5 cents Vol. 8, No. 1 BALBOA HEIGHTS, CANAL ZONE, AUGUST 2, 1957
Gift Ofthe Panama CanalMuseum pany over a four-year construction per-
il id, requiring neither special appropria- tions nor borrowing. WTiile the short-range plan embodies no new features that have not been given consideration in prior studies of the Canal
capacity problem, it attacks the problem at the most immediately critical points. Of importance in the long-range planning, virtually all of the proposed improve- ments would be beneficial in almost any permanent improvements or changes con- sidered probable for the Panama Canal. The study of the Canal capacity prob- lem is being conducted by an Ad Hoc Committee appointed last January by Assistant Secretary of the .Army George H. Roderick. Members aie Governor Potter, Chan-man, Maj. Gen. Julian L. Schley, and Ralph A. Tudor. The Ad Hoc Committee's first report was based on statistical and other data developed by a Working Committee, composed of a group of Canal officials intimately acquainted with operating problems. This v>-as headed by former Lt. Gov. H. W. Schull, Jr., until his departure last month. He has been succeeded as Chairman by Lt. Gov. Hugh ^L Arnold. Efforts of the Working Committee were warmly praised by Board members, especially plans for illumination of the Locks and Gaillard Cut which were de- veloped largely through Colonel Schull's initiative. In effect the short-range plan will provide for 24-hour operation of the waterway under safe conditions; par- Mooring facilities For two big ships north of Pedro Miguel Locks would reduce tial elimination of a serious bottleneck congestion and increase Canal capacity during Pacific Locks overhaul periods. in traffic at Pedro Miguel Locks; and a major decrease in the delay time now caused by clear-cut ships.
The initial report to the Board of Di- rectors also proposed a plan for the re- distribution of the daily traffic pattern when the improvements are completed. .Although the proposed rearrangement of IMPROVEMENTS transit schedules will not increase traffic capacity under the new conditions, it will mean an average saving of some three For A Few Years Ahead houi's in "waiting-and-transit" time for ships using the Canal and effect monetary savings for shipping which will aggregate some $2,000,000 a year. of improvements the requirements of world shipping will A short-range plan The widening of Paraiso and Cucaracha the transit capacity of the be for the remainder of this century and for increasing reaches will bring the channel to a mini- expected requirements of what alterations to the existing waterway Canal to meet mum of 500 feet in more than half of the next one or two are needed to meet those requirements. world shipping for Gaillard Cut. Culebra Reach, which ad- approved by the Board A report on the study is to be sub- decades has been joins Cucaracha north of Gold Hill, has of the Panama Canal Com- mitted to the Board of Directors by the of Directors already been widened to 500 feet. for submission to the Bureau of the end of next year. pany In connection with this project, it was appropriate Congi-essional The short-range plan proposes five Budget and recommended that the widened part of review. major improvements, which are: Committees for the channel be deepened five feet since will be taken to implement 1. The purchase of five additional No action the work can be performed economically report and recommendations of the towing locomotives. This item has al- the in connection with the other excavation. Hoc Committee on the Canal capac- ready been budgeted. Ad Also, all future improvement plans con- distribution of the 2. Lighting Gaillard Cut and im- ity problem and no sidered include a deepening of the Canal until these reviews proved lighting of the Locks for safe report will be made channel. night-time operation. have been completed. The widening and deepening project proposed improvements would in- 3. Provision of mooring facilities for The would cost an estimated $11,609,000 and dependable capacity of the two large vessels just north of Pedro crease the would require the removal of approxi- percent. Dependable Miguel Locks. Canal by about 25 mately 6,200,000 cubic yards of material. capacity is rated on the number of lock- Paraiso and Cucaracha 4. Widening This yardage is exclusive of material ex- ages possible in a 24-hour period at Gatun to 500 feet and reaches in Gaillard Cut cavated in widening of Bend isiis, located during overhaul periods. The pres- part five feet. Locks deepening the widened by in the Paraiso Reach, on which work is ent lockage capacity at Gatun is 35 in 5. Widening Bend IhbO, a curve in the now being started. All of the material normal operating periods with current channel at the olil construction town in both reaches will be removed from the clear-cut rate, -30 during Pacific Locks of Empire which is considered one of the west bank of the channel. and 2S during part of the Atlan- overhaul, most hazardous sections of the Canal. The section of the channel to be tic Locks overhaul. These would be The cost of these improvements, not widened has been the scene of many increased to about 45, 36, and 35, re- including the purchase of the additional accidents and is considered particularly spectively. locomotives, would be $18,9.56,000. The hazardous because of its narrow, rocky The plan adopted by the Board at its program could be financed by the Com- banks and by the surges of water there meeting last month is the initial phase of an exhaustive study undertaken by August 1957 the Canal management to determine what THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW 2, from lockages at Pedro Miguel. When projects is $1,550,000. \Vhile it is planned The proposal to widen Bend 1660, the project is completed, it will permit to install lights along a 3,400-foot section under the short-range plan, is considered large ships, and others requiring clear-cut of the Cut between Culebra and Empire essential as a safety factor in view of the transit, to meet and pass for more than reaches on an experimental basis this present type of Canal traffic. The change half the distance of the Cut section, mate- fiscal year, the work approved by the in dir-ection of the channel at this point rially decreasing loss of time in handling Board would not start until the begin- is more than 37 degrees and the bend has these vessels. ning of next fiscal year and would require a record of more bank-strikings and col- The report to the Board said that full about 20 months for completion. The lisions than any other in the Canal. advantages of the two lighting projects experimental lighting system to be in- Deeply-laden vessels and "Super" ships could be realized only by the completion stalled will give engineers and Canal are difficult to maneuver at the bend of both. Of the expected results of these, operating personnel an opportunity to because of bank suction. With the chan- the report said in part: study the eff'ectiveness of the mild illu- nel widened at that point more space "These projects would, in addition to mination system and to make changes will be available in which to maneuver improving safety of Canal operations, in the permanent installations if found ships entering or leaving the bend. greatly increase the capacity of the Ca- desirable. This project, including deepening the the of daylight nal by reducing number The provision of a mooring station on channel, would cost an estimated $4,- ships and by permitting two- clear-cut the east bank of the Canal just north of 438,000, and would require the removal way traffic in Gaillard Cut during dark- Pedro Miguel Locks would cost $1,359,- of 2,377,000 cubic yards of earth and ness. While it is impossible mathemati- 000, and it is estimated the project could rock. cally to predict the reduction in daylight be completed in a year's time. Since this Most of the work to be done under the clear-cut ships, an analysis of expected will greatly facilitate the handling of ships five-point, short-range plan would be ac- increases in sizes and types of ships and at Pedro Miguel and in the Cut, this complished by contract. The wet exca- expected traffic seems to indicate that, work would be scheduled to start and be vation be with this improved lighting, daylight would done by Canal forces, clear-cuts will probably not exceed four completed during the coming fiscal year. but the dry excavation, the lighting proj- a day in the foreseeable future." The area will become a part of the 500- ects, and construction of the mooring The estimated cost of the two lighting foot widening project. station would be ofi'ered for contract.
Ships will hove a 500-Foot channel For about halF the distance oF Gaillard Cot aFte( widening projects are completed on two just And A Forecast reaches north oF Pedro Miguel. For Many Years Ahead
A long-range forecast of the cargo ton- nage and ship transits which the Panama Canal may expect from now until the year 2000 "will be in the hands of Canal authorities by the end of the calendar year.
The report is being prepared by the Stanford Research Institute, of Menlo Park, Calif., which has been retained by the Panama Canal Company for this purpose. The study is part of the pro- gram toward solving the Canal capacity problem which has occupied the time of a special, or Ad Hoc, committee, and a Working Committee for several months. In charge of the studies for the Stan- ford Institute is Dr. Neil T. Houston, a senior economist and head of the program in regional economics of the Institute's Economics Research Division. Dr. Houston spent the first two weeks of July on the Isthmus and is returning here in September or October for further work. During his July visit, he reviewed commodity and statistical data, saw how the Canal "obtained its information on the origin and destination of cargoes, and got statistical data on cargo movements in past years. He also transited the Canal, rode in a helicopter over Gaillard Cut, and visited the locks and docks, to get an idea of Canal transit operations. Although several forecasts of Canal traffic have been made in the past decade, these must now be brought up to date. The Stanford report will be confined to commercial freight traffic through the Canal and will not include military' cargo. The study will include a prediction for the movement of the major commodities which make up approximately 75 percent of the Canal's cargo tonnage. Dr. Houston is well-known in the field of economics. He is a graduate of Wash- ington and Lee University and did grad- uate work at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and at Harvard University. He has had both business and educational experience and has been with the Stan- ford Research Institute since 1953. Visitor — Master Key For Panama Canal Locks Novi Ready For Prominent Visitors
The key to a city is a traditional mark certificates last month at the quarterly of respect and welcome given to visiting meeting of the Board in Washington. dignitaries. The Canal Zone has many Since the Panama Canal is a niocca for cities but it has, also, massive locks distinguished visitors from all points of which no city in the world can duplicate. the globe, the new Order is expected ulti- So, instead of being presented with a mately to have representatives in prac- key to the city, eminent visitors to the tically every part of the world. And from Canal Zone will be given a Master Key Timbuktu to Oslo, members of the Order to the Panama Canal Locla. With it will be able to show their friends the will go a handsome certificate which golden key and the certificate which says, attests that the recipient is a member of in part: the Esteemed Order of the Bearers of the "The Esteemed Order of Bearers of the Master Key to the Panama Canal. Master Key of the Panama Canal has The Order will be bestowed in three been established to join together all Pan- grades, without rank. They are: Hon- ama Canal advisors in a favored fellow- orary Pilot, Honorary Lockmaster, and ship of perigrinating potentates who have Honorary Aide to the Governor. viewed the marvels of American enter- First to receive the keys and mem- prise and Panamanian geography at the bership in the new Order were Assistant Crossroads of the Earth, shared the trop- Secretary of the Army George H. Rod- ical delights of the Canal Zone, observed erick, Chairman of the Board of Direc- the fiesta and the siesta, seen the sun rise Mezzo-Soprano Blanche Thcbom fook tors of the Panama Canal Company, in the Pacific and set in the Atlantic, time out from her music in July to see and members of the Board of Directors. angled in the bay of abundant fish, and the Panama Canal locks in operation. Gov. W. E. Potter made the formal drunk deep of the waters of the Chagres presentation of the Master Keys and which assures their return."
Commissaries, Storehouses Pacific Area Bid Opening, Lock Advertisement Merge Into Supply Division Project Toward Final Stages Start Conversion The consolidation of the Commissary- Service Center Division and the Store- With the opening of bids for the Pacific present time this contract is scheduled house Division into a new unit, known area conversion this week and the adver- to be advertised September 1 . Also sched- as the Supply Division, was effective last tisement last week of conversion of the uled for the future, probably next sum- month. The Division is headed by R. L. Locks, the 60-cycle power conversion mer, is a contract for rebuilding one of Sullivan as Acting General Manager. program moved into its last stages. the Gatur hydro-electric generators. The new Supply Division is composed between two It will still, however, be At the present time, Atlantic area con- of two branches, the Commissary Branch and three years before all frequency-sen- the Storehouse Branch. version is about 60 percent complete. and electrical equipment in the Canal sitive The residential areas of Margarita, Gatun The former includes all commissary, converted to operate Zone will have been and Rainbow City have been converted service center, laundry, and theater oper- on 60-cycle current. and the contractor is working in the In- ations. T. G. Relihan is Superintendent Pacific area contract, on which The dustrial Area. In the Central Area, all of this branch. The Storehouse Branch, opened this week, too late for bids were household equipment in Gamboa has headed by H. E. May, includes all former this issue of The Review to include the been converted and that in the town of Division activities, such as warehousing, bid, includes the entire Pacific amounts Santa Cruz is about half finished. scrap and salvage, and the furniture pools. side south of Pedro Miguel, with the ex- ception of the West Bank and Mirafiores. the Bank-Miraflores con- — Bids on West More Visitors version are to be opened September 13. The contract for conversion of the Locks covers all frequency sensitive equipment for all of the Panama Canal locks, from the equipment in the con- trol towers to the little motors which open and close the huge lock gates. The process of conversion of the locks will take about two years after the suc- cessful contractor is given notice to proceed. Still to be advertised is a contract for the installation of remote control and relays of the power stations. At the
ON THE COVER
Try as they might, these young Texans could think of nothing in their home State to equal the Pan- ama Canal Locks. The boys were part of a group of 17 Texas high school Junior Ambassadors on a goodwill tour of Latin America under the sponsorship of the East Texas Chamber of Commerce. The In a Budget Bureau-Canal conference last month were, left to right: Percy Rap- paport, F. A. Baldwin, Philip L. Steers, Jr., Earl Donnelly, Arthur Focke, picture was taken for "The Review" J. and Carl H. Schwartz. Mr. Rappaport is Assistant Director of the Bureau. by George F. Nadeau, Acting Official Photographer at the time. THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW August 2, 1957 WATER BABIES
They're Wishing For Rain
A couple of dozen lithe and limber young Isthmians wish it would rain, and they have a special reason for their wish. They are the members of the Panama Ski Club, one of the newest local hobby groups, currently a club without a home. And it's all because of the unseasonable drought.
