cluded such official facilities as swimming There's Fun To Be Had pools, playgrounds, and gj-mnasiums, and such non-governmental facilities as clubs and other employee organizations "de- Right Here In The Zone voted to the recreational, cultural, and fraternal requirements" of the Canal Zone's people. They discussed the aims and prob- lems of the program with Civic C:oun- cil groups and the Councils, in turn, helped by listing what facilities were already available and recommending others which their townspeople wanted. When its members had completed the survey, the subcommittee submitted a detailed 10-page report, breaking recre- ational facilities and needs down into geographical areas. The present Canal Zone recreational program, they decided, represents at least
as far as the physical plant is concerned a somewhat haphazard accumulation of facilities acquired over the past 40 years, t| and commented that the periods of ex-
V--" pansion and constriction of several towns 7.) were reflected in their recreational facili- ties. This was particularly true of Balboa, Gamboa, and Gatun and, to a lesser de- gree, of Diablo Heights and Margarita. Some of the present facilities, this group Shipping took a back seat as Scout crews paddled their cayucos through the found, were still useful but almost obso- Canal last month. The two boats here are racing toward Pedro Miguel Locks. lescent. One of the major sub-headings of this group's report dealt with "parks and monuments" such as Fort San Lorenzo, Barro Colorado Island, Summit Experi- ment Garden, the Madden Road Forest Preserve, and Madden Dam and the lake
behind it. The subcommittee saw possibilities for a major park in the Summit Garden area and suggested that picnic facilities be increased there and that additional pic- nic site's and camping places be located in the adjacent forest preserve. Other possibilities they suggested for this area, which is easily accessible by both rail and road, included a zoo of local animals and an amusement park. Boat-launching facilities were recom- mended for Madden Dam to utilize its possibilities as a picnic ground and a loca- tion for water sports and outdoor camping. The subcommittee \isited beaches on both sides of the Isthmus, finding "little general interest" in these on the Atlantic side. Two beaches ,they suggrsted, might be deveIo|)e(l for public use on the Pacific. One of these would be the present Hide- away Beach and another, for future Looking over Hideaway Beach, near Thatcher Ferry, as part of the recreation consideration, is \'enado Beach, once a survey, are: Edward Gaskin, C. M. Brandl, L. L. Llewelyn, and C. E. Haywood. popular swimming spot for Pacific siders. Within the (own areas, the subcom-
The present recreational facilities of Canal Zone, is headed by Col. Hugh M. mittif looked into the matter of swim- the Canal Zone include almost every con- Arnold, Engineering and Construction ming pools, athletic fields, g\ ninasiums ceivable field of recreational interest or Director. Other members are Henry L. tennis courts, and the Service Centers. activity. They need only to be developed Donovan, Civil Affairs Director; Philip Their recommendations in this cate- to make them available to virtually every L. Steers, Jr., Comptroller; and F. H. gory included replacement of the Hal- Zone resident. Johnson, of the Executive Planning Staff. boa pool with a "moilern, accessible These, basically, are the findings of a They have been assisted by a "working one," tennis courts in each town area,
committee app:)inti'd recently by ( lover- subcommittee." Its chairman is Charles and modern soda fountains in the
nor Potter to survey what is available in Mc(;. Brandl, who is employed in the Service Centers. If some of the tennis the recreation field in the Canal Zone and Engineering Division and is well known courts were roofed and lighted, the re- suggest plans for improvement. here for his work with Civic Councils, port said, they could he used for skat- ing, town meetings. The committee has not yet sub- Scouting organizations, and other <-om- games, and projects private- mitted its full report to the Governor, niunity groups. Other members of the Neighborhood and and, to date, has made only "piece- subcommittee are Robert d. Laatz, Rob- clubs, as well as employee hobby groups, meal" recommendations to him. ert Lessiack, and C. C. Lockridge. were also surveyed and reports on these This group, working for several weeks, occupied a brief part of the report. A One of these "piecemeal" recommenda- studied recreational facilities throughout considerable part of the recreation in the tions, elimination of admission charges to the Canal Zone, listing all of those now Canal Zone, the subcommittee com- Canal Zone swimming pools, was an- existing and classifying them as to con- mented, was provided by such groups and nounced by Governor Potter at a Com- dition and ease of access. The survey in- organizations. munity Meeting held at (Jamboa May 22. The committee, which is delving into the entire matter of recreation in the THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW June 7, 1957 ??-/- /a ;-^..:.;
Vacation
Zonians are on'jthe move. As one can two years. Since these travel orders are a major family interest, just now and plainly see from the cover of this month's issued well ahead of the actual embark- want to save the "paid" transportation Review and from the picture above, it's ation date, the families involved may for a later time. vacation time —the time of year when we be starting out anywhere up to 30 days A check of these 168 travel orders shows scatter from New Jersey to California and from now. that the Panama Line's two ships are from Maine to Texas. The Home Leave Travel plan has been still the favorite means of transportation For weeks now, Zone families, vacation in effect since September 1954, but most for Zone families. Of the 168 families, 72 bound, have been boarding Panama Line families took their "paid" vacations the are making the round trip aboard either ships at Cristobal, planes at Tocumen, or following summer. Since employees in the Ancon or her sister ship, the Cristobal. United Fruit Co. ships at Balboa, and general must agree to remain in the Canal Since the early part of May, the many others will follow in the next few service 22 months after they return to Panama Line ships have been running weeks. duty from their home leave, the families full on their northbound voyages and Where do they go and how do they get who took their first "paid" vacations in at the time this issue of "The Review" there? The best qualified to answer these 1955 are just now again becoming eligible went to press, the southbound sailings questions are the half-a-dozen men and for the home leave and, consequently, on June 28 and July 5 were booked solid. women of the Transportation Section who travel may be heavy throughout this Another 50 of the 168 families had right now, are inundated with the flood summer. worked out a combination of plane and of seasonal travel requests. The 168 families for whom travel orders Panama Line travel; by far the majority During April until and up May 22, were issued in the April 1-May 22 period of them fly to the States and return by this Section had issued travel orders for do not include the many others who are ship, for several reasons, according to 168 Canal Zone families, numbering paying their own way to the United States James Thompson and Fred M. Wells of more than 400 persons, and the bulk either because they do not yet have the the Transportation Section. of these travel orders were for those two years of service which entitles them Some people just simply want to get going under the Home Leave Travel to Leave Travel, or Home because they started on their vacations (See. page lo) Plan which returns them to their are making short trips on personal or States home, transportation paid, every family business—college graduations are
TIPS TO TRAVELERS
. . . The underside of automobiles which are being taken to the States aboard ships must be washed by a pressure hose or steam cleaned be- fore the cars are loaded. This is a Department of Agriculture require- ment.
. . . Travelers between the Isthmus and the States, both north- and southbound, should have with them a vaccination certificate, preferably an international certificate, issued within three years of the travel date.
