the cranes, at the steam shovels, at the steam rock-breakers, round ,tho track-shifters and the signalboxes men everywhere working in the blazing sunshine of a tropical December day. '"'■'.' Monster Steam Shovels.

There are great steam shovels in the cutting all along these land-slides continually scooping up ton after ton of fallen earth -ana rock and material known as " the run of the cut." One man sits upon the crane, from which is suspended a gigantic iron shovel, somewhat resembling in shape tho head of some antediluvian monster! Upon pulling a lever the monster lowers his jaws and drives deep into the wall of earth and rock. Then, when hie mouth is full to overflowing, ho is slowly raised on high with a rock of probably eight or 10 tons protruding from, his capacious ravening maw. He is then swung round and above the waiting dump train, and lowered until he can skilfully deposit his mouthful into the car. At another place we noticed a long string of men winding their way zigzag down the steep side of the cutting, each carrying on his shoulder a deal box. Steadily they walked, without hesitation or false step, down to the bed of the cutting, where they gently laid down their burdens near the drilling machines. Each box contained 601b of dynamite, brought from the magazine, and as each man in turn deposited his deadly burden we drew a deep breath of relief. " One false step might mean an explosion and instant death for the carrier and all near him. Blasting. • When a hole of some 50ft has been drilled dynamite is poured into it and the lose set so as to time the blasting for the dinner hour, when all the labourers are away at their mid-day lunch and rest. During the hours of 11 a.m. to one p.m. daily the air is rent by a cannonade of explosions, which soem to shake the earth and make the foundations of the frail tropical buildings in the towns of the canal zone quiver. Wonderful to relate, but few accidents occur over this dangerous work of blasting. " , The total number of men at present employed in the canal zone, on the % railroad work as well as the canal work' is, in round figures, 35,000.