Out at Madden Lake, where they'd like to be zipping along on their skis in the wake of a skillfully-handled fast- moving boat, the water is so low that their brand new launching float is stranded high and dry and their boats cannot maneuver among the newly-uncovered hill tops and treacherous stumps.
Although water skiing has been a sport of a handful of young people here for some time, there had not been an organized ski club until about a year ago when a group of the more ardent aficionados got together and decided that they could have more fun, more easily and less expensively, if they pooled their skills and resources. That way, the more expert could teach the novices and they could share their boats.
Today there are 29 dues-paying members and a handful of youngsters who are classed as junior members. The youngest in the group is about 10, the oldest pushing 40.
Several of them are exceptionally good, like the Club's President, Frank E. Hirt, of Balboa, and Beth Little, of Diablo Heights. They appear in the accompanying picture. Another sldlled skier is Stephen Powelson, Deputy Comp- troller, who did a lot of water skiing in Europe but who is currently beached because of a bad back.
Margie Daniels, a 14-year-old, not only can stage a most creditable performance on skis, but is quite frequently the "high girl on the totem pole" the totem pole in this case being Mr. Hirt—when they try some of their fancy one-skier- on-skis-and-the-other-on-the-skier's-shoulders stunt. r- %,
Billy Benny, who is only 10, is becoming an expert on the slalom skis and another 10-year-old, Bobby Daniel, is going to be giving his elders a run for their money in a few more months. tm Books on water skiing say that anyone who can swim can water ski, but there's a great deal more to it than that. Beginners practice on land the tricky process of standing up on the thin slats of wood, and it is not until they are familiar with this that they try to repeat it on water. As they become more skillful they learn to steer by leaning their bodies in the direction they want to go, just as snow skiers do. The proper shift and the correct bank can bring about anything from a gentle curve to a sharp twist.
After the simple banks and turns come the more intricate tricks, the jumps, the skiing backwards, the one-foot skiing and all of the othei stunts familiar to viewers of Florida-made movie reels.
Of course, they have the help of the long tow-rope which connects them to the speeding boat but a novice has to learn to let go of the rope,, fast, when he takes a spill. Otherwise, he'll be dragged along undei the water until his breath gives out.
As soon as the level of Madden Lake returns to normal, the club expects to build an informal, bohio-type shelter on a point of land near Madden Dam. Several floats will dot the surface of the lake. Meantime, they are keeping their skis crossed and hoping for rain.
August 2, 1957 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW T
MMlPk.' —
FOR YOUR INTEREST AND GUIDANCE IN ACCIDENT PREVENTION
is called Pictured above is what one housewife stuck, she moved the toaster slightly and in the picture above a puU-cham discovered when she went into the kitchen noticed a spark where the aluminum pan insulating link. They would be highly to prepare breakfast one morning. The handle was touching the side of the desirable in all similar chains used to op- automatic electric toaster was plugged in toaster. The filament ceased glowing im- erate electric light switches but a "must" but not turned on. Yet the filament on mediately. when the light is located over a sink or the side nearest the stove was glowing. An investigation proved that the fila- near any object which offers a "groimd" of the that side had broken and was WTien she took hold of the handle ment on for electric ciurent. toaster to see if the switch was somehow touching the case. The pan handle com- In many ways electricity is like water pleted the electrical circuit from the stove if there is a place for it to leak, it will which is grounded. Had the handle not HONOR ROLL leak provided there is a "pipe" for it to Bureau Award For been touching the toaster, and had the travel in. Frequently light socket switches BEST RECORD housewife touched both the toaster and develop "leaks" and the electricity is in JUNE the stove simultaneously she would have the chain looking for some way to get to ENGINEERING AND CONSTUCTION received a severe shock which could have the "ground." If you happen BUREAU killed her. All electrical appliances should to be bare-
HEALTH BUREAU be kept in good repair. The very first foot on a tile floor -or worse yet—holding onto a water CIVIL AFFAIRS BUREAU time that any electrical appliance "bites" faucet or pipe and at the same time touch a "leaky" AWARDS THIS CALENDAR YEAR you, take it out of service and have it chain, you Health 5 repaired. become that "pipe" and receive a shock Civil Affairs 4 That little white piece in the pull-chain that could kill you. Engineering and Construction 3 Supply and Employee Service . 2 IN CASE OF ELECTRICAL TROUBLE Marine 1 Transportation and Terminals CALL YOUR DISTRICT WIREMAN Division Award For
NO DISABLING INJURIES FREQUENCY RATE Disabling injuries per 1,000,000 eraployee- JUNE s hours worked. HOSPITALS AND CLINICS JUNE 1957 MAINTENANCE DIVISION BUREAU HOUSING AND GROUNDS DIVISION Engineering and Conslruction Bureau DREDGING DIVISION ELECTRICAL DIVISION Bureau MOTOR TRANSPORTATION DIVISION Heallh RAILROAD DIVISION Affairs Bureau STOREHOUSE DIVISION Civil POLICE DIVISION Transporlalion Terminals Bureau FIRE DIVISION and AIDS TO NAVIGATION Supply and Employee Service Bureau SANITATION DIVISION
AWARDS THIS CALENDAR YEAR C.Z. Covl.-Panama Canal Co. (This Monlh) Aids to Navigation 6 Electrical 6 Marine Bureau Fire 6 Housing and Grounds 6 Sanitation 6 5 10 Dredging 5 Employee Hours of Exposure Hospitals and Clinics 5 Number of Disabling Injuries 10 Maintenance 5 Motor Transportation 5 LEGEND Railroad 5 Rale this monlh I Frequency Storehouse 5 Industrial 4 tSS^^W.-M-.-J^y'l Accumulalive Frequency Rale this Calendar Year Police 4 1954-19551956 Calendar Year Average Commissary and Service Center 3 1 Locks 2 Navigation 2 Terminals 1 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW August 2, 1957 OF CURRENT AND FUTURE INTEREST
Books in Braille, for sightless readers, can be made available immediately on request to the Canal Zone Librarv through the courtesy of the Library for the Blind of the New York Public Library. Residents of the Canal Zone may make their selections from lists available in the Main Library at Ancon. Books may be borrowed for one month, with the privilege of renewal. The titles in Braille include biographies of famous per- sons, mysteries, and many current titles. The Library for the Blind is a branch of the New York Public Library and provides city-wide service through New York's five boroughs. Long Island, Connecticut, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and in the Canal Zone, if requested.
CIVIL DEFENSE ® NEWS
Before a crowd of about 300, certificates that they had completed the Civil Defense First Aid Course were presented last month to 36 residents of the Canal Zone's Latin American communities. The program was sponsored by the La Boca Civic Council. Several in the group of 36 were Girl Scouts; they received, in addition to their diplomas. On the receiving end of the polio shots are Kay Hummer, Norman Davison, and First Aid Merit Badges to be worn with Alice Roche. Dispensers are Dr. Eric Osterberg, Joan Astrid, and Erma Forbes. their uniforms. The diplomas were presented by Philip L. Dade, Chief of the Civil Defense Unit. More than 19,000 inoculations against Zone Chapter of the National Foundation The group had been trained by First Aid poliomyelitis were given to Canal Zone for Infantile Paralysis. The children under Instructor William Gordon of Paraiso, who children during the past fiscal year, accord- ig years of age are vaccinated free by pro- was given a sport shirt and overnight bag ing to Canal Zone Health Bureau figures. vision of the Poliomyelitis Vaccination by the graduates. The program was ar- In addition, 3,680 injections were given to Assistance Act of 1955. ranged by Chris E. Canal Zone adults between December and Haywood, President of the La Boca Civic Council. June 30. The new Maintenance Division shops, Figuring that there were still a large now located in Building 8 in the Balboa The list of graduates follows: number of adult Canal employees and their Industrial Division, will soon be the best- Lois AUeyne, Elvira Bailey, Melva Bai- dependents who had not yet received the lighted shops in the Canal Zone. Work was ley, Virginia Brathwaite, Magdrie Callender, vaccine injection series, the Health Bureau started in July on the complete alteration Patricia Callender, Loretta Chong, Priscilla last month set up vaccination stations in to the lighting system. The improvements Chong, Vilma Chong, Sarah Clark, Shirley central locations for the convenience of the planned include the installation of a new Clark, Wilma Daniels, Gloria Davis, Wol- employees. type of mercury-vapor lamp with a built-in sey Dickens, and Eleanor Dickens. In one day a total of 424 employees and rellector which will give a nonglare shadow- Mavis Donowa, Glenda Farrell, Miriam their dependents took advantage of a sta- less light in all parts of the work areas. Farrell, Pearl Farrell, Clarence Fenton, tion situated in the rotunda of the Admin- F"hiorescent lighting, which has been used Lester Ferraro, Emilia Flemmings, Alexan- istration Building at Balboa Heights. A successfully in other Canal Zone buildings, der James, Winifred James, Paulina King, large number also received their polio vac- will be installed in the office section of the James Kennedy, Wilhelmina Layne, and cinations July 24 at a station set up in the building. Gloria Llewelyn. Industrial Division for the convenience of Bids on the project were opened July 15; Doris Livingston, Ilene Pilgrim, Iris Pil- Maintenance and Commissary Division the contract for the work was given to the grim, Gladys Sandiford, Sadie Sinclair, employees. Electric Service Company, a Panama firm, Carrie Turner, Marcelina Wilson, and Mrs. Erma Forbes, Canal Zone school which made a low offer of $12,730. Accord- Pearlina Wilson. nurse, is in charge of the stations, and ad- ing to the specifications, the work will be ministers the injections. Earlier in the completed in approximately eight months. Identification cards for all members of year she vaccinated 202 teachers and Civil the Civil Defense Corps have been ordered Affairs Bureau employees by making a and will be distributed soon, P. L. Dade, of schools and the Civil Affairs tour the Chief of Civil Defense announced. The Building. cards will be given to all official and volun- adults are being The vaccinations for teer members of the Corps. provided free of charge through the Canal
Mrs. Charlotte Kennedy, Coordinator of Volunteer Womens Activities, will handle the volunteer town-meetings during the ab- sence on leave of Ralph Edwards who has JSbJ^ been assisting in the work on the Pacific side.