. . . Returning vacationists report the confiscation at the N. Y. piers of fruit they were carrying, includ- ing Haitian alligator pears. Permits to import fruits and vegetables into the States must be obtained from a U. S. Quarantine office whose ad- dress is given as 209 River St., Ho- boken, N. J., and in making such requests the traveler must know the scientific name of the fruit or plant he is importing. Fumigation or de- A. M. Faucelte, Counsel For the Senate Civil Service Post and Office Com- foliation may be necessary. mittee, center, spent ten days here in May, talking with Zone officials and . . . And air travelers also report labor groups on treaty provisions. Above he is shown with Maj. Gen. Louis frequent bans on taking flowers into T. Heath, Chief of Staff, Caribbean Command, and Governor W. E. Potter. Miami, a plant disease preventive measure. June 7, 1957 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW Need Targets? He Makes 'em
Clay pigeons belie their name. They aren't made of clay in the first place, and in the second they don't look at all like pigeons. But regardless of all that, clay pigeons are an essential part of any skeet shooter's sport; those which shatt<>r before the ex- pert fire of Canal Zone shooters are a j)urely local product produced by the skillful hands of Lee B. Carr, President of the Pedro Miguel Gun Club. He puts out a steady supply by care- fully salvaging all bits and pieces of the shattered targets, melting them down in a large tank, and then remodeling them into their original shape with a huge "Rube Goldberg" machine of his own in- vention. Robert Van Wagner, Insurance Board Chairman, meets Omaha Mutual officers. What emerges from this monster are small round black discs with white Group Health Insurance centers which must be as fragile as the shell of an egg, but strong enough to —A Report To The Reader stay together when fired from the tar- get ejecter. They are usually composed Canal employees are utilizing the serv- many are from employees who did not of river silt and pitch, as clay is too ices of their (iroup Health Insurance sign up earlier. In the case of the lat- durable to break easily when hit. plan. This was established clearly last ter, the insurance is selective, i. e. -Mr. Carr, who is a retired Canal em- month by figures released by the In.sur- exceptions may be made for treatment ployee, supplies the targets for Gamboa, ance Board. of some chronic or other ailments. Cristol)al, and Balboa Gun Clubs, as S;,400 Bv the middle of May, more than Employee representatives in the var- well as for Pedro Miguel. of the approximately 13, ()()() employees ious Company-Government divisions still During the war, no clay pigeons were on the Company-Covernment rolls were have a supply of the forms needed for available on the Isthmus due to the inter- members of the insurance plan, the first original applications. They also have ruption of shipments from the United of the kind to be made available to em- forms used when additional coverage is States. He volunteered the use of his ployees a.s a whole. And as of the same desired, such as in the case of a new de- machine to the Army which ran it 24 date, 337 claims had been presented to pendent -a bachelor employee may ac- hours a day supplying tiirgets for the the insurance company by members of quire a wife or a married couple a new soldiers. the (Iroup Health Insurance Program. baby for instance. Also available from Retired in 1944 from his job as boiler- The claims ranged from major surgery to the.se employee representatives are forms maker, Mr. Carr has spent the last 13 removal of a splinter. used when there is a change in pay status years traveling and working at his hob- While employees continued to enroll and the payroll deduction cards which bies, which include making gunstocks, and while claims were being paid, must be signed in duplicate and accom- carved from mahogany, in his workshop Robert \an Wagner, President of the pany each application. adjacent to the skeet range. Canal Zone (Jroup Health Insurance Board, was in Omaha, conferring with officials of Mutual of Omaha, the un- derwriting firm for the master policy. Mr. Van Wagner, who is shown above reviewing details of the program with Emerson Adams, executive vice president, and dale Davis, vice president in charge of group operations, is on leave in th( United States. He spent part of last month in Omaha, obtaining first-hand in- formation on the claims and administra- tive procedure of the insurance company. The local plan has been in effect for such a comparatively .short time that not all members are aware of the e.xtent to which they and their dependents are covered. The policy for Company-Government emploj'ees pays for all surgery performed by a .surgeon or a licen.sed physician, re- gardle.ss of whether this surgery is per- formed in a hospital or elsewhere. One recent claim wa.s for surgery necessary for the removal of a part of an arrow from an employee's finger. Claim forms for surgery may be ob- tained bv writing the insuring company at Box i()()2, Diablo Heights, C. Z., or from the Mutual offices, now located in DeLesseps Park in Panama City, facing the new Legislative Palace. Although the charter enrollment per- iod for the insurance plan ended March 25, applications are still being received. Lee B. Carr, President of the Pedro Miguel Gun Club, inserts a clay pigeon, one Some of these are from new employees of the many he produces in his workshop at the skeet range, into target ejector. or from employees who were on leave during the enrollment period, but THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW June 7, 1957 — If TREES
(Now You'll Know Them)
Even tho village smithy knew when he was standing under the spreading chest-
nut tree that is, he knew it was a chestnut tree and not a sugar maple. But down in the tropics, most visitors and even residents of long standing have difficulty in identifying any tree more un- usual than the common mango or perhaps the frangipani. This unusual state of affairs came to the attention of the members of the Canal Zone College Club Nature Study Group recently after having had a few sad ex- periences themselves with the questions asked by visiting tourists. In Balboa and Ancon alone they found there were hundreds of beauti- A Christmas Tree, but not the holiday kind, makes a background For Mrs. ful trees of various types which could Roger Adams, left, and Mrs. H. W. Schull, Jr., who helped label 100 trees. be found along the principal streets of most of the trees and after pooling their tags bearing both the most Canal Zone towns and in gardens. Latin and common Only a few residents knew the names findings, decided that a representative or local names. The labels are large group was located on a trail starting near enough to be of some of them and no one seemed seen from the road if the the Goethals Memorial in Balboa, con- tour is being taken car. to be able to identify all of the trees. by tinuing over the Balboa Heights Road, The Nature Study Group members Headed by Mrs. H. W. Schull, Jr. and past the Governor's residence and dowi found that the research Mrs. Roger W. Adams, members of the. was an education Gorgas Road to the former Ancon Post in itself and that names club, working in teams of two, took given to many Walter Lindsay, Panama Canal Agron- Office and the Tivoli Guest House. of the trees made the tour through Bal- boa sound like a trip to Never-Never land. omist, in tow and made a systematic tour Along this route, 100 of the most inter- of Ancon and Balboa. They identified esting trees were labeled with large metal Below the Administration Building at Balboa Heights, for instance, there are a sacred fig, a sausage tree, and a rain tree. The latter shuts its leaves when the skies are overcast. The wood is used in Hawaii for the manufacture of fine furniture.
Near the Balboa Heights Railroad sta- tion is a monkey pod tree which pro- duces a fine brazil-type of nut which is edible in small quantities. Too many
will make a person deathly ill and in time he will lose his hair. This actually happened one time to one skeptical Canal employee. A cigar box cedar, whose wood is really used for the manufacture of cigar boxes, is located along Heights Road; a rubber plant of the type which produces Brazil- ian rubber stands near the Governor's residence near where there is also a Pan-
ama hat palmetto, the fiber of which is used in Ecuador for the manufacture of Panama hats. New Project Engineer for the Power Succeeding Mr. Smith as Electrical Some of the other varied and e.xotic Conversion Project, effective July i, is Engineer, the title borne by the Chief trees listed are the Chinese fan palm, J. Hartley Smith, left above. He has been of the Electrical Division, will be Roy Pacific Island palm, cocao, breadfruit,
on duty in the Power Conversion Office D. Reece, who is presently Assistant Waringian fig, star apple, Pride of India, since the middle of May but does not Electrical Engineer and is shown at the teak, calabash, mangosteen, sand box, officially assume his new post until the right above. cabbage bark tree, and cuipo. first of July when he succeeds Col. E. Both the engineers are Indianans, Members of the Nature Study Group B. Jennings in that position. Colonel both are graduates of Rose Polytechnic whose ultimate aim is to write a book Jeimings will leave early in July for his Institute, and neither has ever worked on the flora of the Canal Zone, include assignment at new the Armed Forces for any other Canal unit except the in addition to Mrs. Schull and Mrs. Staff College in Norfolk, Va. Electrical Division. Adams—Mrs. George 0. Lee, Mrs. Wal- ter Dryja, Mrs. J. C. Turner, Miss Kaye Clark, Mrs. John R. Hammond, Mrs. Walker M. Alderton, and Mrs. D. B. June 7, 1957 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW Hathaway. FOR YOUR INTEREST AND GUIDANCE IN ACCIDENT PREVENTION LUBM. t-L ^ SAFE BETS
How many times have you driven is injured or killed by your thoughtless- around a curve in a highway at night ness and laziness? Remember you are and suddenly come upon a truck, bus, just as responsible in creating this hazard or car parked on the pavement without as you would be by throwing a switch in lights? Then only by frantically manip- front of an oncoming train and wrecking
ulating the wheel and a great deal of it. luck —you managed to miss the several There are better ways to protect your- people standing around watching a man, self other than outlined above: squatting out in the middle of the high- 1. Keep your car in repair and with good way, changing a tire? Finally, when your tires on all the wheels. car had come to a stop and your heart had dropped back into place, hadn't you 2. If you do have trouble, pull well off then noticed no one seemed much con- the pavement and give yourself safe cerned by the fact that they had created room to work, even at the expense a very hazardous situation and had just of the inner tube.
escaped injury, if not sudden death? 3. Look in the December 195G number This is no unusual experience. There of the Conxumerx Ref.raTch Bulletin, occur many such cases, som.e resulting in HONOR ROLL available at the Library, and read up most unhappy consequences. Bureau Award For on the safety lights on the market. BEST RECORD Most States have laws prohibiting Most are battery powered and when APRIL parking on the pavement of highways at placed right will give adequate warn- any time, especially at night without ing to others that danger and you SUPPLY AND EMPLOYEE SERVICE lights. Such highways are being con- are ahead. BUREAU stantly patrolled and violators are soon 4. If you are planning a trip to the States picked up, but few people down here pay HEALTH BUREAU or to the interior of Panama by auto- any attention to highway safety and will CIVIL AFFAIRS BUREAU mobile, you should not be without park out on the highway at any time and at least one of these red-flashing at any place. AWARDS THIS CALENDAR YEAR lights. Supplement it with a couple Civil Affairs 3 Let's suppose, however, that you have of red flares similar to those used on Health _. 3 a flat tire and are parked on a curve at the railroad, or some red scotch-light Supply and Employee Service 2 night. Have you protected yourself and past{>d on pieces of plywood with a Engineering and Construction 1 Marine 1 family with ample accident insurance? hinged leg to make it stand upright. Transportation and Terminals Is the premium paid? Does your family Then if you have trouble, or run into care about you or would they rather have someone else in trouble, place these Division Award For your insurance? Do you value the old well to the rear for the safety of your NO DISABLING INJURIES tire more than your life and the price of family, yourself, and others. a new one, rather than move to the AF'RIL SAFETY BELONGS TO THOSE shoulder? Are you prepared to assume WHO COMMISSARY AND SERVICE CENTER the moral responsibility if someone else PLAN IT DIVISION NAVIGATION DIVISION HOSPITALS AND CLINICS FREQUENCY RATE Disabling injuries per 1,000.000 employee- hours worked. MAINTENANCE DIVISION C APRIL 1957 HOUSING AND GROUNDS DIVISION BUREAU 3 5 10 15 DREDGING DIVISION 0.00 INDUSTRIAL DIVISION Supply and Employee Service Bureau ^ ELECTRICAL DIVISION MiMMSa 0.00 MOTOR TRANSPORTATION DIVISION Health Bureau M RAILROAD DIVISION ^^^m 0.00 STOREHOUSE DIVISION Civil Affairs Bureau POLICE DIVISION '^^^^^m 1.40
FIRE DIVISION i C. Z. Govt. Panama Canal Co. This Monlh ) Wh^ AIDS TO NAVIGATION ^psssssmwa 1 1 . 8t. SANITATION DIVISION Marine Bureau
1 AWARDS THIS CALENDAR YEAR 1 :: . SjO ^^...] Transportation and Terminals Bureau Aids to Navigation 4 : mmmmm^MM Electrical 4 1 ^^ .i.ll Fire.. 4 Engineering and Construction Bureau ^!T Housing and Grounds 4 Industrial 4 Motor Transportation.. 4 b iO 15 Sanitation 4 Number of Disabling Injuries 3 Employee-hours worked 2,137,250 Commissary and Service Center 3 LEGEND Dredging 3 Hospitals and Clinics 3 this month Main tenance - 3 Ht^HC. Frequency Rate Police 3 [••-••: ::\v'Tl Accumulative Frequency Rate this Calendar Year Railroad 3 Storehouses 3 1954-1955-1956 Calendar Year Average Locks 2 EUnZIZ] Navigation 2 Terminals 1 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW June 7, 1957 OF CURRENT AND FUTURE INTEREST
He's Retiring Chincli bues ha:I belter duck for cover He's these days. The Housing and Grounds Div- Leaving ision has declared total war and, since the rainy sea.son began, the Division has started a systematic spraying of all tht lawns on linth sides of the Isthmus. The spray has 111 unpleasant odor which will dissipate in a ^hort time, hut Zone authorities believe
I li.it the residts will be more successful than
I hose achieved last year. .Spraying is being done by means of sev- eral new power sprayers which are doing a last and efficient job. The spray being used was found to be successful in Floiitla re- cently, but experiments will continue locally initil .something can be found which kills the unpleasant pests which have ruined many good lawns in the past two years. In addition to the spra\-, the Housing and Grotinds people are also experimenting with new kinds of grass which may be resistant to the chinch bug. Most lawns in the Canal Zone are now planted with Java grass which grows like wildfire in the tropics but is steak-and-potatoes to the destroying chinch. One of the new types is the soysia grass, now being grown in Florida. So far, how- tojor ever, it hasn't spread, as it should, in the Canal Zone. Authorities say that there are more than Two young officers of the Corps of Engi- 200 varieties of chinch bug and that the neers will swap assignments next month type which is ruining Isthmian lawns has when Capt. Peter Grosz succeeds Maj. not \et been identified. The most common David H. Smith as Military Assistant to of the species goes by the Latin name of the Governor. Blissiis Leucopterus. Like all chinch bugs, Raymond Jackson Captain Grosz has just completed a he likes to attack the grass roots when they course at the Army Command and General first begin to grow. They have been a Staff School at F'ort Leavenworth, Kans., An idea of what Raymond C. Jackson, scourge in Florida for many years. and when Major Smith leaves here he will Administrative Assistant in the Office of head for Kansas to enter the same school. the Panama Canal Company's Secretary, A "slightly" overdue library book is The officers is going to be doing from now on can be back on the shelves of the Canal Zone two graduated from West Point githered from the picture above. Library, but how and when it went on its together in 1946 and both saw service Mr. Jackson retired May 31 after over long travels, no one will ever know. in Korea, although not in the same outfit. 38 years of continuous service with The Last month. Librarian Eleanor Burnham Captain Grosz is married and has three Panama Canal and the Panama Canal Com- received a package, and a note from Carl children —a stepson, 13, and boy-and-girl Hull, pany. Only one employee now in the W. former librarian for the Army at twins, 7. He and his family w ill arri\e here Washington Office has a longer period of Quarry Heights. He was enclosing, he about the middle of July. employment. said, a "slightly overdue" book which had turned up on the shelves of the Cambria "Jack," as he is affectionately called by An extremely interesting science motion Free Library in Johnstown, Pa., where he hi5 fellow-workers, had an ability to locate picture film, entitled "Our Mr. Sun," pro- is now hbrarian. historical and statistical records pertaining duced by the American Telephone & Tele- He had no idea o.' how long the book, a to the construction of the Panama Canal graph Company, was shown last month to copy of Bram Stoker's "Dracula," had been uij^ualled by none. His special jobs have pupils from fifth grade up, in all of the in Johnstown or how it had gotten there. to do with records management and prop- Canal Zone schools. The showing took erty control. He is well known to many The copy had been borrowed from the place in the Service Center theaters. employees in the Canal Zone, especially Cristobal Library on March 10, 1933. Also during May, students in biology those who have visited the Washington classes saw another science film. John ^L Purvis, [r.. Pressroom Head of This pic- Oince on official business. ture, of a more 1 the Panama Canal Press (which prints The technics nature, was en- plans to catch up on some of the titled "Hemo, the Magnificent." He P.WAM.^ Canal Review), has just been chores on his small farm near Gaithers- awarded a diploma in American Law and burg, Md., and hopes also to cut enough Procedure by LaSalle E.xtension University oS his golf score to beat his two sons. He of Chicago, after three years' study in his CIVIL plays an expert game of checkers, but ad- spare time. DEFENSE mits that there is room for improvement in .\ graduate of Balboa High School, he his chess game a project which may oc- NEWS — studied for a year at Carnegie Institute of cupy him on winter evenings. Technology. This is the third correspond- ence course he has completed in the past Philip L. Dade, three years. He took two courses with the Chief of the Civil Defense Section, returned International Printing Pressmen and Assist- to the Canal Zone late last month from an official ants LInion of North America in addition trip to the States which took to his LaSalle law training. him to the Civil Defense Staff i^^^^ College at Battle Creek, He is now Legislative Chairman of the Mich. Canal Zone Labor Union and plans to con- He also visited Civil Defense offices in tinue his studies in the legislative field and Washington, D. C, and Thomasville, Ga. OSlciil Panama Canal Company Publication graphic arts. Published Monlhl; At Balboa Heights, C. Z. Applications are now being accepted for Printed by the Printing Plant, Mount Hope, Canal Zone Common household items mav be used renewal of to Hcenses hunt in the Canal to make an improvised stretcher in a civil Zone. Pacific siders may get their hunting defense or other emergency, the Federal permits at the License Section in the Civil Civil Defense Administration points out. W. E. Potter, Governor-President Affairs Building; Atlantic siders may get Possibilities include an ironing board, the H. VV. ScilULL, Jr., Lieutenant Governcr the application blanks at the Cristobal leaf of a dining table, a door, or a window- PoUce Station. W. G. Arey, Jr., Public Information Officer shutter. In either case, the cost is $1. The FCDA also suggests that hot-water heaters would provide Dr. Harold Mondragon was scheduled to a good source of un- arrive contaminated water aftei a nuclear attack. J. RuFus Hardy, Editor here this week to succeed Dr. Gerald E. Cosgrove, Eleanor H. McIlhenny, Assistant Editor Jr., as Chief of the Board of Health Laboratory in .Ancon. Doctor Cos- grove leaves later this month to join the JUNE VOLUNTEER CORPS MEETINGS staff of the Ridge Oak National Laboratorv Date Town Place On sale at all Panama Canal Service Centers, Hour in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Doctor Mondragon Commisaaries. and Hotels for 10 days after publica- 5 Margarita and Service Center a. m. tion date at 5 cents each. Subscriptions, $1 a year; comes to the Canal Zone from the First 9 New Cristobal tnall and bacic copies, 10 cents each. Army Medical Laboratory in New York. Margarita Doctor Cosgrove has been here since 6 Balboa 2428 Morgan Ave. 9 a. m. June 1955, having Postal money orders made payable to the Pan- come here from Rapid IJ Rainbow City School 6:30 p.m. ama Canal Company should be mailed to Editor, City, S. Dak. He has been Chief of the 13 Gamboa Civic Center 8:30 a.m. The PANA.MA Canal Review. Balboa Heights. C. Z. Laboratory since last October. 17 Paraiso School 7:30 p. m.