Official Panami Canal Companjr Publication Two Canal Zone towns, Santa Cruz and Published Monlbij At Balbaa Heights, C. Z. La Boca, arranged special civil defense functions during Printed by the Printing Plant, Mount Hope, CgtuI Zone the latter part of July. Over 500 persons attended the Santa Cruz party given at the Service Center under the E. Potter, Governor-President W. direction of Mrs. Ruby Wilson. The pro- Hugh M. .'\rnold, Lieutenant Governor gram of songs, recitations, and addresses W. G. Arey, Jr., Public Information Officer contained something of interest to those of all age groups. At La Boca, a graduation exercise for 36 persons who received cards RuFUs Hardy, Editor J. and diplomas for first-aid training, drew a Eleanor McIlhenny, Assistant Editor crowd of nearly 300 persons. Eunice Richard, Editorial Assistant IGUST VOLUNTEER CORPS MEETINGS
On lale at all Panama Canal Service Centers. Town Place Hour Commissaries, and Hotels for 10 days after publica- Balboa USO-pSfB 9 a.m. tion date at 5 cents each. Subscriptions, 91 a year; Margarita mall and back copies, 10 cents each. and Service Center 9 a.m. New Cristobal Margarita
Postal money orders made payable to tiie Pan- Gam boa Civic Center 8:30 a. m Capt. Peter Grosz, above, is ama Canal Company should be mailed to Editor. the new Santa Cruz Service Center 8 p.m. Thb Panama Canal Review. Balboa Heights. C. Z. Military Asisstant to the Governor. Rainbow City School 6:30 p. m Paraiso School 7:30 p. m. Gatun Augusts, 1957 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW Service Center 9 a.m. Diablo Service Center 9:30 a. m. ALERT
J. Rufus Hardy and Philip L. Dade brief newsmen on what's going on in the alert.
In the board room, acting Gov. W. S. Rodimon and members of his staff discuss the extent of the damage and what must be done.
The afternoon of July 12 was bright the events are shown in the picturi'S on and sunny, and it was no sort of day for this page. trouble. But at 1:30 p. m. an enemy The local Civil Defense Corps has a .submarine lobbed a guided missile with ready-made nucleus. The Canal Zone's an atomic warhead, powerful as 100,000 experts in communications, housing, food tons of TNT, toward the Canal Zone. It and such things, which would become burst on the West Bank near Miraflores even more important in time of disaster Locks. than they are in every-day living, are In a matter of seconds, the locks were integrated into Civil Defense in exactly breached, water was spilling from the sham- the same jobs they do every day. bles of Miraflores Dam, the control house The Canal Zone plan utilizes all of and the power station were reduced to these experts, and the skilled care of rubble. Miraflores bridge disappeared. trained personnel will be supplemented by In Miraflores Locks, the Inui San Mam volunteers who have been specially and the Balao became twisted smoking trained. Nurses and doctors, for instance, masses of steel. Other ships in the area, will be assisted by tramed Fii'st Aid the P&T Leader, the Portunus, and the workers; Zonians who have no professions urgently in time of Edgar Luckenbach, were less severely dam- which will be needed trouble will be trained for such duties as aged. Lethal radiological fallout blew litter-bearers or members of decontami- toward Empire in an almost elliptical nation teams. pattern, 17 miles long. For the July alert. Civil Defense forces The events which occurred that sunny were mobilized, but for a nose-count only. afternoon were all on paper. They were Except for those who staff the control- part of a nation-wide civil defense exer- centers and man communications, they cise, the fourth in the which Canal Zone did not go into action. But whethei they has participated. They set in motion the were at home or at work, Zonians every- wheels within wheels of the local organ- where took shelter and remained "under ization, halted all J. J. Pearce and Herschel Gandy man- motor traffic, and sent cover" until the second blast of the sirens ned one of the telephones in the field. Zonians scurrying for shelter. A few of told them to return to business as usual.
Warden John Hammond checks to be sure that everyone in the Engineering Division hod taken cover. Lester A. Ferguson, a restless young Here's The Man man with a crew haircut and a perpetu- Canal's ally-askew bow tie, is the Panama Does The Buying personal shopper. Who His official title is Manager, New York Operations, and his status is that of a Bureau Director. But his job consists in great part of seeing to it that the shoes you wear, the bed you sleep in, and the canned tomatoes you eat are purchased and delivered to the Canal Zone. Since he also is responsible for the buy- ing of items for Company-Government use, such as new automobiles for the Mo- tor Transportation Division and steel for locksoverhaul, the purchasing job is a big one. It runs to almost $20 million a year. He does his buying either competi- tively, through open bidding, or propri- etarialy. The latter is the case when the Company-Government organization buys from a specific company which is the only source for the particular item needed. The pui-chases range in size from pen- nies to over half a million dollars, which is the case when a contract is let for a tanker-load of gasoline. At the present time some of the largest purchases being made arc for nickel steel for locks overhaul. Food represents an important part of the New York Operation buying, as it involves not only selection and ordering, but also methods of packing. Consider- able experimental work has been done by He'd be lost without a telephone in his tremendous buying job. the New York Office in cooperation with shippers, he said, to ensure that mer- calendar year the New York Office proc- from a factory in Massachusetts to Tocu- chandise for the Canal Zone makes the essed 6,640 requisitions, and issued 20,737 men Airport in Panama. long humid trip from the United States purchase orders covering 75,029 items. All of the things which Mr. Ferguson's in good condition. Mr. Ferguson likes to use potatoes as outfit buys in the United States have to This part of his job is known as pro- an illustration of quantity buying. The be transported to the Canal Zone, of his outfit curement and is handled by three "Com- 24 million potatoes which buys course. By far the largest amount is modity Branches" and one administrative each year would, laid end to end, stretch shipped on the two Panama Line ships, branch. The commodity branches are from New York to Cristobal. which also come under his direction. He split into the food section which pur- Some of his purchases are emergency is ultimately responsible for the physical chases all food items plus paper products, ones, and he is justifiably proud of the operation and maintenance of the SS medical and school supplies, deck and dispatch with which the office has been Ancon and the SS Cristobal, the Panama engine ship supplies, etc.; the industrial able to handle them. A year or so ago, Line's 500-foot pier on New York's North materials branch which buys the electri- for instance, he got a radio telephone call River, and the Haiti Office, with its 11- polio cal and mechanical equipment for the at 4 p. m. that two rocking beds man staff, in the heart of Port-au-Prince's needed urgently at Gorgas Hospital. Canal, both finished and unfinished ; the ap- were business district. furnishing branch which It took several airlines, the Coast Guard, parel and home During the past fiscal year, the two drygoods, shoes, and police departments in New York and handles such buying as present ships of the line and the SS housewares and notions. And they do Massachusetts to do it, but 12 hours later and "Panama," prior to its sale in Decem- quantity that during the past the two rocking-beds had been flown this in such ber, carried a total of over 9,000 passen- gers and some 175,000 tons of cargo —Air Freight between New York and Cristobal. As head of the New York Operations, Mr. Ferguson is the Governor's business representative in the United States. This means not only that he is the Company's contracting officer in the United States, but that he is also the "go-between" when it comes to retaining consultants and ob- taining information needed in such stud- ies as the current capacity program, and also the individual who is the recipient of suits in legal matters such as cargo claims or personal injuries connected with the Panama Line. Another part of being the business rep- resentative is paying bills. Through the Accounting Division of his office, he writes over 40,000 checks a year. The biggest headache in his job, he says, is finding time to do it all. The most enjoyable part is the diversifica- tion. "You never know what's going to happen, when or where." He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, 39 years ago, which makes him one of the youngest of the Canal's top personnel. He studied business administration at This is what happens when ait-borne fruit and vegetables are put on sale in Western Reserve University and has be- the Commissaries each week. The new program has been a great success. hind him 16 years as an executive with such well-kno^ii retail {See page is) August 2, 1957 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW
n 1 During fiscal year 1958, the Marine lin For the Civil Affairs Bureau, fiscal rcau expects \en 1958 will be largely a year of phys- to conduct two expi ical improvements, although it will also mental projects leading to improver see the beginning of a program for han- operations of the Panama Canal. Thes dicapped children. The largest project will be test lighting to improve night- | of the year will be the start of con- transit conditions, and tests on new | struction of two buildings which will be towing devices now being manufactured . adjuncts to Balboa High School and the by LeTourneau. I WHAT'S AHEAD Junior College but will also serve the I The year's budget includes $125,000 adult public. j for experimental lighting of the locks will be located on the One building '58 ' In Fiscal This will be tried out at Pedro Miguel ?^ plot of ground between , iriangidar Avenues. This Locks to improve and expedite night- / Roosevelt and Morgan j transits. If the results are successful, will contain a 600-seat auditorium, a y To ine. Fiscal Year 1958 could well be titled THE YEAR ' with dressing rooms, and lighting the lighting system of all locks will be J i stage organization and personnel. new Lieutenant Governor. The two most obvious accom- i i and a OF THE FUTURE for the Canal changed. facilities for stage presentation, plishments we can list this year will be the testing of the other building, to be located at The past year has been the YEAR The budget also contains the sum of S70,()tllJ iur experimental soiHidpniolc I niiisit room. The Road, wdl new towing devices at Gatun and the initiation of experi- lighting of a portion of Gaillard Cut. If successful, this the cnriicr of Lawrence JohnsoEi Place and O'Connor OF THE TREATY. A large part of project will be completed for the lassrooni^ and armory, and an audio-visual room mental lighting in the Cut and on the locks. Completion of entire Cut. We hope that by having house R() rC ( the effort of the administration has the Cut adequately lighted, two-way traffic can be where educalioiial Idms can be shown. these will open entirely handled at been in preparing the plans to imple- new possibilities in assuring a more Afairs Buildmg is now being night instead of the present one-way only. In this connection, The main Library in the Civil rapid property transfer and the Single transit and cheaper costs for the shipping industry six pilots, now on States leave, have been detailed to complclclv air conditioned. The system is being inslallcd by ment inspect oper- which, again I repeat, is our majoi customer and the one lighting of Cape Cod and Chesapeake and Delaware l)iMrli)iiidor.i Klectrici, S. A., of Panama, and should be Wage Plan required under the 195.5 Canals. Tests with the new towing devices, a radical change from ating before the end of ihis nioiilh. Treaty, in addition to commitments im- we must steadily strive to satisfy as to the adequacy of our present equipment, will begin during the second quarter of the services. plemented last .January. Testimony has fiscal vear. We expect thai the Bureau of the Bud- been given on implementing legisla- Next June will S3e the last phases of the power conversion the value placed on the get will approve tion before the Congress. I feel con- program under way, foreshatlowing a day not too distant properties taken over by the Company Three major developments are in sight fident this legislation will be passed when all housing areas will be completed. When that day at the time of its reorganization in 1951. this fiscal year for the Personnel Bu- finally to es- adjourns or soon after anives you can once more buy the best of modern electrical | This will make it possible before Congress ^ reati, provided present plans material- will have to tablish the amounl of the V. S. Gov- it reconvenes next January. appliances. No longer we read, with a sense of ize and treaty legislation is passed by investment in the Panama ernment's In any event, we here are ready to put into effect the frustration, about air conditioners, dehumidifiers, modern re- the Congress. These are: Implementa- the Company r;iii,il Company on which tion of the Single Wage Plan; the 1 requirements of the Treaty. This has been a difficult, time- frigerators or fans. Our way of life can become that of a III- III pav interest. We shall the i con- physical move of the Employment and as it did coordination with the normal citizen in the United States. (I nil, III- on simplifying our procedures consuming task, involving Utilization and Wage and Classification prop- ] ill .Kinunting for the Company's agencies of the Department of Defense and the Congress- Dr. Falk's studies of our hospitals and medical services r^i\-isions to new office space in .