18 Gatun Service Center 8:30 p. m. June 7, 1957 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW 19 Diablo Service Center 9:30 a.m. Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2010 with funding from Lyrasis IVIembers and Sloan Foundation
http://www.archive.org/detals/panamacanalr71119577pana [Fifth And Final Article In A Series On Canal Capacity] Sea Level Or A Lock Type Canal? Battle Of The Levels Is Not New
ANAMA SEA-LEVEL CANAL FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEM
Tide-making machines duplicated the Atlantic and Pacific tides in the mile-long as proposed in With Gafun Lake dry, this is how the Canal Zone would look sea level canal model at Miraflores. The section above is looking north. divert the Chagres to the sea. the 1 947 Studies. A flood control system would
would be used. This would permit the A simple scheme providing wide lati- When William Howard Taft was Sec- tablished in 1940 for the Third Locks in one stage tude in operation was proposed. This Col. James H. lowering of Gatun Lake retary of War, it came his turn in 1906 project. It was headed by of the work. was for a tidal lock, 200 by 1,500 feet, on retired and member of a at the completion to express his opinion on the advisability Stratton, now 3. Simplified tidal regulating and the main channel with a movable tidal constructing a sea level or lock canal consulting firm. His staff of never more of barrier or a parallel and connect- of flood control features. dam on he up a world of argument than about 200 was composed mainly and summed navigable pass. Both the main chan- men with out^ 4. Non-interference with normal ing in a very few words. carefully selected young Canal traffic while the work was in nel and navigable pass could be kept open He concluded a ten-page letter to Pres- standing records in various branches of progress and a trafHc interruption for an average of 7.7 houi's a day, operating ident Theodore Roosevelt, forwarding the engineering and science, some of whom about seven days at the end of the on a schedule to permit currents in the majority and minority reports of the today are leading authorities in their project to empty Gatun Lake and re- Canal up to two knots. With this sched- Board of Consulting Engineers and the fields. ule, the Canal's capacity would be 86 pains- move land plugs at the new channel view of the Isthmian Canal Commission, The studies were made with extremities. transits a day, far more than predicted with the following words: taking care and, throughout, the Special in this century, without consideration of "Wc may well concede that if we Engineering Division had the assistance The proposed canal would be a broad, the capacity during the remainder of a could have a sea level canal with a and advice of both Government and pri- open waterway free of dangerous curves. 24-hour period when the tidal lock would prism from .WO to 400 feet wide, with vate agencies interested in the problem. It would be about five miles shorter than bo in operation. must now exist reduced, At the outset, a Board of Consulting En- the present Canal and would save about curves that The most formidable and trouble- serve in an it would be preferable to the plan of gineers was appointed to four hours in transit time. The channel some problem of the original Canal the minority (for a lock canal), but advisory capacity on the studies and eval- would be 60 feet deep at low tide with a builders was that of landslides. This the time and cost of constructing such uation of the results. This was composed 600-foot width at a depth of 40 feet below could be eliminated in converting the a canal are in effect prohibitory." of some of the most eminent engineers the low tide level. Canal to sea level by use of present-day The arguments pro and con on a sea of the United States. With the dimensions and the proposed knowledge of the strengths and behav- level canal arc no less acrimonious today Model testing and laboratory investi- alignment, the canal would have a capac- ior of soils and the complete informa- than they were a half century ago, but gations were employed on a wide scale ity far in excess of requirements predicted tion developed on the type of materials neither side has erased the question of both on the Isthmus and in the United for the remainder of this century and through which the channel would be whether the costs are prohibitive. Lay- States. U. S. Government agencies assist- would provide the maximum in safety. dug. men may continue their arguments for ing in the investigations included the It was estimated that 37,000 employees techniques in soils mechan- another century on whether a Panama Atomic Energy Commission, the U. S. would be required on the project which Advanced ics were employed both during the inves- sea level or lock canal is better, but the Army Ordnance Department and Chem- would take ten years for completion. No feature of the proposed sea level canal has iroused more speculation than tides, The dia- tigation phases of the Third Locks project answer will be made on the basis of ical Corps, various branches of the U. S. A feature of a sea level Panama Canal gram above shows the navigable pass, and that lelow illustrates the tidal regulating facilities. 1947 studies in determining the national policy. The dollars and cents Navy, and others. which has aroused much dissension over and the proper slopes to avoid landslides. Soils of the simplest, shortest, safest canal The report and recommendation of the years is the control of tides which mechanics was an unknown science in the must be balanced against a possibly Governor Mehaffey were reviewed in Zone which became identified as the ever contemplated, no problems of an en- have a variation of as much as 20 feet days of the Canal construction and slopes cheaper more vulnerable substitute. When draft form by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Chorrera and Panama Parallel routes. gineering nature were encountered which between the Pacific and Atlantic en- were set by rule of thumb. Today's sci- either will be needed depends upon deci- the Department of the Navy, and the These were made because a sea level were insurmountable, and the final plans trances. To solve this problem a mile- ence adequately determines soils charac- sions of higher authorities. Atomic Energy Commission, all of canal could be constructed on either of were reduced to the utmost in simplicity long test model was built near Miraflores teristics to a degree that the threat of There are a thousand and one complex- which fully concurred in the main these routes without traffic interference. for a work of its magnitude. Several sali- and fitted with tide-making machines to future slides could be eliminated. By ities in the debate, not the least of which premises of the final report. Subsequent studies, however, disclosed ent features either new or formerly con- duplicate in miniature the tidal effects. setting all slopes to the proper grades, are nuclear weapons, vulnerability, na- At the first meetmg of the Board of that the existing Canal could be converted sidered impractical were developed. These By extensive tests of this scale model dig- national defense. slides can be prevented, even when tional welfare, and But Consultants a resolution was adopted to to sea level without appreciable traffic included: and other hydi'aulic studies it was de- sand. The determination of even these, important as they are, all ging in loose the effect that no plan affecting the Pan- disi-uptions. While the Chorrera and 1. An excavation plan whereby ap- termined that currents up to a maximum the proper slopes on the proposed sea level point finally to the question: Are the ama Canal would be approved under Panama Parallel routes were found to be proximately 70 percent, or 750 million of 4.5 knots would be generated in the alignment was an extremely tedious task costs prohibitive? which the capacity of the Canal would feasible the present Canal route follows cubic yards of material would be re- channel during extreme tidal variations. because of the diversity of the geological The conversion of the Panama Canal be impaired or seriously reduced during the more favorable alignment and the moved by dry excavation and only This would shade to slack water twice sea level as formations. to a waterway recommended the course of such changes. This impor- conversion cost would be less than con- 300 million cubic yards by the more daily because of the diurnal tides in the that flov. Joseph C. Mehaffey on the basis At some points it was determined by tant factor was kept well in the forefront structing a new canal. expensive of dredging. Modern Pacific. method foot of Isthmian Studies of slopes of such extreme flatness of one the Canal 1947 throughout the studies which related to The plans evolved for converting the earth-moving techniques could reduce The 1947 report recognized that navi- would have cost $2,483 million. The I in depth to 15 feet in lateral cut would be modifications to the existing waterway, Canal into a sea level waterway were so even this figure. gation through an uncontrolled sea level plans and cost estimates were reviewed required because of the weakness of ma- construction of a third set of locks, build- fully developed when the studies were 2. The design development of dredg- channel would be entirely feasible with in 1955 by the New York engineering firm terial to be encountered. ing a parallel sea level canal, the terminal concluded that the project could have I ing equipment for excavation of the currents up to 4.5 knots but recommen- of Parsons, BrinckerhofT, Hall & Mac- The use of dry excavation methods for lake plan, and the conversion plan. been initiated without delay. new channel to required depths in sec- dations were made for tidal regulating Donald and a new cost estimate of using nearly three-fowths of the billion Extensive studies were devoted initially Although the sea level project would tions of Gatun Lake or the Canal chan- facilities as a safety factor and for the $3,688 million was set. cubic yards of material to be mo\ed is to two routes in or adjacent to the Canal be one of the greatest engineering tasks nel where wet excavation methods convenience of shipping. The 1947 Studies were conducted by possible partly because of the channel in- the Special Engineering Division, first es- alignment but chiefly because of an genious plan developed during the studies.
June 7, 1957 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW June 7, 1957 )
This plan involves driving a series of finger canals into the land mass from Gatun Lake. These would parallel the PAGES FROM THE excavation site and material being re- moved would be loaded directly into CANAVS HIST dump scows operating on the finger canals. .\s the cut was deepened and THIS MONTH extended, new finger canals would be driven farther into the land. The practicabOity of the deep dredging 50 Years Ago iiad not been cut, although the leave of other plan permitting the accomplishment of all Government employees was restricted to 15 Steamshovels were back at work wet excavation before emptymg Gatim days. throughout the Canal Zone 50 years ago Lake was determined through design con- Because of the decrease in Canal traflSc, this month and the Canal force was tracts with some of the largest manufac- working shifts of towing locomotive oper- making up for lost time. Official figures turers of dredging equipment in the ators were to be reduced at Gatun and showed that, despite the strike, the ma- United States. Their reports concluded Miraflores Locks from four to three, and terial taken from Culebra Cut during the that the plan is feasible and they sub- from three to two at Pedro Miguel Locks. first five months of 1907 exceeded by mitted preliminary designs for dredges The effective date was to be July 1. almost one million cubic yards the total which would excavate to the unprece- With the reduced force, only one side of for the entire 12 months of 190G. dented depth of 145 feet. Gatun and Miraflores Locks would be in .4 "change fraught with evil." the editor- use before 9:30 a. m. and after 5:30 p. m. There were few new or unknown prob- ial writer for the "Star & Herald" pre- The newly-formed Canal Zone Women's lems in constructing a sea level Panama dicted, commenting on rumors that the League spent a busy month. First, they Canal when the Isthmian Studies were Sanitary Department of the ICC was "en- sold 2,000 buttons, at $1 each, to retain undertaken. The main features were rec- deavoring to transfer the responsibility for legislative representative H. A. .\lcCon- ognized by the French in thoir attempts the sanitation of Panama City to the Re- aughy in Washington to look after Canal to construct a sea level canal during the public." According to reported plans, the interests, and later in the month they met ISSO's. They were well explored and de- United States would pay $20,000 annually to discuss the need for a Canal Zone Junior bated during consideration of what type toward this task, the balance would be paid College. On June 22, Governor Burgess of canal to build after the United States by Panama. "The sanitation of Panama said that appropriations 1904. for a junior col- Government undertook the job in has never been so perfect as it is today," lege would be included in budget e.'iiimates One of the most important of the old he declared, urging against the change. for the next fiscal year. problems for which the investigators Gertrude Beeks, of New York City, Governor Burgess approved plans to needed an answer in 1947 was that of Secretary of the Welfare Department of build two "modern one-family houses" flood control. the Civic Federation, arrived to investi- on a shoulder of Ancon Hill then occupied gate housing, food, and amusements of With the disappearance of Gatun Lake, by women's bachelor quarters. (These the Canal Zone's working force. She had one of the largest bodies of artificial water two houses are now occupied by Paul been appointed to this job bv Secretarv in the world, the entrance of the Chagres Bertz, General Counsel, and Col. Hugh Taft. She spoke at the CuJebra Club- and other large tributary streams into the M. Arnold, Engineering and Construction house June 21; according to the Star tt canal channel would make navigation dif- Director. Herald, the result of her talk was that ficult in normal times and impossible dur- Isthmiana: Eighty-two seniors received her audience became ICC champions. ing floods. The development of an ade- their diplomas at Balboa High School; flood control plan was one of the The Cristobal Clubhouse, last of the four quate Cristobal High School graduated Jfi; trunks built by the Canal Commission, was opened major engineering problems of the 1947 alone were barred at the Balboa swimming formally on June 29. studies. pool men bathers had to wear full suits Bids were asked for two more large A plan was developed to block off all if they wanted to swim; Governor Burgess suction dredges, each capable of handling streams and tributaries of any conse- was promoted to the rank of Brigadier Gen- as much material as three or four steam- quence by using excavated material to eral; and the month's visitors included Dr. shovels. One of the dredges would be form wide, flat dams which would be .Arthur Compton, of cosmic ray fame. stationed at Balboa, the other at the diflicult of destruction. The Chagres Atlantic entrance to the Canal. 10 Years Ago River would be dammed at Gamboa, cre- A highly-touted novel entertainment, a ating a new reservoir there, and diverting Zone labor unions went into action fight between a bull and a tiger in Panama against bills which its flow through a long diversion channel two would extend fed- City, turned out to be a first-class fiasco. to the Atlantic. eral income tax to U. S. citizens employed jaguar, The tiger was a and a timid one in the Canal Zone. Similarly, barrier dams would block at that. He escaped into a panicky crowd The Canal Zone budget was slashed by the flow of large streams on the west of over 4,000 ami had to be shot. almost million by the House .Appropria- side of the Canal and a large reservoir, $i tions Committee. now a part of Gatun Lake, would be 25 Years Ago Governor Mehaffey approved plans to for the Trinidad River which formed Zonians continued to watch the activi- increase rental on "silver" quarters, al- would have its outlet into the Carib- ties of Congress with some apprehension though the increase would not be bean through the Chagres River bed effective as Representatives and Senators slashed for about two months. below (;atun Dam. tried to away at funds and bring (jovern- The Canal organization adopted a policy The care taken in the Isthmian Canal ment spending in line with the President's of giving 30 days notice of force reduction Studies of 1047 is indicat<'d in part by di'ciared Kconomy Program. to silver-roll employees, other than those on the final report. The text alone, summar- .l.s ended, the Congress the month passed a "casual or intermittent basis." izing the studies and recommendations, Bill which would cut the Economy salaries Drawings and specifications for the new includes over 100 pages of written mater- of Government employees by either 8^4 or Balboa theater, submitted by a New ial, maps, and charts; in addition, eight 10 percent, depending on whether they were York firm, were approwd and accepted. annexes were published, each larger than switched a six- to a five-day iveek or from ,4 New York shipping strike tied up the the text, dealing with specific pha.ses. given a month furlough. Reports from SS "Panama" and threw the schedules of The subject of these, indicating their con- Washington indicated that the limitation of the other ships out (f kilter. tents, are: Panama Canal Commercial one working-employee in a family had been James Marshall succeeded C. H. Cal- Trafl[ic Survey by Dr. Roland L. Kramer; included in the bill; the Canal Administra- houn as Chief of the Division of Civil Future Capacity Needs; Geology; Slides tion to word it had wait official before could Affairs and Capt. Edward S. Hutchinson and Excavation Slopes; Meteorology and prescribe its policy. Canal leave, however. took over the duties of the Balboa Port Hydrology; Panama Canal L(jck C'anals; Captain. Panama Sea L<;vel Canal; and Security. Also included in the report were 21 ap- whether in Panama or other countries. One Year Ago pendices containing detailed data and in- No matter which way the eventual deci- .As June ci'dcd, tile Panama ("anal had formation on every principal phase of the sion goe.", the engineering is ready for use. set an all-time year's record for traflic project. For many years to come the only answer and tolls: S,2(I0 ocean-going commercial required will be to the question, vessels of 300 tons over; total of The report is probably the most com- "Which and a plete and meticulous engineering report plan do we build?" $37,450,951 collected in tolls. ever written. It deals exhaustively with all the alternates ever seriously proposed THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW June 7, 1957 Here's The Man Who Keeps Things Moving
If it has wheels and moves on them side of the Canal Zone, come under his and belongs to the Company-Government direction and it is his ultimate responsi-
organization, it probably is the business bility to .see that ships which refjuire suj)-
of Bernhard 1. Everson. plies are able to take on water or fuel or As Director of the Transportation and load or discharge cargo. Terminals Bureau, he's responsible for During the fiscal year which ended the Panama Railroad and its 9 locomo- last June 30, over 3,200 ships berthed tives and 42 passenger cars and 453 at the Canal Company's docks and freight cars, and all of the rest of its roll- piers in Balboa and Cristobal which ing stock. In the same capacity, ho has handled a v.ork-load of over 2,000,000
the say-so when it comes to the 49 sedans tons of cargo, and 15,000,000 barrels of and numerous trucks, station wagons, petroleum products. busses and carryalls, and all of the other The Terminals Division serves as local vehicles operated by the Motor Trans- agents for the Panama Line ships and for portation Division. And, since the Term- a number of other lines which do not inals Division is part of his bureau, he is maintain a local agency. Occasionally, concerned with its lift-trucks and tractor- this entails the Railroad Division too: trailers. Cargo shipped from New York on a Even if the wheeled equipment does Panama Line ship is discharged in Cris- not "belong" to his divisions, its re- tobal, shipped across the Isthmus by pairs are still his concern. Police cars railroad, and reloaded in Balboa for a and hospital ambulances, for instance, port in South America, for instance. are carried on the property lists of the Like all jobs, that of Transportation Police Division or the Division of Hosp- and Terminals Director has its joys and pitals and Clinics, but they are taken its headaches. The most interesting part
to the Motor Transportation Division of it, Mr. Everson believes, is the day- when a carburetor goes bad or a tie-rod to-day working contacts with people in needs fixing. the shipping and transportation fields. Over 400,000 passengers each year ride And the major headache, currently, is on the railroad he supervises and the line working out some means of returning cirries tonnage well over the 100,000- business to the Panama Railroad and im- mark. Each of the "official cars" in the proving its service to its customers, while Motor Transportation pools runs about at the same time reducing costs. 12,000 miles a year, carrying engineers on This month's "Man Who" has several field trips, the official photographer on distinctions. He has spent more time B. I. EVERSON picture-taking expeditions, and dozens of here than any other of the Bureau Di- If things move on wheels, they're his. other employees wherever official errands rectors, he is the only Director to have take them. Every day during the school- attended elementary and high school here, came here from Norway to join his father, year, more than 600 boys and girls ride and he is the only member of the "top a chief operator on Dredge 86. Like most from home to school and back again in brass" to have spent his entire working families of those days, they lived 'round busses based at the Ancon and Cristobal career in the Panama Canal's service. and about in Panama City at the old "corrals," and the men under his direc- Born in Brevik, Norway, closer to the Hotel Imperial, in a pension on what is tion supervise the operation of almost 90 Arctic Circle than the Isthmus is to now Tivoli Avenue, and in Colon and public transportation busses which run the Equator, he was christened Ingvar Paraiso before they finally found perma- under franchise on both sides of the Canal Bernhard Everson. When he grew up, nent housing in Pedro Miguel. Zone. he switched his first two names, so that Emo Everson held his first Canal job All of these things, of course, come he is now Bernhard Ingvar, or the as a messenger in the old Correspondence under the Transportation part of his job. "Emo" by which he is known to his Bureau in 1927, when he was a freshman The Terminals are something else, but friends. As a boy, Emo could speak at Balboa High School. The next year, they are not as far divorced from Trans- the Scandinavian languages but he has he transferred his allegiance to the Mar- portation as the uninitiated might think. forgotten much of what he once knew. ine Division and worked there, first as a
Most of the docks and piers, on either In 1914, he and his mother and brother rollkeeper's helper and {See page 12) Blood Bank
Not one Canal employee has had to pay small group of volunteer donors and by as donors to help meet the problem of for blood transfusions at Canal Zone hosp- purchase from professional donors. Last providing blood for charity patients, vet- itals since February 1, 1956, and it has fall, an intensive campaign was carried erans, and foreign seamen, as a commun- not been necessary for the hospitals to on in the Canal organization and a body ity effort. purchase blood since last November. of potential donors was signed up. Below is a summary of the Blood Re- This is due to a program under which The blood bank at Gorgas Hospital is plenishment Program, by Bureaus, for employees of each Division in the Canal located in the Out-Patient Clinic and op- the period November 23, 1956, and May organization donate blood for fellow em- erates between 1 and 4 p. m. Monday, .3, 1957: ployees who need it. Under a similar Wednesday, and Friday. In case of emer- arrangement, members of the Armed gencies, blood is drawn at the Emergency Bureau Donors ; tentt Forces and units such as the U. S. Em- Room. Office of Governor-President, bassy which use Zone hospitals donate Few difficulties have been encountered Administrative Branch, blood to replace that used for their per- although in a relatively small blood bank and Miscellaneous . 8 sonnel. such as this, there are occasional short- Supply and Employee Service 24 32 Between November 23, when this blood ages of a specific type of blood. A pro- Personnel 7 1 replenishment program went into effect, gram for the typing of all potential donors Engineering & Construction 18 19 and May 3, when the latest figures were will be initiated in the near future. Marine 44 51 compiled, 445 pints of blood have been At the present time the list of donors Transportation & Terminals. 23 35 given free of charge. maintained by the various Bureaus is Comptroller's Office 5 2 Before the present program was started made up almost exclusively of employees. Civil Anairs 24 24 blood donations were obtained from a Wives and dependents may also register Health Bureau 26 15
June 7,1957 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW Total 179 179 And Not An Alp In Sight!