-\ncon; economies where- erly, and on effecting interest in this legislation has been will give us clear goals as to the future of these important and an expanded Management and ional Committees whose j ever possible. Employee Development program. intense. community facilitiss. It seems obvious at this time that his .Ml rates presently being charged by Plans are well tinder way to put the will happen in the fiscal year just begin- studies will provide for better service by both Coco Solo and ilii ri.mpany and Government to the So many things Single Wage Plan into effect if the organization, v II iiiiivi|i\isii)ns within the ning, not "only with respect to Treaty items but also with Gorgas Hospitals. necessary legislation is passed by Con- 111 .1111 lie reviewed to determine iiployet nlri-. will respect to the Canal capacity studies and master-plan items, The new high school at Margarita, to be started within gress this fiscal year. In the physical move the Wage and that a start into a better fiiture will really be made by the the year, and the new activities building at the Balboa school ue to cooperate in the long-range program of Classification Division will transfer from the -Administration will permit much bettor utilization of the fine teaching staff rnment to bring about operating economies end of next June. Building at Balboa Heights to office space in the former Ancon iiiiiling in all agencies of the Government. The land transfer legislation will permit the start of con- that has always been available. Commissary. The Employment and Utilization Division, which struction of housing and service facilities at Margarita and, For most of us the year of the future will be the year of includes the Central Labor Office, will move from Building 69 on Roosevelt Avenue in Balboa to the remodeled Commissary Whe Ihis liscal year ends, tests while very few, if any, new houses will be completed, our continuing hard work. All forces will be bent to the task and its annex. ^^^^^^^1 h on the first significant plans will be ready for consolidating our important Atlantic of taking care of the steadily-rising number of Caral transits. change operating procedures of the ^^^^^BH^^^^^I side forces in Gatiin and Margarita. The future of these two The locks force, the pilots, the police and the firemen will ^^^^H P,ui,ima Canal since it was planned and ^^^^^f the individual and find themselves faced with the same necessity for dedication Ill line with long-range plans to make! ^^^^Kj^ constructed nearly 50 years ago-~two areas will then be clearly definable by ^^^H the heart of Balboa into a modern shop- ? "'^"' ship-towing devices for use at the by the administratiDn. The job of the Civic Councils on the to theii tasks that has always characterized their organ- ^^^^^^% '^^^^H ping center, a start will be made iIti-- ^^^H locks, i'he new devices have been de- ^^^^Km Atlantic side will be of overriding importance in the develop- izations. year to modernize the Balboa rci.ul are being manufactured by j^PRH signed and not but, in book, fiscal del.iilnl ^^B^^B-^^^n^^M'->~ ,» 'rWiPm ment of the best communities possible. Too much may be completed my commissary. This will include |, J- L,.'Pin,rneaii, Inc., under a con- >|i completion year 19-58 is the opening of a new way of life and a new planning for expanded selling ^^^^^tt\. ir.ui .idminislered b\' the Engineering The capacity studies which are now nearing Meantime, during the coming m n ,iiul t'dnstriiclion Bureau. The results and which are a monument to Colonel Schull's engineering scale of activitv in the most remarkable area under the con- i. i '' both the commissaries and service V, of the.sc tests hmII vitally alTcct plan- States. ability will be carried forward under the leadership of our trol of the United ters will continue to broaden their nu-i ^ I V of waterway ; nliig for the operation the chandise assortments. In the commi; ,, for many decades to come. j saries, the stores will keep pace with in | % I 1 This is only one of several areas \ the conversion to 60-cycle current by which the problem of handling the stocking more and more household ap- stea-lily-increasing flow of ships through the Canal will be ap- pliances which operate on the new cur- proached by a po.sitivc design and construction program this This is one of the new LeTourneau towing devices rent. vear. Two others aro a long-raii'je program of widening Gaillard For the Locks which will be tried here this year. Other retail outlet developments dur- Cut to a niininium of 500 feel and lighting the Cut and Locks ing the coming year include plans for advancedftraining classes for Impro\e I iiiL;hl-opcr.iliiig conditions. for salespeople on the order of those taught in up-to-date depart- We expect that design of the high-level bridge at Balboa will ment stores in the United States, and the continued air-lifting be started this year. This will be done by an architect-engineer of fresh fruits and vegetables from Miami which will go on as still to be selected. Completion of the bridge will take about long as there is seasonal top quality produce which can be de- 4H years after initial funds are appropriated for the design. livered in garden-fresh condition. Shipments to date have proved Prospects at the outset of fiscal year 1958 promise one of the to be overwhelmingly successful. busiest >-ears for the Kngineering and Construction Bureau since .Also during fiscal 1958, the Storehouse plans to install a scrap conslruction days. Coniinualion of the power conversion proj- press which will make the processing of salvage much easier, ect, deepening of Cristobal anchorage, conslruction of the new the finished product more readiK- saleable, and the loading op- .'\ctivities Buiicling at B ilboa High School are some of the more erations safer. impiiri.int active phases of the Bureau's work which, when fitted into an overall improvement program, will determine how the Panami Canal will operate and how ihc Canal Zone will all units of the Transportation look for pi'rh;ips the next half century. While and Terminals Bureau will continue I their normal, busy existence during the I The fiscal year will start slowly for the coming fiscal year, attention will be I Health Bureau but by next June we focused on the Railroad Division which I should be well into the long-range plan- will undergo important reorganizationall headed niiig based on Dr. L S. Falk's detailed changes. The Division is now [
I survey of by its new manager. George M. Smith, j Canal Zone health activities. Officer for the This stud\-, which was started last Feb- former Transportation | ruary .inri which should be in its final Pennsvlvania Railroad. liinn thi^ fill, is the only comprehen- Some of the proposals under consid- Rail- ^i\ (• sliicK on medical facilities since the eration to revit.ilize the Panama Canal was begun. Its recommendations road are: Revision of the railroad oper- will influence, in large part, not only ating table to improve freight deliver- \A [ A what will be done for the remainder of ies and augment passenger-train serv' H this year, but for several years to come. for greater passenger convenience; in- mechanical refrigerating units ™ In his survey, Dr. Falk is placing stallation, ill the near future, of commodities; and the adjustment » particular emphasis on statistical stud- capable of handling all froze.i rates. ies, the adequacy of hospital facilities, of freight-rate structures to offer more attractive saiiitaiioa, .uul dental and veterinary services, and the develop- Legislation to implement the 1955 Treaty with Panama re- its passenger-aiul-freight me 11 of a long-range plan for hospitalization and medical care. quires the Railroad to move out of of a freight .Msi) slated for this fiscal year are: The appointment of a new facilities in the Republic. Plans call for the building station in .Ancon, near Panama City, and Superiniendent of Coco Solo Hospital to succeed Dr. J. M. house and passenger adequate in Wilkerson, who retired last month; completion of a year's train- a passenger station in Cristobal. These are to be the increased traf- ing program for 21 nursing assistants at the two hospitals, and all respects to handle the present traffic and convenience and the start of training for a second group; and completion of the fic which is expected because of the greater new parking lot at Gorgas Hospital. service of the proposed new schedules. Last Look
50 Years Ago as Governor was not announced simul- taneously, although it was generally ex- Panama City's venerable Star & Her- pected. ald—it was already over half a century Thatcher Highway was practically com- old—was concerned 50 years ago this pleted and trial runs were made by the month with dangers of a lock-type Pan- ferry, preparatory to inauguration of opera- ama Canal. In an editorial, the paper tions September 1. At the request of Pan- declared that the danger to which the ama, the Canal Administration considered terminal cities would be exposed from a 24-hour operating schedule. Formal cere- "vast quantities of impounded water at monies for inauguraiion of highway and either end escaping and sweeping every- ferry were postponed because Representa- thing before it in its rush to the sea" had tive Maurice Thatcher was unable to be been pointed out in the United States by present at the time. Lindon W. Bates of sea-level fame. On August 23, 1932, the windows and In August 1907, the Isthmus icas alive terrace of the Balboa Heights Adminis- with rumors that at least 50 percent of the tration Building overflowed with specta- Canal icorking force would be laid off, he- tors as five men from the Army Air Corps cause appropriationsfor the fiscal year, which gave a parachute jumping demonstration began July I, were not as large as before. at Albrook Field. Since there were only Two appointments were announced for three "jumping parachutes" on the Isth- the Canal force. Maj. H. F. Hodges of mus, they had to be collected and flown the Army Engineer Corps was put in back to France Field for repacking before charge of the Isthmian Canal Commis- the last two men could jump. sion's Washington office. His chief duties .4s a contraband control measure, offi- were to be supervision of material and cials from Panama suggested to their Canal From the gangplank of the SS He- supply purchases. And on the Isthmus, Zone colleagues that all Panama Canal redia, Lt. Gov. and Mrs. H. W. Schull, Charles A. Merritt. who had had hotel employees carry identification cards. This Jr., said goodbye to the Canal Zone e.xperience in Jamaica and New York, was is joining came on the heels of a Canal announcement last month. Col. Schull an appointed manager of the Tivoli Hotel. that the organization would take no steps to engineering company in Miami, Fla. Bids were opened in Washington for 500 prevent nonemployees from attending mov- 12-cubic-yard steel duinp cars —the low bid ies in the Zone but would raise admission was $554,000 -and 115 four-ctibic-yard Here's prices for all except employees. The Man Who steel cars, for which the low bid was $19,515. Also in August 1932: Dr. W. C. Todd Also from the States came word that the {Continued from page 9) merchandising was named the Canal Zone's flrst Public "Ancon," one of two 288-foot suction outfits as the Hecht Department Store Defender; Panama Line ships were no dredges, was en route to the Canal Zone in Washington, and the E. A. Filene longer to carry mail because the eight- from Sparrows Point, Md.; the second, the branch in Arlington, Va. day trip between New York and Cristo- "Culebra". would get underway in about During World \^ar II he served as a bal was considered too slow; work on the three months hut would have to go through lieutenant in the U. S. Coast Guard, in New Cristobal High School reached the the Straits of Magellan en route to Balboa. both Atlantic and Pacific theaters of war. place where it was possible for school Joseph Bucklin Bishop, Secretary for If pressed, he will admit to having been ofliicials to announce that the building the ICC, arrived on the Isthmus, accom- decorated twice for uncovering the only would be ready for use in January; the panied by S3veral thousand books for the two cases of sabotage to be found during first concrete was poured at Madden first public libraries on the Isthmus. The the war on ammunition ships in New Dam; the Canal was considering plans to libraries were to be installed in the four York harbor. replace all construction-day quarters in YMCA's, at Cristobal, Gorgona, Empire, In 1951, he left private business to Gatun; and an alligator bit through the and Culebra, and in the University Club enter the government service as a con- insulation on a cable crossing Santa Cruz in Panama City. The fiction would rotate sultant for the Oflice of Price Stabiliza- Island in Gatun Lake, killing himself and among the libraries, non-fiction stay put. tion and stayed on as Director of the shorting the circuit. Consumer Goods Program. Two years 25 Years Ago 10 Years Ago later he joined the Panama Canal Com- Canal traffic, slipping steadily since the Construction of the new $1 million pany as Administrator of its Procurement beginning of the depression, continued to obstetrical building for Gorgas Hospital Division. decrease. July's commercial transits became a certainty as the President He lives with his wife and two children, totaled 326, those for August were 314, in signed the appropriation bill containing Sandy, 14, and Judy Ann, 4, a new the lowest for any month since Decem- Panama Canal funds. house they have just built in Syosset on ber, 1922. Canal Zone speed limits were rai.'ied. the north shore of Long Island near Meanwhile, employees continued to feel the past his Motorists could now legally do all of 40 Huntington. For few weeks the impact of the Economy Bill which, the miles an hour on the open road and 25 in family has been on the Isthmus, taking "Star & Herald" con^wnted, dealt em- town, except where otherwise specified. their first look at the Canal Zone with ployee morale "the hardest jolt it has yet The worst outbreak of infantile paral- which he has been doing business for been called on to absorb." Panama Rail- ysis in many years caused one death dur- over four years. road personnel learned officially that they ing August 1947; by mid-August, there would be affected just as employees of the were S3ven polio patients in Gorgas Hos- Panama Canal were, although unlike the New Orleans, the sentence was later pital and four others in military hospitals others, they could get cash payment of their changed to life. in the Canal Zone. accumulated leaves the leave were .'icrved if The Central Labor Union endorsed plans One Year Ago during fiscal 1933. At the end of the month to close four Panama Canal commissaries Assistant Secretary of the Army, three married women, employed in the Re- during the noon hour as an economy mea- (leorge Roderick, Chairman of the Board ceiving and Forwarding Agency, were noti- sure. These were the stores at .1 neon. Balboa, of the Panama C^anal Company, here to fied that they were to be furloughed for six Cristobal, and La Boca, then open all day. confer on treaty provisions, laid things months, under the one-working-member of a A sentence of death by hanging was on the line in a public statement. Neither married couple provision. handed out in the District Court at the treaty nor plans for its implementa- Word came from Washington, during Cristobal against Edward J. Kemp, tion, he said, provides for a general over- August 1932, that Lt. Col. Clarence D. charged with murdering a shipmate in all wage increase; on the other hand there Ridley was to be the Canal's next Engi- May. Appealed to the Circuit Court in would be no wage reduction. neer of Maintenance, succe?ding Col. J. L. Schley. Colonel Schley's appointment THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW August!, 1957 Director !s Employed
For Program To Assist
Handicapped Children
An educational program for the Canal Zone's handicapped children is gradually The war-babies are growing up. moving toward reality. Cristobal ebmentary school but fir-st Within the next few weeks a Director This year, according to the best-edu- through sixth graders will go to North of Special Education and a teacher for cated guess of the Canal Zone School Margarita this year. speech therapy will arrive in the Canal oflicials, there will be more students in In addition to the major construction Zone and before manj' more weeks reme- Balboa and Cristobal High Schools and at Balboa High School, many improve- dial reading classes should be under way in the junior college, than ever before in ments will be made in the physical plant for children who need that help. the history of the local school system. of the schools this year. New toilet The new Director of Special Educa- As a matter of fact, the officials, whose facilities ar-e being installed at the tion is James Merle Wolf, who has been predictions have a way of being un- Balboa stadium, and the rifle ranges at Coordinator of Special Education in cannily accurate, have stuck their necks the two United States high schools have McLean County, III. His particular out again this year to forecast a record been improved as a safety measure. A area is known as Unit District Five enrollment of 7,044 students when the new covered passageway has been built United States schools open here Septem- at the Gatun school.
ber 4. The figure includes enrollments Also scheduled for this year is consid- from kindergarten through junior college, erable work at the Balboa gymnasium. but does not include CZJC's extension A concrete playing slab will be laid and division, and represents ar increase of SI the dressing rooms will be enlarged. Pro- over last year's school population of 6,963. tective hoods will be installed to keep the The expected enrollments are: Kinder- rain from blowing into the gymnasium. garten, 603; elementary, 4,022; junior high schools, 938; senior high schools, 1,286; and the junior college, 175. This Bus Behavior
is a slight decrease in kindergarten A code of behavior has been drawn through eighth grade but an increase of up for approximately 900 Canal Zone 13 percent in senior high school enroll- students for whom free bus service has ment, and 12 percent in the number of been or will be provided this year, accord- junior college students. ing to an announcement from the Divi- The major construction project for sion of Schools. the Schools Division this year will be When the United States schools open at Balboa High School. Work will begin September 4, free bus service will be on the two new activities buildings, James Merle Wolf provided for approximately 530 boys one near the Balboa Fire Station and and girls who live in districts which do which has a school population of the other behind and to one side of the not have appropriate school facilities. about 3,000. has been liaison officer High School building. He Another 80 pupils living a considerable between that area and the Hlinois State I'hese will provide space for musical distance from the schools will also be University Special School. organizations, dramatic activities, ROTC Education transported without charge. Kinder-gar- Teaching speech therapy will be a for- classes and the armorv' and for a 600-seat ten children in areas where traffic hazards mer Canal Zone girl, Mariljun Flynn. auditorium. If funds are available, there are considerable will also receive the free Flynn, will also be space for a cafeteria. Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter G. transportation. is In number, the teaching staff of the she grew up here and a graduate of Bal- In the Latin Ainerican communities, boa High School and the Canal Zone Junior regular schools will remain the same this free school bus service has been pro- College. She was graduated in speech school year as last. A number of new vided since July 1 to 264 pupils. A ma- therapy at Bradley University and has teachers have been recruited in the United jority of these are boys and girls from and a Director of Special Education been serving as speech therapist in the States Santa Cruz who are attending high Orlando, Fla. schools. and a speech therapist have been employed. school at Paraiso. Other communities The remedial reading classes, which In the kindergarten, 10 full-time teach- having the bus service are La Boca, will be the first step in the program for ers will replace a number of part-time Chiva Chiva, and Cocoli, from which handicapped children will be in charge of assistants as a first step in a plan to staff students are driven back and forth to qualified elementary school teacher who the kindergartens with teachers who hold a Paraiso; and Mindi, whose boys and will be transferred to this work. college degrees. In the larger schools, girls attend school in Rainbow City. Mr. Wolf will spend most of the coming kindergarten assistants will work with the A change will be necessary September school year studying the potential student full-time teacher's. 3 in the hours at the Paraiso schools, so body of about 250 children and screening There are two major changes in the that sufficient busses will be available for them to see which children need which supervisory staff. Miss E. Frances Fan- both U. S. and Latin American school special education. He will also decide on ning who has been principal at Gam- service. Effective on that date the Par- the school buildings where the special boa, will replace Mrs. Gladys Light, aiso school day will be 9 a. m. to 4 p. m. classes should be located and the type of Supervisor of Instruction, who is on a instead of S a. m. to 3 p. m. This will equipment which must be purchased. year's leave of absence in the United free a number of busses to aid in trans- Plans for a program for handicapped States. Miss Fanning, in turn, will be porting children in the U. S. communities. Canal Zone children have been studied replaced by William Garber, who has When they accept the free transporta- foi' several months. Early this year, Dr. been on the teaching staff of the Cris- tion, each student agr-ees to the following: Ray Graham, of Illinois, spent several tobal Junior-Senior High School. Each pupil riding the school busses months here looking into the local situa- A few changes are planned in school will be expected to obey the bus drivers tion and making his recommendations. districting. Because of expected crowded promptly and must be on time at the An appropriation to establish some of the conditions in the Balboa and Diablo designated bus stops. Pupils are not to special education facilities is included in Heights elementary schools, students cross behind a bus when crossing a highway. the budget for the present fiscal year. from the Ancon district who attended In the busses, the boys and girls must Mr. Wolf, who will head the program, these schools last year will be retur-ned keep their hands and heads inside the was highly recommended by Dr. Graham. to the Ancon school this year. First and vehicles, remain in their seats, and m.ust A native of Sterling, 111., he was gradu- second grade students from Los Rios will not cause trouble by teasing, pulling hair, ated from the Illinois State Normal Uni- be assigned to the Balboa school instead scuffling, or using unfit language. versity in 1950 and holds a Master's De- of to Diablo Heights. Kindergarteners Pupils who disfigure or mutilate a bus gree in Education from the same school. from Coco Solito will continue at the will be r"equired to pay fcr the damage. Bus privileges will be denied those who Augusta, 1957 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW do not comply with the regulations. from General Medicine and Surgery to Internal Medicine, Gorgas Hospital. PROMOTIONS AND TRANSFERS Dr. Benjamin P. Kietzman, Dr. Robert H. Buker, Dr. Clifford S. Reusch, Dr. Floyd L. Pollard, Jr., from Intern to Hospital Res- June 75 through July 75 ident, Gorgas Hospital. Dr. Rogelio Arosemena, Dr. Roderick L. Employees who were pron-ot;cl or trans- (Tabulation), from Administrative Branch Esquivel, from Hospital Resident to Med- ferred between June 15 and July 15 are to Accounting Division. ical Officer (Surgery, General), Gorgas Hos- listed below. pital. Within-grade promotions are George A. Black, Jr., Tabulation Project not Dr. Gabriel reported. Planner, from .'Administrative Branch to Kourany, from Hospital Res- ADMINISTRATIVE BRANCH Accounting Division. ident to .Medical Officer (General Medicine and Surger\), Gorgas Hospital. Mrs. Elvera N. Breakfield, from Account- Mrs. Margaret M. Janssen, from Clerk- Stenographer to Dr. G. Josephine Garner, from Intern to ing Clerk, Commissary Branch, to Super- Cle.-k (Stenography), Bud- get and Rates Division. Medical Officer (General Medicine and Sur- visory Accounting Clerk, Printing Plant. Mrs. Bertha E. Hayes, Clerk-Typist, gery), Gorgas Hospital. CIVIL AFFAIRS Dr. BUREAU from General Office Dixision to Accounting Charles H. Glines, from Hospital J. D. Barnes, from Patrolman, Locks Se- Division. Resident to Medical Officer (General Med- curity Branch, to Window Clerk, Postal ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION icine and Surger\), Gorgas Hospital. Division. BUREAU Capt. Gordon L. Verity, from Chief, Radi- Richard D. Brown, from Chauffeur and ology Service, Coco Solo Hospital, to Mirt Bender, from Pumping Plant Oper- Assist Truck Driver, Motor Transportation Divi- ant Chief, Radiology Service, Gorgas Hosp- ator, Maintenance Division, to Pipeline Suc- sion, to Substitute Window Clerk, Postal ital. tion Dredge Foreman, Dredging Division. Division. Mrs. Jacqueline C. Gilbert, from Clerk- Victor D. Young, from Supervisory Elec- Carroll E. Kocher, from Finance Branch Typist, Office of Health Director, to Clerk- trical E(]uipment Inspector to Construction Superintendent to Air Mail Tour Foreman, Dictating .Machine Transcriber, Gorgas Representative, Power Conversion Project. Postal Division. Hospital. Frederick A. Ebdon, from Electrical John W. Hare, from Real Property Ana- Dr. Julien C. Kennedy, from Equipment Inspector to Construction Rep- Chief, Ivst. Office of the Director, to Chief, License Neuro-Psychiatric -Section to Chief, resentative, Power Conversion Project. Psy- Section. chiatric Ser\-ice, Gorgas Hospital. Mrs. Margaret L. Elder, from Clerk- Mrs. Annie R. Rathgeber, Secretary Mrs. Marcia H. Van Home, from Typist to Clerk (Typing), Power Conver- Secre- (Typing), from Office of tary (General) to .Administrati\-e the Director to sion Project. -Assistant, License Section. -Administrative Section. George T. McLintock, from Electroplater Wordie W. Burrow, James E. Haas, from MARINE BltREAU I to KlectriipUuer II, Electrical Division. Donald L. Patrolman, Locks Security Branch to Po- Gifford, from Towing Locomo- Edmund T. Bleakley, from Foreman to ti\e liceman, Police Division. Operator to -Machinist, Locks Division. Operator, Pipeline Suction Dredge, Dredg- Mrs. Veva Folsom, George A. Harter, from Patrolman, Locks S. from Substitute ing Division. Teacher to Senior High School Teacher, -Security Branch to Towing Locomotive Op- Walter W. Woodruff, from Plant Electri- erator, Division of Schools. Locks Overhaul. cian, Maintenance Division, to Wireman, Leslie M. Spencer, from Customs Inspec- Hugh C. Christie, from Machinist to Electrical Division. Machinist tor to Senior Inspector, Cristobal, Foreman, Locks Division. Customs Paul D. Gibbs, from Substitute Window- Division. Milton L. Nash, from Machinist Foreman Clerk, Postal Division, to Apprentice Power to Lockmaster, Locks Division. Bruce G. Sanders, Jr., from Senior In- house Operator, Electrical Division. Charles spector to Chief Inspector, Cristobal, Cus- H. Colburn, from Motorboat Mrs. Kathryn S. Gregory, from Dictating toms Division. Maintenance Mechanic, Dredging Division, Machine Transcriber to Clerk (Typing), Mrs. Sally R. Hudson, from Elementary to Machinist, Industrial Division. Engineering Division. Roger School Teacher to Substitute Teacher, Di- J. Rios, from Patrolman to Ser- Mrs. Rose L. Thomas, from Typist to vision of Schools. geant, Locks Security Branch. Dictating Machine Transcriber, Engineer- Mrs. Frances William F. Mornhinweg, Jr., from Gen- M. Ackerman, from Substi- ing Division. tute Teacher to Junior High School Teacher, eral Electrical Foreman III to Chief Fore- John R. Hammond, Jr., from Supervisory Division of Schools. man Locks Operations, Locks Division. Mechanical Engineer to Chief, Electrical- Mrs. Jean C. Morden, from Senior High Kennth L. Middleton, from Control House Mechanical Branch, Engineering Division. Operator School Teacher to Substitute Teacher, Di- to Lockmaster, Pacific Locks. Rubelio D. Quintero, from Electrical En- vision of Schools. William C. Keepers, from Lockmaster to gineer to Supervisory Electrical Engineer, William General Electrical Foreman III, Pacific H. Munyon, from Police Captain Engineering Division. to Warden, Police Division. Locks. John L. Dougan, from Industrial Repair Ehner Mrs. Marion B. Taylor, from Clerk-Typ- J. Moolchan, from Electric Welder, Equipment Foreman II to Maintenance Dredging Division, ist to Clerk-Stenographer, Division of to Signalman, Naviga- Machinist II, Maintenance Division. Schools. tion Division. Rialto M. Christensen, from First Assist- Robert Bertha E. Moya, Clerk- Typist, from Ac- G. Stern, from Apprentice