Snow storms and mountain avalanches Zone when she was only six weeks old come to mind at the mention of St. Ber- and was so small that Mr. Panzer could nards—not palm trees and the tropics— fit her neatly into his coat pocket, but but residents of Diablo Heights are be- she has grown rapidly and is now only coming accustomed to the two giant St. 10 pounds lighter than the male. In ex- Bernards belonging to Herman Panzer, plaining Queenie's fast growth, Mr. Pan- of 52S2 Morrison St. zer pointed out that St. Bernards' diet Teddy, the six-year-old prize-winning must be carefully watched during this St. Bernard, weighs 155 pounds. He is growth process and extra calcium added one of the rar.?, almost perfect, specimens to avoid bone diseases. of the breed and has the weight, height, At this time young St. Bernards often and shape of head and body that makes develop a lop-sided appearance when two a champion. He has participated in seven of the legs grow faster than the other two. dug shows. Teddy is a show dog in an- Although Queenie was able to adapt to other way too, having had a fling at acting the climate immediately Mr. Panzer spent in the show, "King of Hearts," produced a year and a half in California near the Every respectable St. Bernard carries recently by the Balboa Theater Guild. desert to acclimate Teddy gradually be- a keg; a blizzard might just happen! Queenie, the two-year-old, came to the fore bringing him to the Canal Zone. Both St. Bernards live in the house and are exceedingly good housedogs, ac- cording to Mr. Panzer, who points out that St. Bernards are often pictured in china shops to show their gentle graceful- ness. The Panzer house is a good test for them since Mr. Panzer collects crj'stal, china, and pott«ry figurines of dogs, and Mrs. Panzer has a similar collection of cats. The dogs St. Bernards, not figurines- are expensive animals to maintain. They eat an average of six pounds of beef each per day and require a great deal of atten- tion to keep their coats shiny and in good condition.
Committee Appointed
To Plan United Fund
Drive For Canal Zone
Details of a United Fund Drive for the Canal Zone are now being worked out by a seven-man st<>ering committee, ap- pointed last month at a meeting of "givers and receivers" held at the Balboa Theater. The committee was to submit a report late last week and this report will be presented to another "givers and re- ceivers" as.semblage within the near fu- Unique he-re are ih^ tvjo Si. Bernards owned by Heiman Panzer of Diablo ture. One of their recommendations will Heights. They don't seem to mind the heat and humidity of the Zone. concern the dat<', probably in September or October of this year, for a United Here's The Man Who Keeps Things Moving nate main control center for Oivil De- Fund Drive and the way in which it can fense on tlij Atlantic side. In his spare be conducted. (f'lmiinualfrom piii/e. II) later as a Seaman time, he goes tarpon fishing on the The idea of a United Fund campaign, for the rest of his summer vacations. Chaftres River from the 18-foot out- to replace the numerous money-raising After his graduation as a Mechanical boar portant of which is headingj the alter- 12 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW June 7, 1957 — Honored The Diablo Heights Commissary, now a minimum of $8,100 a year more than open from 1 to S p. m. on Mondays, will the present cost of operating this com- have a new set of hours for that day, to missary. be effective within the next few weeks. Problems which would arise from a This was decided May 27 at a Commis- shift to continuous operation, Mr. Elich sary Forum attended Ijy representatives showed, by another set of charts, would of various civic and labor groups from involve: Preparation of stock prior to the Canal Zone's U. S. Rate communities. store opening, inventory control, super- The new hours, which will be on a vision and training of employees. trial basis for a period of about two In connection with the discussion on months, will be 9 a. m. to noon, and hours, several of those present reported 2 to 6 p. m. each Monday. On its other that shelves are insufficiently stocked selling days, the Diablo Heights Com- when the commissaries open in the morn- missary hours will remain unchanged. ing, delaying housewives and others who The shift in hours was the result of want to get their shopping done during customer comments and complaints that the early part of the day. Commissary there is at present no retail store open representatives were asked to look into Monday morning where Pacific side com- this matter and take steps to correct it. Mrs. Nina Brown Kosik missary shoppers can replenish their lard- At the beginning of the forum, the ers after the heavy weekend consumption To Nina Brown Kosik went the customer representatives were told that at home. Several of the Pacific siders honor this week of learning that her a trial shipment of fruit and vegetables indicated a preference to have Balboa name will be engraved on the bronze from the Commissary open Mondays, but when southern part of the United plaque at the entrance to the Canal States had not proved satisfactory the question was put to a vote, the ma- be- Zone Junior College as the graduat- cause of the delayed arrival of the ship jority favored retaining Diablo Heights ing student who has contributed bringing this produce to the Canal Zone. as the open store on Monday but chang- most to the college in scholarship, ing the hours to permit morning shopping. character, and student activities. "First-hand losses" were as high as 52 percent on celery and 40 percent on green She is the twenty-third student to The date on which the change in hours peppers. Less perishable items, such as be so honored, and the second one will be effective is to be Monday, June 10, potatoes and watermelons, arrived in sat- to have been married at the time according to Wilson H. Crook, Supply isfactory condition. Investigation, how- the honor was given. and Employee Service Du-ector, who con- ever, will be continued into the possibility The announcement was made ducted the May forum. during the graduation ceremonies of such shipments, provided a line can be Wednesday. The entire matter of commissary hours, found which will make a direct trip to Mrs. Kosik, the third generation including a lengthy discussion as to the Zone. Also being investigated is the of her family to live in the Canal whether the noon-hour closing be aban- matter of air shipments of fruits and veg- doned and the stores revert to the former if Zone, is the daughter of Mrs. Emma etables, a satisfactory freight rate can E. Brown of Balboa, and the late shopping hours when there was no noon- be obtained. time closing, occupied much of the time John L. Brown, and granddaughter Customers indicated their approval of the lengthy May 27 forum. of Mrs. Marie Van Clief who retired of a system, tried recently at Balboa recently from the Canal service. She B. J. Elich, Special Assistant to the when a large shipment of women's was born in Colon and was graduated General Manager of the Commissary and dresses was sold by assigning different from Balboa High School in 1955. Service Center Division, displayed a sizes to different days, and also said During her freshman year at the series of charts showing sales throughout that they were pleased with the type Junior College, she was selected as a day at the Balboa Commissary based and quality of women's clothes now the friendliest student and this year on data compiled for the January 27-Feb- being carried. as the most-all-around student. ruary 9 period. These indicated that She was editor-in-chief of this year's Other commissary matters reported there were two daily peaks, one at about "Conquistador" the college year- included the following: Dress patteni- 11 a. m. and the other from about 4:30 book, and is a member of Phi Theta books will be available in Balboa and to 5:30 p. m. On Thursday, when the Kappa national honorary scholastic Cristobal commissaries soon; customers store opens at 1 p. m. and closes at 8 fraternity. may order from these books and the pat- p. m., the peak was also between 4:30 She was married last year to terns will be available the following day. and 5:30 p. m. August J. Kosik, an employee of the Arrangements have been made to have Civil Aeronautics Administration. Other charts showed what the shop- a scissors sharpener outside the Balboa Thev live at Rousseau. ping load would probably be were the Commissary one day weekly. Better store open continuously, the costs of quality cotton lingerie is now on sale, this increased service (both with addi- and a wider variety of shoes of all types Zone License Sections tional personnel and with a staggered is now being ordered. force), and two plans to revise the pres- Additional items requested at the forum Will Be Consolidated ent shopping hours. The cost charts included: A larger stock of teenage dresses showed that continuous hours at Bal- Consolidation of the Land License especially size small-size boa would cost an estimated additional 12, blouses, office and the License Section, both units girdles for teenagers, French-cuffed dress .'58,878 per month, if additional help of the Civil Affairs Bureau, will be effec- shirts for teenage boys, dacron slacks for were added, and about S2,700 per tive July 1. John W. Hare, presently growing boys, small-size T-shirts and pa- month if the force were staggered. Chief of the Land License Unit, will head jamas for boys, and good khaki trousers the new consolidated Section. He will Another possibility, also displayed in for men. be assisted by Michael Zombory. chart form, involved a minor revision of As a preparatory move toward the the present store hours on Tuesday, Wed- Considerable time was devoted near the consolidation, the Land License Office nesday, and Friday, to allow for morning end of the conference to questions on the was moved May 15 to the front section hours of 9 a. m. to 1 p. m. but with the inspection of food products obtained in of th« License Office in the Civil Affairs same afternoon hours, the present hours Panama. Mr. Crook assured the cus- Building. Land License operations had on Thursday unchanged, and continuous tomers that all of these food producers previously been carried on from an office operation from 8:30 a. m to 5:30 p. m. are subject to inspection at any time and in the lobby of the building. on Saturday. The cost of this would be said: "You can rest assured that what we are selling has been approved by the June 7, 1957 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW 13 Health Bureau." 