to ant Engineer to Chief Engineer, Pipeline counting Division Sheetmetal Worker, Industrial Division. to Division of Schools. Suction Dredge, Dredging Division. Robert J. Byrne, from Commissary Sup- George F. Reichel, from Engineer OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER to First ervis-or. Commissary Branch, to Patrolman, Assistant Engineer, Pipeline Suction John E. Fisher, from Assistant Chief, Dredge Locks Security Branch. Dredging Division. Accounting Divisicn, to Assistant Chief Ollin P. Strickland, from Planing Mill T. Dillon, from Engineer Accountant and Chief, Reporting and Spe- John to Chief Lead Foreman to Lead Joiner Foreman, Engineer, Dipper Dredge, Dredging Di\ cial Analysis Staff, Office of Chief, Account- ision. Industrial Division. Robert E. L. Brown, from Supervisory ing Division. Joseph H. Kueter, Glenn C. Dough, Electrical Engineer, Engineering Division Miguel Corco, from Chief, Reporting and to John Van der Heyden, William Wirtz, Supervisory Construction Management En- Jr., Special Analysis Staff, to Staff" Assistant, from Industrial Shipwright to Shipwright, gineer, Office of the Comptroller. Power Conversion Project. Industrial Division. John P. Bidwell, from Fleet Machinist Mrs. Mary H. Foster, Property and Sup- Alexander McKeown, William E. Stan- to Motor Boat Maintenance Mechanic, ply Clerk, from Division of Storehouses to ford, from Planing Mill Hand to Ship- Accounting Division. Dredging Division. wright, Industrial Division. Bartley Smith, from Assistant to Gertrude M. Milloy, Supervisory Ac- J. Proj- Vincent Canamas, Ralph H. Kirkpatrick, ect Engineer to Project Engineer, Power counting Clerk, from Division of Store- from Cabinetmaker to Joiner, Industrial Conversion Project. houses to Accounting Division. Division. Leslie D. Wood, from Wireman to Lead Mrs. Mary G. Livingston, Accounting Wiltz J. Schexnayder, from Sfu'pjoiner to Marine Electrical Foreman, Clerk, from Commissary Branch to Ac- Electrical Di- Joiner, Iiidustri.d Division. vision. counting Division. Roland C. Casanova, from Planing George W. Wertz, from Lead Mill Mrs. Lucille M. Flenniken, Mrs. Ruth E. Marine Hand to Joiner, Industrial Division. Electrical Foreman to Lead Clement, Accounting Clerk, from Commis- Marine Elec- PER.SONNEL BUREAU trical Foreman II, Electrical Division. sary Branch to Accounting Division. Mrs. Beatrice L. Hanlen, from Clerk- Richard Swearingen, from Winston P. Abemathy, Voucher Exam- Electrical Typist to .Appolatnieni Clerk (Typing), Equipment Inspector (Public iner, from Commissary Branch to Account- Works) to Emplovmein am! Itilizaiion Division Construction ing Division. Representative (General, Pow- SUPPLY AND EMPLOYEE SERVICE BUREAU er Conversion Project. Mrs. Hilda E. Mrs. Elizabeth S. Coleman, Accounting Wickens, from Accounting Willard W. Huffman, from Power and Clerk, Accoimting Division, Clerk, from Service Center Branch to .Ac- to Checker, counting Division. Communications CaMcsplicer to Automatic Commissary Branch. Telephone Conununication Johnny Vaucher, Accounting Supervisor, Equijiment Mrs. Norma E. Hamilton, from Clerk Maintainer I, Electrical Division. (Typing), Division from Commissary Branch to Accounting of Schools, to Secretary Division. Walter E. Marek, from Pipefitter, Indus- (Stenographv), (Jffice of the Director. Gilberto Young, Accountant, from Meth- trial Di\ision to Quarters Maintenance Mrs. Gertrude A. Connard, from Super- Lead Foreman, Maintenance Division. visory Steward, ods and Relief Staff to General Ledger and Service Center Branch, William Stevenson, Proces-sing Brancli. J. from Power Plant to Commissary Supervisor, Comnu'ssary Electrician I to Wireman, P^lectrical Brancli. Mrs. Ruth H. Elich, from Accounting Division. OFFICE OF THE Mrs. Clerk to General Accounting Clerk, Ac- GOVERNOR-PRESIDENT Margaret M. Nash, .Accounting counting Division. Col. Hugh M. Arnold, from Engineering Clerk, from -Accounting Division to Com- Louis C. Caldwell, Preston G. Gau, Tab- and Consi ruction Director to Lieutenant miss.iry Bniiich. Governor-Nice President. TRANSPORTATION AND TERMINALS ulating Equipment Operation Supervisor, BUREAU from Administrative Branch to .Accounting Warren H. Smith, from Supervising Mrs. Glendora A. Dorsey, from Division. Safely Kngijieer to Chief, .Safety Branch. Clerk- .Stenographer, Commissary Branch, to Alfredo Lombana, Mrs. Mercedes A. HEALIII BUREAU Cargo Clerk, Terminals Division. Borrell, Mrs. Helen M. Cicero, Tabulating Dr. Jose A. Filos-Diaz, Medical Officer, James H. Rheney, Rep.iir Shop Foreman Equipment Ojierator, from Adininistrative Branch to Accounting Division. James McKeown, Jr., Student Assistant THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW August 2, 1957 7
I, from Terminals Division to Motor Trans- from all parts of the country. They are: C portation Division. Retires F. Bertoncini, General Engineer, Surveys Harry M. Witt, Repair Shop Lead Fore- Branch, Panama; Nolan A. Bissell, Fore- man II, from Terminals Division to Motor ni.in. Mail Handling I'nit, Postal Division, Transportation Division. Mississippi; Lyman Jackson, Locomotive Mrs. Mildred L. Randall, from Account- Machinist, Railroad Division, Indiana; ing Clerk, Division of Storehouses, to Casli .^ Jacques K. Lally, Clerk-in-charge, City Accounting Clerk, Motor Transportation Division, Cristobal Post Office, Missouri; Division. Lew W. Mcllvaine, Assistant Supply Offi-
James A. Dorsey, from Construction and I er for Housewares for the cominissaries, Maintenance Superintendent to Lead Track Ohio; and Wells D. Wright, Assistant De- Foremanll, Railroad Division. ~ii;ning Engineer, Engineering Division, OTHER PROMOTIONS Massachusetts. .All but Mr. Lally have continuous Canal Promotions which did not involve change t-ervice although in some cases the total in title follow: \ ears include government service elsewhere. Daile D. Keigley, Accountant, Reporting and Special .Analysis Staff, Accounting Di- 25 YEARS vision. One woman and four men celebrated Donald M. Luke, Chief, General Ledger their silver anniversaries in government and Processing Branch, Accounting Divi- ser\ice in July. sion. On the distaff side of the rolls is Caroline Richard M. Conover, Position Classifier, Hunt, who hails from North Carolina and Wage and Classification Division. who is the Nurse Supervisor at the E. N. T. Mrs. Martha W. Keller, Supervisory Clinic and the E. N. T. operating room at Steward, Ser\ice Center Branch. Gorgas Hospital. Dr. Walter H. Maloney, Hospital Resi- Others who completed 25 years of service dent, Gorgas Hospital. .t £^ last tnonth are : Oliver C. Culp, a native of William L. Brooks, Administrative Assist- Mammoth Springs, Ark., Lead Plumbing ant (Tvpingl. Power Conversion Project. Foreman II in the Maintenance Division; Dr. Frank P. Smith, Assistant Chief, Leon V. Heim, from York, Pa., Customs Medical Service. Gorgas Hospital. Inspector in Cristobal; Donald H. Spencer, Mrs. N. May Stokes, Supervisory Ac- Paul M. Disharoon from Colorado Springs, Colo., Lead Fore- counting Clerk, Printing Plant, Adininis- man Painter and Diver, Pacific Locks; and trative Branch. Over 33 of his 40 years of Government John R. Szima, who comes from Dayton, Dr. Richard Ostenso, Medical Officer, service were at the Dredging Division. Ohio, and is an Electrician in the Motor Ear, Nose, anrl Throat, Gorgas llospital, Transportation Division. Norbert H. McCauley, Stuart Wallace, William B. Lloyd, Ralph R. Grassau, 20 YEARS Budget .^nal\ St, Budget and Rates Division. ANNIVERSARIES Five of the nine employees who celebrated Mrs. Hamner C. Cook, Accounting Clerk twentieth anniversaries last month have Branch. Commissary unbroken service with the Canal organiza- Bailey, Supervisory Sanitation To three .'\tlantic siders goes the honor Mack F. tion. Inspector, Sanitation Division. of sharing the top spot on the July list of These five the town following each name anniversaries. The trio has much in com- — is his birthplace are: Errett R. Albritton, mon. They share the same service date, — Train Dispatcher, Railroad Division, Car- July 1, 1927; have 30 years of Canal service terville. Mo.; Philip T. Green, Industrial RETIREMENTS and, as adults, continuous service with the Training Coordinator, Electrical Division, unit where they still work; are native-born Kalamazoo, Mich.; Teddy A. Marti, Lock Isthmians; and were born the same year. Retirement certificates were presented at Operator, Pedro Miguel Locks, Detroit, They are, alphabetically: Joseph A. Cor- of to the following employees the end July Mich.; William J. Stevenson, Power Plant rigan, Jr., Supervisory Cargo Officer, Ter- who are listed alphabetically, together with Electrician, Electrical Division, Harrison, minals Division; Herbert K. Peterson, Chief their birthplaces, posiitions, length of Canal N. and R. H. McConaughey, Pipefitter, of the Planning Section of the Industrial J.; service, and future addresses. Pedro Miguel Locks, Balboa, C. Z. Mr. Division; and Anastasio Sogandares, Plan- Alsing, California; (Gen.) Head McConaughey is a second generation Canal Hazel A. ner and Estimator for the Inrlustrial Divi- 30 years, 7 months, employee. Nurse, Gorgas Hospital; sion. 23 days; San Francisco, Calif. Two of the other four employees, Robert Mr. Corrigan was born in what is now Campbell, New York; B. Grier and John A. McLain, Jr., are also Mrs. Marione Gorgas Hospital, the son of Joseph A. Cor- Leave, and Payroll Clerk, Office of second generation Canal employees. Both Time, rigan, who came to the Canal Zone in 1905 month?, 21 days; were born in Ancon. Mr. Grier is a Ma- Comptroller; 31 years, 6 as a carpenter. chinist at Pedro Miguel Locks. Mr. McLain, Springfield, Ark. He was graduated from Cristobal High Deavours, Georgia; Locomo- Jr., is a Marine Bunkering Steam Engineer, Samuel J. School in 1927, one of a class of 16. His tive Engineer, Railroad Division; 22 years, Terminals Division. first job was as a checker with the Receiv- Florida. The other two employees are: Gather T. 5 months, 24 days; ing and Forwarding Agency, now the Term- Paul Disharoon, Virginia; Chief En- Brownlee, Lead Foreman, Heavy Labor, M. inals Division in Cristobal. He has been Crane) Dredging Division; Maintenance Division, Calhoun, La.; and gineer (Floating promoted through the ranks of foretnan days; Cape Charles, Dorothy W. Webb, Personnel Clerk in the 3i years, 6 months, 15 checker, stevedore foreman, storekeeper, Central Labor Office Division, Pasquo Tank Va. traffic clerk, supervisory traffic clerk, and Wallace E. Gibson, Wisconsin; Supervis- County, N. C. supervisory freight traffic officer to his pres- Clerk, Terminals Division; 14 ory Cargo ent position. 