1 PROMOTIONS AND TRANSFERS JUNE SAILINGS April 75 through May 75 FROM CRISTOBAL Cristobal June 1 Employees who were promoted or trans- Pilot to Towboat Master, Navigation Div- A neon June 8 ferred between April 15 and May 15 are ision. listed below. Within-grade promotions are Samuel F. Mason lU, from Towboat CnsU)bal June 19 not reported. Master to Pilot-in-Training, Navigation Ancon ... - June 26 CrV'IL AFF.MRS BUREAU Division. WilUam Nickisher, Gas Plant Operator Leslie R. Thomas, from Elementary J. FROM NEW YORK to Electric Welder, Industrial Division. ,'. Teacher to Junior High School Teacher, CrislobaL June 1 Division of Schools. SUPPLY AND EMPLOYEE SERVICE BUREAU Ancon. June 18 Substitute Win- Curtis B. Jeffries, from Hilton B. McPheters, from Towing Lo- Cristobal June 28 dow Clerk to Window Clerk, Postal Div- comotive Operator, Pacific Locks, to Heavy Southbound ships which leave New Yoric Friday ision. Equipment Operator, Division of Store- are in Haiti tlie following Tuesday. Those wliicli Louis A. Austin, from Guard, Locks Se- houses. sail from New York Tuesday spend Saturday in Haiti. in Haiti two days after curity Branch, to Substitute Window Clerk, Mrs. Gertrude Connard, from Com- Xorlhbound. the ships stop J. clearing Cristobal: Monday for those which sail from Postal Division missarv' .Assistant, Commissary Division, to Cristobal Saturday and Friday for those which clear OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER Supervisory.Steward. Service Center Branch. Cristobal Wednesday. Mrs. Alberta M. Stone, from .Accounting Mrs. Mabel F. Peterson, Accounting Clerk to Supervisory Accounting Clerk, Clerk, from Conimissan,- Division to Ac- Commissary Division. counting Division. Mrs. Jeanne M. Wheeler, from Plant TR.\.\SPORTATION AND TERMINALS ANNIVERSARIES .Accounting .Assistant. Plant Accounting BUREAU Branch, to Accounting Clerk, Payroll Jimmie Scott, from Guard to Supervisory Branch. Cargo .Assistant, Terminals Division. The 41 ye.irs of government sorv ice which Lee B. Hunnicutt, from Supervisory Edward P. Walsh, Filtration Plant Opera- Cargo Clerk to Supervisory Cargo .Assist- tor at Mount llofie, completed on May 25, Special- ant, Terminals Division. puts him in top spot on the May list of James J. Morris, from Contract (General), anniversaries. .Although his service has been ist to Construction Inspector OTHER PROMOTIONS Inspection Division. broken, it has all been with the Canal or- Contract and Promotions which did not involve changes ganization he is one of the nine men, Manuel A. Smith, from Engineering .'\id and in title follow: before to Meteorological .Aid, Mete- still working, whose service began (Hydraulic) Mrs. Audra C. Dougan, Clerk, Housing and Hydrographic Branch. the Panama Canal was opened. orological and Grounds Division, Grounds Section. from Accounting his Mrs. Janice G. Scott, Comeilius O'Sullivan, Commissary- Born in Perth .Amboy, N. J., he had .^counting Clerk, Mainte- J. from the deck Clerk to Cost Supervisor, Commissary Division. first look at the Canal Zone Division. of the old S. S. Allianca, when he was a nance Jfames L. Snyder, Commissary Supervisor, Lord, from Supervisory Store- youngster just entering his teens. few J. Douglas Commissary Division. A (General) to .Administrative Assist- years later (after some odd jobs during keeper Mrs. Eunice L. Hamilton, Supervisory Power Conversion Project. vacations) he joined the Canal or- ant (TvpingI, StevvarrI, Service Center Branch. summer from Apprentice Thomas H. Jordan, William Goldfein, Systems .Accountant, ganization as a checker at the Gatun Com- to Cablesplicer, Electrical Div- missary. Cablesplicer .AciDuiitini; Policies and Procedures Staff. ision. Mrs. Anna H. Pruitt, Position Classifier. In 1929, when he had risen to the position Harvey D. Smith, from Lead Foreman II Wage and Classification Division, of foreman, he left the Canal Zone to work Foreni.m III, Building Maintenance, to Lead for a grocery chain in the United States. Division. Maintenance He returned here in 1933 atui rejoined the Roberts, from Clerk- Mrs. Gertrude M. Canal force as a checker at Cristobal Dry- Typist, Office of Chief. Locks Division, to dock. .All of the remainder t)f his service has .Accounting Clerk, Water and Laboratories RETIREMENTS been with what is now the Maintenance Branch. Division. He has worked as a construction Risberg, from Assistant to Robert J. Retirement certificates were presented foreman on what were then new quarters to .Assistant Chief, Water and Lab- Chief the end of May to the following employees in Gatun, as a construction foreiuan laying Branch. oratories who are listed alphabetically, together W'ith sewer and water lines in the burgeoning C. Williford, from Lead Foreman, William their birthplaces, titles, length of Canal town of Margarita, and since 1944 in the Maintenance, to Lead Foreman II, Quarters service and future addresses: Mount Hope Filtration Plant. Maintenance Divi- Building Maintenance, Andress, Florida; Towing Loco- Kyle C. He lives with his wife and their three sion. Pacific Locks; 11 motive Operator, years, Margarita, he spends his Peter S. Legge, from Engineer, Pipeline children in where 2 months, ,? COMING SOON CANAL ZONE CONSUMER PRICE COMPARISON TIME-TO-TIME INDEX Lt. Col. R. Duncan IJrowii, Jr., lOxccir 0956 -100' tivt> Officer of the Omaha Kiifjinwr Dis- trict, fia.s been as.signed to the Canal Zone as Kngineerinji and Construction Direc- tor, it was announced last month. 1 ALL ITEMS 1 Accompanied by Mrs. Brown and their 1 FOOD four children, he expects to arrive here for his new post about July 23. "; As EnsjineiTing and Construction Di- f" rector, Colonel Brown will succeed Col. - Hugh M. Arnold. , His new assignment will be his third 1956 under Governor Potter. He served with LEVEL the Governor in Alaska during the late 1940's and, more recently, in the Omaha M Engineer District. for two of the Caii.tl';; well-known employ- ees, James O. DesLondes and Donald P. Hutchinson. MONTHS .Mr. DesLondes, a (ieneral Supply Officer AGO in the Division of Storehouses in his work- Zone Food prices were down slightly in May From the previous monfFi; tFiere ing hours, and a baseball fan the rest of the time, was born in Lafayette, Ind., but was a slight increase in tFie all-item column, according to price index Figures. started his Canal career when he was a schoolboy and held several vacation jobs. [Continued from fage S) and figure, for New England, and returning to Florida Mr. Hutchinson, a native of Scranton, some reason, thai; vacation doesn't start to catch a plane back to the Canal Zone. Pa., couldn't carry on his present occupa- until they have set foot on their home- The length of varies tion in his home town —he is a Control vacations as much House Operator at Miratlores Locks. land. Others have arranged to buy new as the destinations. A few took only a 20 YEARS cars in the States, fly up to get them, but month - these are the fliers, in general Two of the eight employees who cele- bring them back ship. still others brated twentieth anniversaries last month by And and a few were to be away for almost have unbroken service with the Canal or- want the relaxed feeling which comes w^ith four months. The average seemed to be ganization. the si.x-day sea trip as the happy ending about two and a half months. These two are: Peter S. Legge, a native to a fine vacation. Until this year's travel orders are finally New Yorker, who is now a Chief Towboat Engineer with the Dredging Division, and Zone families are becoming increasingly counted and tabulated for May, it will be Frank W. Van Home, Iron-Worker Welder air-minded, the figures show. The re- hard to say whether the total issued this at the ['acific Locks. Mr. \'an Home was maining 46 of the 168 Canal Zone families year will surpass the 285 issued in April born in Meadville, Pa. going on home leave travel under orders and May of last year. But on a guess, at The other si.\ include two Mary F. Ma- April 1 and 22, are guire and Robert Van Wagner—who were issued between May the moment, Mr. Thompson thinks this born outside the continental L'nited .States. making the round trip by plane. Some summer's travel, as a whole, will be a Miss Maguire, Secretary for the Goxernor- of them are going only as far as Florida; "shade higher" than last summer's. President for the past four years, is a native others are California-bound by plane. And because of the heavy season travel, Zonian and a second generation Canal em- the thousand or so ployee. Mr. \'an Wagner was born in Me,\- They are among whether it sets a record or not, families ico. He is Supervisory Administrative As- passengers who enter and leave the Canal have been cautioned to give advance sistant in the Maintenance Division; one of Zone each month via Tocumen Airport notice of change of plans which would his major extra-curricular posts is that of in Panama. In a good many cases, the involve cancelation of their sailings on President of the Employee Group Health Insurance Board. air travelers are couples, but there were the Panama Line ships, just as they would Others who completed 20 years of govern- families of five who had arranged to fly. have to do in case of rail or plane travel. ment service in May are: Robert M. Blakely, The Canal Zone's traveling families Failtire to give this advance notice may Lead Foreman Machinist in the Industrial go all over the United States. Florida involve a loss of priority for later sailings. Division, a native of Somerville, Ma,ss.; is a favorite vacation spot; Texas, New John A. McNatt, .\uditor in the General Auditing Division —he counts Nashville, York State, and California drew several Tenn., as his home; Mary B. Raymond, a families. The other states listed as va- of Roanoke, \'a., second-grade teach- native cation destinations were Virginia, North Budget, Finance Group er in the .\ncon Elementary School; and In- F. C. Willoughby, Operator Foreman Me- Carolina, Massachusetts, Alabama, chanic in the Electrical Division. He comes diana, Missouri, West Virginia, Okla- Of Board Of Directors from Cheyenne, Wyo. homa, Louisiana, Kentucky, New Jer- 15 YEARS Seven of the 16 employees who completed sey, Ohio, Georgia, Colorado, and Penn- 15 years of government service last month sylvania. One family was headed for To Meet Here In June have continuous service with the Canal or- Washington, D. C, and another was ganization. This septet includes: bound simply for "New England." Budget estimates for fiscal year 1959 Eva M. Grassau, Time, Leave, and Pay- will be e.xamined and the budget and roll Clerk, Fiscal Division; Ralph L. Han- The largest family, among these 168, ners. Lead Grounds Foreman, Housing and was one of seven and family-size goes financial program of the Panama Canal Grounds Division; Ruth B. Krziza, Clerk- down from that family to the bachelor- Company and the Canal Zone Govern- Stenographer in the Office (jf the Mainte- fiscal maids and men. The family of seven is ment for year 1958 will be reviewed nance Engineer; Elva G. Montayne, Card- next month when four members of the Punch .Supervisor, Payroll Branch; Ruth K. that of Dr. Richard Ostenso of Gorgas Company's Board of Peterson, Clerk - Stenographer. General Hospital. The Ostensos and their fom- Directors meet here. Audit Division; Alphonse J. Roy, Second sons and one little daughter are traveling The four directors, former Governor .Mate, L'. S. S. Taboga; and Lee E. Sparks, both ways by Panama Line on their 10- Glen E. Edgerton, Ralph H. Cake, Rob- Supervisory Produce Specialist, Commis- ert P. Burroughs, and Howard C. Peter- sary Division. week vacation. They plan to drive from sen, comprise the Board's Other 15-year employees on the May list New York to their home in Wisconsin. Budget and are: Roscoe C. Crump, Locomotive Crane The Forrest Dunsmoors he's Deputy Finance Committee. They will be in Operator and Rigger and Diver, Industrial E.xecutive Secretary — were somewhere be- session here from June 24 through June 27. Division; Thomas A. Frensley, Policeman- In preparation for these meetings, the Detective, Police Division; E. Guy Huldt- tween California and the East Coast when quist —a native Zonian —Chief Towboat this issue of The Review went to press. budgets of the various operating units Engineer, Navigation Division; Earl H. They traveled to San Francisco by ship, are now being revised to conform with Johnson, Wood and Steel Carman, Rail- bought a car there, are driving back to recommendations of the Management Re- road Division; Juanita O. Jones —another York, view Committee which examined the bud- born Zonian —Clerk-Typist, Division of New and will return by Panama Line. Schools; G. Leroy Koontz, Adiuinistrative Charles A. Dubbs, Director of Second- gets in detail in a series of sessions last Assistant, Police Division; Ernest M. Krue- ary Education in the Canal Zone schools, month. Members of the Management ger, Machinist, Pacific Locks; Ida M. Mc- and his family are both air and highway Review Committee are: Governor Potter; Dade, Staff Nurse, Communicable Disease Col. H. W. Schull, Jr., vice president; Clinic; Robert McGuinness, Towing Loco- minded. They are flying to Miami, rent- motive Operator, Pacific Locks. ing a car there to drive to Indiana and Col. Hugh M. Arnold, Engineering and Construction Director; and John D. Hol- June 7,1957 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW len, Chief of the Executive Planning Staff. UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA SHIPPING 3 1262 08544 4999 1955 when four Swiss vessels went through the Panama Canal. The Silvaplana was built in Yugoslavia in 1956 and is registered in Basle, Switz- erland. World Wanderers ^()u don't have to join the Navy to see the world any more. Judging by the number of small sailing craft and auxil- iary yachts arriving in Cristobal recently, a iot of lucky people are doing it on their own. Last month a number of small pri- vatelv-owned vessels were tied up at the Yacht Clubs at Balboa and Cristobal, taking on fuel and stores for voyages to the West Coast and the South Seas. One of the smallest was the 11 -ton transit the Canal . . . Her ccnled Flightdeck made Ine Ticonderogo too wide to Nona, out of London en route to Auck- land, New Zealand, with a crew of three TRANSITS BY OCEAN-GOING Deck Cargo aboard. VESSELS IN APRIL When the Panama Line's Cristobal Another Cristobal arrival was the Tnily 1956 19.57 sailed for New York May 15 she carried Fair, a 25-ton auxiliary craft which ar- Commercial 692 767 two unusual pieces of deck cargo. One rived here from Miami by way of Haiti yacht r. .S. Government 27 13 was a 43-foot auxiliary motor and is en route to San Francisco via Maraa, owned by the Crane Plumbing Acapulco with a crew of four. She was TotaL^ 719 780 Company, and the other was a 30-foot southbound through the Canal May 16. TOLLS* steel gangplank. The .5()-ton Briijadnon II made the to the $3,436,371 earlier in Canal transit May 13 en route Commercial _ $3,025,809 The Mama had arrived here U. S. West Coast via Puntarenas and U. S. Government. 92,700 68,737 the month from Tahiti as deck cargo on She carried a crew of six. the French ship Tahilian. She was trans- Pinas Bay. Total $3,118,509 $3,505,108 ferred to the Cristobal and was taki-n to small. Includes tolls on all vessels, ocean-going and New York for sale. PLEASE PREPAY . . . The gangplank was taken to New York New Customers for use on the Panama Line's Pier ()4, Employees and their dependents who board Crit^- Panama Canal admeasurers who where it was used shortly after the order articles to be shipped by Panama for tolls are the debarkation vessels and measure them tohal's arrival to assi-st I,ine vessels to the Canal Zone should these days by the vessel of the hcing kept on the hop of 800 passengers from a in all cases prepay the inland freiftht ships, some just larf^e number of new Sitmar Line. or express charftes from the point of Canal. built, and some just new to the origin of the shipments to New York, Swiss Ship During April, 58 new ships arrived at Panama Line officials warned last Silvaplana, one of the four Canal ports, 42 at Cristobal and 1(5 at The MS month. Swiss-registered vessels to use the Pan- Balboa. And up to May 15, a total of Some transportation companies in Canal since 1955, made the Canal 21 were counted and measured for tolls, ama the United States have accepted orders transit southbound recently, en r.uK' 15 of them at Cristobal and ti at Balboa. without collecting the transportation with a from Baton Rouge to Yokohama to York and then have billed The influx of new customers is appar- costs New cargo of 10,000 tons of soybeans. Line direct for such ently the largest since the period shortly the Panama of This has resulted in a delay after World War II when hundreds Three other Swiss ships have transited charges. to the Canal Zone plus war cargo vessels arrived here after being since last July; they are the first to have of shipments by the Panama Line. turned over to the merchant marine serv- made the Canal transit since fiscal year unnecessary work ice for operation. all na- The new ships fly the flags of but the atomic-powered submarine Nautilus made the passage with ease- vessels, tions. The majority are dry-cargo built to utilize every inch of cargo space, and the huge combination ore-and-oil carriers which ply between South Amer- ica and U. S. east coast ports. More Maersks The Maersk Line, one of the most fre- quent of the Canal's customers, has added two more ships to its fleet of pass- enger-freighters running between New- York and far eastern ports via the Pan- ama Canal. During the past two months, the SS Leda Maersk and the SS Luna Maersk made their maiden Canal transits en route to the Far East. The two 9,7()0-ton pas.senger-freighters join a fleet of .54 freighters and tankers owned by A. P. Molier of Copenhagen. Most of them are regular customers of the Panama Canal and are handled here by Fenton & Company.