15 YEARS years, 8 months, 11 days; Port Arthur, Tex. Mr. Peterson is another second generation Of the 23 employees who coiupleted 15 X. Moser, Ohio, Machinist; In- Francis Zone employee; his father, Walter D. Peter- years of government service last month, dustrial Division; 15 years, 3 days; Cali- son, was a boilermaker in the Cristobal 19 have continuous service with the Canal fornia. Shops. Born in Cristobal, he attended organization. Otis M. Ramey, Mississippi; Lead Yard Cristobal High School. His first job was These 19 are: Reginald R. Colby, Window Foreman, Railroad Division; 23 years, 4 that of a helper in the Cristobal garage of Clerk, Ci\il Affairs Bureau, Postal Division; days; California. months, 21 the Motor Transportation Division. A few Joel L. Cook, Policeman; Xenia de Bermu- Kathryn P. Stapf, New York; Supervi- months later he transferred to the then dez, Clerk-typist in the Railroad IDivision; Clerk, Terminals Division; sory Accounting an appren- Cyril D. DeLapp, Policeman F. Mechanical Division and began ; Joseph 20 years, 6 months, 8 days; Sunland, Calif. ticeship as a welder. He worked at this Dolan, Fire Sergeant; William G. Dolan, Wilkerson, Oklahoma; Sup- Dr. John M. trade at the Cristobal shops until he was Fire Marshal; Willard F. French, Chief, erintendent, Coco Solo Hospital; 7 years, promoted to shipfitter. Successive promo- Dental Service, Coco Solo Hospital; James 4 months, 23 days; St. Petersburg, Fla. tions led to his present position which he D. Herblin, Accounting .Assistant, Account- has held since September 1953. ing Division; Donald V. Howerth, Police Mr. Sogandares was born on Taboga Lieutenant; Jessie O. Lindsay, Procure- Island but is a naturalized United States ment Clerk, Division of Schools; John F. AUGUST SAILINGS citizen. He started his Canal career as a McDowell, Police and Motorcycle Officer; messenger and helper in the Mechanical R. B. Mcllvaine, Jr., Customs Guard; Wil- Division at Balboa and in 1927 began an liam Monzon, Customs Inspector; Horace FROM CRISTOBAL J. apprenticeship as a boilermaker. He has J. Orgeron, Jr., Special Operator for Auto- Cristobal August 10 been assigned at times, during the past 30 motive Equipment, Motor Transportation August 1 A neon years, to the Locks and Dredging Divisions Division; Joseph J. Pustis, Supervisory Cristobal August 28 and to Madden Dam, on a loan basis, but Steward for Service Center Division ; George FROM NEW YORK has remained on the rolls of the Mechanical J. Roth, Pclice Sergeant; John B. Spivey, Division. In Foreman for Navigation Aids, Marine Bu- Cristobal August 2 Division, now the Industrial reau; Herbert F. Taake, Plant Electrician, A neon August 9 1954, he was promoted from boilermaker Maintenance Division; C, Vigli- Cristobal August 20 leadingman to planner and estimator, the and Hilda A neon August 27 position he now holds. etti, Clerk-typist, Employment and Utiliza- Both he and Mr. Peterson have been tion Division. Southbound ships which leave New York Friday commended for several special jobs; one Others who completed 15 years of govern- are in Haiti the following Tuesday. Tliose which sail from New York Tuesday spend Saturda.v in Haiti. coinmendation which they share was for ment service are: Michael J. Burza, Mach- Northbound, the ships stop in Haiti two days after work on a damaged Colombian ship, the inist, Industrial Division; Gene E. Clinch- clearing Cristobal: Monday for those which sail from Ciudad de Qiiibdo, in 1956. ard, Lead Foreman, Grounds Maintenance, Cristobal Saturday, and Friday for those which clear Cristobal Wednesday. July's remaining 30-year employees come Housing and Grounds Division; Ruth S. Dunscombe, Position Classifier, Wage and Classification Division; and Arthur L. Smith August 2, 1957 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW Machinist, Mirafiores Locks. No Tenderfoot, He Section "B" Has A Party
You don't necessarily have to have an excuse for a party, but employees of Sec- tion B of the Storehouses had an espe- cially good reason to stage one last month. They had just completed a complete in- terior redecorating program for their sec- tion and a relocation of their stock in a manner unique in the Canal organization. Today, the intericr of Section B's stock-bins is a bripht buff, trimmed in light green; this replaces the drab old black and white and gray color scheme. The walls are light green, instead of white, ard are trimmed in a darker green. The color scheme is known to the Storehouse personnel as the Demada Color Code (for J. L. H. Demers and Robert H. Adams). The actual paintmg was done by Store- house personnel, urder supervision, in their spare time.
WTiile the new colors make all the dif- ference in the world in the appearance of the building, the stock location sj'stem The boa and fhe marmoset,above, were only parf of the menagerie which accom- is even more revolutionary. panied Canal Zone Boy Scouts to ihe National Jamboree at Valley Forge. Until a few months ago, there was no After swapping ideas and souvenirs uations such as a cool mountain night location given on the cards which list the with 60,000 other Boy Scouts from all and, perhaps, poison ivy. thousands of items can'ied by Section B. over the United States, the 31 Canal Accompanied by three adult scout A new stock-clerk, looking for stationery Zone supplies Scouts who attended the Fourth leaders led by William H. Taylor of or automobile parts, might have National bit of Jamboree in Valley Forge Balboa, the boys will complete their a trouble finding them until he last are learned his month due to return to the trip in New York early in August and way around. Isthmus the Today, second week in August. are expected to sail for the Canal Zone the cards listing the stationery According to plans made before August 6 on a transport. supplies are stamped, in large letters, their departure last month, that these may be found in the boys The boys making the trip are shown Massachu- expected that the highlight of the trip setts on Shettlewood's Place. The laige in the picture above. In the front row for them, anyhow, would be the con- areas, known as bays, have been named are Jay Bialkowski, Jorge Arias, struction of a native hut with mate- for States, and the individual rows of bins David Dunlap, Peter Richard, Frank rials brought from the Canal Zone and in them have been named for Storehouse Townsend, Jan Dykhuis. Federico Fer- the display of several native animals personnel. This simplifies the location of nandez, Leo Trujiilo, and Vito Trujillo. and a pet boa constrictor. In addition any given item, to a terrific degree. In the second row are Frank McLeod, they were to be taken on sight-seeing The naming of the various little alley- Lloyd Brown, Patrick Trujillo, trips to historic spots in Philadelphia, Peter ways has had another effect. The men Denton, hike into nearby mountains, and at- Dougie Major, and Walter for whom they are named take pride in tend huge area shows. Dryja. And in the back row are Clair seeing to it that their particular aieas Following the Jamboree, the m^m- Walizer, Ronald Nessler, Frank Mc- are kept spotless. bei s of the local troops were to make Leod, Randy Gangle, Michael Mc- When the redecoration and location a 116-mile hike in the Appalachian Bride, Peter Thibodeaux, Rudolph was complete, the Section B people gave iMountains where they were expected Burda, Robert Arthur, and Rusty a party. In addition to their own group, to encounter several non-tropical sit- Glazer. they invited Commissary and Service Cen- ter personnel from the building next door. Fishing Trip
Twelve lucky Canal Zone Isaac Wal- tons will take part in the Fifth Inter- national Marlin and Sailfish Tournament this month aboard a Panama Canal Com- pany boat.
The boat which is being entered by the Company in the tournament this year, is scheduled to make two trips of four days each and will carry six Com- pany-Government employees on each trip.
The first trip will be from August M through August 6 and the second trip from August 10 through August 13 with the boat returning to Balboa on the afternoon of the fourth day. The Canal contestants were selected by the Bureau heads from among appli- cants on the basis of the number of em- ployees in each unit.
Each will participant pay .$15 which To Mrs. Wilma Siler went ihe honor of opening fhe redecorated storehouse. will include entrance fee and subsistence for himself and share foi the crew. 16 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW August 2, 1957 SHIPPING
CANAL RECORDS FALL FOR SIXTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR Maiden Transit Cargo, Traffic, Tolls -.^ Figures Are New High
In Waterway's History
With its sixth record-breaking year just concluded, the Panama Canal is now on its way into another fiscal year which will be marked by a historic event in the Canal's history. When the past fiscal year ended, a grand total of 197,547 large commercial ships had transited the Panama Canal since August 15, 1914, when the SS Ancon made the first commercial ocean-to-oc«an passage. Transits of all classes of ships since the Canal's opening exceeds 260,000. Before tlie end of October, the 200,- OOOtti ocean-going commercial stiip will have been put through the Pan- ama Canal. This will happen just about 18 years after the 100,000th transit- -the Canal had been opened for a little over 25 years lost was the transit of the guided missile ship Another first for the Canal month before that figure was reached—and less USS "Boston". She was part of the detachment on the midshipmen's cruise. than eight years after the SS Nevadan of the American Hawaiian Line was hon- COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC AND TOLLS ored, on April 26, 1951, as the 150,000th MONTHLY vessel to make the Canal transit. Vessels of 300 tons net or over Not only did last year's figures set new highs in traffic, tolls, and cargo but (Fiscal years) they also provided some interesting com- parisons for those statistically inclined. Tolls Transits through the (In thousands of dollars) Cargo tonnage carried Month Panama Canal in fiscal year 1957 ex- 1957 1956 1938 1957 1956 1938 ceeded the 50,000,000 mark for the first time in the Canal's history. The record- 669 727 457 $3,054 $3,247 $2,030 Tulv - --- breaking 50,624,373 tons were 4,355,210 653 676 505 2,888 2,980 2,195 previous year's 46,- 646 686 444 2,861 3,053 1,936 tons higher than the 699 709 461 3,083 3,065 1,981 269,163 tons, over twice the tonnage 654 627 435 2,876 2,705 1,893 carried through the Canal either in 1946 751 658 439 3,420 2,944 1,845 and 1947 when shipping was beginning its 701 664 444 3,161 2,844 1,838 swing, 20,000,000 673 681 436 3,033 3,008 1,787 post-war upward and 808 712 506 3,603 3,069 2,016 tons higher than the peak shipping year of 767 692 487 3,430 3,021 1,961 1929 and 1930 in the pre-depression period. 783 703 465 3,551 3,210 1,887 May The fiscal year's total of 8,579 large 775 674 445 3,484 3,008 1,801 commercial ships was not only 370 more previous fiscal year, Total for fiscal year 8,579 8,209 5,524 $38,444 $36,154 $23,170 than the total for the it was also 55 percent higher than the total for fiscal yeai 1938, the last normal pre-war year. It was 101 percent more S. CANAL TRANSITS— COMMERCIAL AND U. GOVERNMENT than fiscal year 1947, just a decade ago. The table below shows the steady in- Fiscal Year — crease of traffic in this postwar decade. 1938 1957 1956 In addition to the large commercial ships Atlantic Pacific there are, of course, the small commercial to to Total Total Total vessels and the large and small govern- Pacific Atlantic ment ships which go to make up the amazing total of ship transits each year. Commercial Vessels: 4,495 4,084 8,579 8,209 5,524 These figures, however, are for large com- Small* -- 475 433 908 896 931 mercial ships only. 1947 4,260 4,970 4,517 9,487 9,105 6,455 1948 4,678 1949 4,793 U. S. Government vessels, ocean- 151 118 269 266 441 1950 5,448 Small* 146 235 381 337 1951 5,593 1952 6.524 Total commercial and U. S. Government 5,267 4,870 10,137 9,708 6,896 1953 7,410 1954 7,784 under 300 net tons or 500 displacement tons. Vessels 1955 7,997 which tolls are credited. Prior to July 1, 1951, Government-operated •Vessels on 1956 8,209 ships transited free. 1957 8,579 Tolls, likewise, have risen in the past decade. This year's figure of $39,653,712 August 2, 1957 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW 17 RUNNER UP— Principal commodities shipped through the Canal (All figures in thousands of long tons) ATLANTIC TO PACIFIC
Fiscal Year Commoditv 1956 1938
Petroleum and products (excludes asphalt) 5,310 907 Coal and coke 2,996 137 Iron and steel manufactures 2,131 1,859 Phosphates 1,257 328 I\Ietal, scrap 498 999 Sugar 787 57 Various metals 122 647 Soybeans 746 3 Ores, various 317 104 Paper and paper products 433 423 Cotton, raw 212 142 Sulphur 469 297 Machinery 301 168 Ammonium compounds — 464 71 Chemicals, unclassified 271 109 All others 4,972 3,438
Total 25,430 21,286 9,689
PACIFIC TO ATLANTIC Runner-uptofhe record-holding Porfun- us OS the Canal's most frequent custom- Fiscal Year er Is the banana carrier, Vanda, above. Commodity 1957 1956 1938 She made 49 transits during FY 1957.
6,401 5,137 2,127 2,851 for tolLs and tolls credits is over twice 2,900 3,549 Wheat -- 2,688 1,478 706 the $17,634,361 collected in fiscal year 1,446 1,425 1,487 $2,- 1947, only ten years ago, and over 1,311 1,301 991 200,000 more than tolls and tolls credits 935 742 698 936 53 for the fiscal year 1956. 870 867 1,167 1,401 Figures on the leading commodities Food products in refrigeration (except fresh fruit) 800 618 carried through the Panama Canal reveal Petroleum and products (excludes asphalt) 752 1,875 2,875 237 interesting trends. Petroleum and petro- 444 1,083 ------315 234 123 products continued to occupy the Wool leum 302 258 164 spot which they have held for a top Coffee -- - 289 315 175 number of years in the list of the 15 262 290 127 3,347 leading commodities in the Atlantic to 3,690 3,425 Pacific trade. In the past year, 5,242 Total -- - 24,272 23,833 17,697 thousands of long tons of petroleum were carried through the Canal, 68,000 long tons less than the previous fiscal year but TRAFFIC MOVEMENT OVER MAIN TRADE ROUTES times as much as was transport- over five The following table shows the :art!o shipments in thousands ol" long tons segregated into Atlantic to Pacific trade in 193S. ed in the eight main trade routes: The largest percentage increase in the Fiscal Year Atlantic to Pacific list was in various metals; 752 thousands of long tons went 1957 1956 1938 from Atlantic to Pacific last year com- 6,395 pared with 122 thousands of long tons United States Intercoastal 4,576 6,276 7,353 6,192 2,652 metal also East Coast of V. S. and South America the previous year. Scrap 161 East Coast South America—West Coast U. S./Canada _ 1,642 1,460 showed a great increase, 1,497 thousands 9,651 4,912 II. S. /Canada East Coast and Far East .. . 12,779 of long tons for the past year as compared U. S./Canada East Coast and Australasia 1,216 1,279 943 5,616 4,237 with 498 thousands of long tons for the Europe and West Coast of U. S./Canada 5,982 Europe and South America --- 3,590 3,161 2,974 year before. Europe and .Australasia 2,961 2,271 1,251 3,861 Raw cotton shipments and ship- All other routes 9,603 9,213 49,702 45,119 27.389 ments of various ores were almost Total traffic double in fiscal 1957 the tonnage carried in fiscal 1956, and there were also in- cotton. first to appear at Canal ports since 1954, crease^ in coal and coke, and in iron Ships flying the flags of 37 different made five transits during the fi.scal year. and steel manufactures. Some decline nations, an increase of three over last appeared in fiscal year figures for am- the Panama Canal during Gas Tanker monia, sulphur, and soybeans. year, transited "the fiscal year 1957. Of the 8,579 transits Propane gas is being delivered to the In the Pacific to Atlantic trade, ores made by commercial ocean-going vessels Isthmus these days by the SS MaTian R. and lumber continued to hold the two during the 12-month period. United States Billupx, the first of a fleet of new gas- top places in that order, although lumber flag ships led all other nations with a tankers built especially for the transpor- shipments were down about a fifth from total of 1,919 transits, and British vessels tation of this type of fuel. The vessel the previous year's figures. Ore .ship- came in second with a total of 1,309 makes a round trip through the Canal ments, in this trade, incidentally, were transits. This represented a decrease of each month on its delivery \'oyage be- triple those of the pre-war years. 1S3 transits for U. S. flag ships and an tween Houston, Tex., Caribbean ports, to Atlantic commodities Other Pacific increase of 267 transits for the British. and the west coast of Central America. showing increases from fiscal year 1956 Third place was held by ships of Nor- It stops in Balboa on the return trip were: Petroleum and petroleum products, wegian registry with a total of 9 13 transits, from San Jose de Guatemala, and dis- wheat, sugar, canned food products, met- the while Liberian and German vessels ran charges a load of propane gas into als, refrigerated food, wool, and copra. close behind with 690 and 689 transits storage tank located in Balboa. Neither wool nor copra had appeared service during respectively. Seven Canal passages were The tanker was placed in last year in the list of the 15 bading made by Soviet ships as compared to two December and already has made eight trips commodities. Company, Inc., last year, and there were five transits by through the Canal. Ford to the In the same trade, in addition Swiss-registered ships. Irish ships, the are agents for the ship in the C.inal Zone. decrease in lumber tonnage, other com- modities showing a decrease were: Nitrate August 2, 1957 of soda, barley, bananas, coffee, and raw THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW ToAving Devices A REVIEW Preview
Another few months will see two .strange new devices on the towing tracks of Gatun Locks. The new machines being manufactured for the Canal by R. G. LeTourneau, Inc., of Longview, Tex., were inspected last month by a group of Canal officials bended by Governor Potter. Accompany- ing him were Lt. Gov. Hugh M. Arnold, R. C. Stockham, Chief of the Locks Divi- OfFicials afop new lowing device give it serious thought. L. to r.: Gov. Potlet, sion, and John R. Hammond, Chief of R.G.LeTourneau, R.C.Stockham, R. L. LeTourneau, and Lt. Gov. H. M. Arnold. the Electrical-Mechanical Branch of the Above right: Canal officials watch operation of fender car on towing devices. Engineering Division. They found one of the locomotives Canal Commercial Traffic by Nationality of Vessels ready for track testing and made the first, but unscheduled, trip up the steep
Fiscal Year incline which exactly duplicates the in- cline the locomotives must climb and 1957 1956 1938 descend when they go into service at Nationality Num- Num- Gatun. They also saw the operation of Num- Tons Tons Tons ber of ber of ber of the fender-car which is fitted with big of cargo of cargo of cargo transits transits transits pneumatic tires to hold off ships from the lock walls. Argentine 2 566 3 8,661 The locomotive most nearly advanced 4 10,401 1 2 86 in construction had not been fitted with 1,309 8,744,366 1,142 7,299,912 1,281 6,417,016 the tall line-boom which will be used for 78 468,514 75 452,731 9 28,787 Chilean passing messenger lines to connect the 54 403,692 36 271,169 2 13,113 Colombian 207 281,320 232 293,191 ship with the locomotive. At present, Costa Rican 33 230,281 26 171,869 messenger lines are passed from the locks 2 to ship by hand from rowboats. 331 1,361,009 337 1,154,339 223 865,235 The new towing plan calls for cnly two Dom. Republic. -- 1 locomotives to be used for each ncrmal- Ecuadorean 51 92,526 66 79,985 2 4,695 size ship, one fore and one aft. Each 33 139,445 22 109,888 1 4,021 would have towing and braking power. 88 503,464 112 683,920 105 567,288 Since they v/ould both be on the same 689 2,337,445 509 1,500,863 357 1,518,593 118 1,100,113 114 1,031,982 94 525,351 lock wall, the vessels would be held off Honduran 394 335,118 423 372,424 22 8,478 the wall by a fender-car pictured on this 24,411 5 page in a lowered position. 6 51,395 Irish The Canal officials were accompanied 2 20,200 157 859,864 126 756,773 52 153,417 on their inspection by R. G. LeTcurneau, 553 3,924,367 476 3,516,810 300 1,877,502 President, and other officers of the firm, Korean (South) _.^ 4 20,915 17 77,477 who came to the Isthmus to make a first- 3 4,900 hand study of the ship-towing problem 690 6,184,022 496 4,252,066 the locomotives were de- 5 7,404 8 27,624 before new Netherlands 164 844,742 140 778,152 285 749,642 signed. Both locomotives are scheduled, Nicaraguan 46 102,878 53 82,720 under the contract, for delivery early Norwegian 913 5,401,478 985 4,954,149 667 3,433,571 next year and their manufacture is ahead Panamanian 443 2,230,720 431 1,959,097 182 415,561 42 203,768 31 165,367 5 7,151 of schedule. They will be given extensive Philippine 19 110,807 24 144,368 3 8,441 tests at the factory before being dalivered. Portuguese 2 2 Soviet (USSR)._._ 7 32,224 2 1,927 5 10,419 New Grace Liners 40 151,740 48 197,814 2 15,280 The Grace Line, which recently started 160 784,736 163 816,059 119 763,049 York to 5 38,920 a new weekly service from New
' T } U 1 1,339 Canal ports, has also announced the United States 1,919 12,729,163 2,102 13,909,995 1,780 9,892,619 addition of two more C-2 type freighters 2 9,498 to their West Coast of the United States- Venezuelan 8 4,730 2 8,851 4 3,971 West Coast of South America service. Yugoslavian 1 8,642 1 9,161 14 73,413 They are the SS Utah and SS Oregm, Total 8,579 49,702,200 8,209 45,119,042 5,524 27,385,924 former States Steamship line freighters which, like other Grace Line ships on this run, will stop at Central American ports. August 2, 1957 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW Before The Rains Came UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
dropped the Sights like this are seldom visible, fortunately for Canal traffic. This year's protracted drought, which hillsides which had not been seen level of Madden Lake to the lowest mark since it was formed, exposed hilltops and rivers, above the dam. Normally for years. The photograph above shows the junction of the Boqueron and Pequeni water. at this time of the year the entire foreground of this area would be a sheet of The white line shows the 30 feet which Below, left is an aerial view of Madden Lake, looking toward the dam. the water level in Gaillard Cut before the water had receded from its normal level. The picture below, right, shows the rains came.
From his rowboat a Canal seaman can barely reach the normal water level.
TRANSITS BY OCEAN-GOING Cruise Preview Roth the Kungsholm and thi'Giipslwlm are due for Canal transits this season, VESSELS IN JUNE Although the cruise saasor is still al- the former in January on a crui.se to the 1957 most half a year away. Isthmians who 1%Q South Seas and the Far East, and the read travel magazines are already getting Gripsholm about a month later on a cruise Commercial 674 775 a preview of things to come. around South America. U.&. Government 21 28 According to recent issues of Holiday, the Sylvania, is two Swedish-American liners will be A new Cunard liner, her maiden cruise in Total 695 803 among early Isthmian visiters this sea- scheduled to make December arriving in Cristobal Decem- TOLLS* son. The MS Kungxholm is scheduled to ber 2S. The 22,000-ton vessel recentlj- stop in Cristobal on a "Thanksgiving $3,490,051 other sister ships on the Liv- Commercial $.3,013,659 Cruise," on which she leaves New York joined four 148,053 She is partially air U.S. Government. 70,817 November 16 with an itinerary of St. erpool-to-Quebec run. runs can Thomas, Port-au-Prince, Cristobal, and conditioned and on her regular Total $3,084,476 $3,638,104 Havana. carry 900 passengers. liner, the Maurciania. 'Includes tolls on all vessels, ocean-going and small. On December 21, the new 23,.500-ton Another Cunard cruises which will 631-foot MS Gripsholm, is scheduled to is also scheduled for TOTAL CARGO TONS leave New York on a 14-day Christmas take her to the Canal Zone next winttT. ship has Commercial 3,816,804 4,523,432 cruise which will take her to Port-au- For this cruise season the big U.S. Government, 56,745 76,879 Prince, Kingston, Cristobal, and Havana. been complct<'ly air conditioned.
August 2, 1957 Total 3,873,549 4,600,311 SO THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW