Gifi ofthe Panama Canal Museum m^
Vol. 5, No. 4 BALBOA HEIGHTS, CANAL ZONE NOVEMBER 5, 1954 5 cents
Thanksgiving, Canal Zone Style CANAL ZONE CENSUS TO BE TAKEN SOON BY QUESTIONNAIRES
A census of all residents of the Canal Zone, similar to but more inclusive than the annual census of the Canal Zone which has been taken since early con- struction days, will get under- way next week. The census is expected to cover 75,000 to 100,000 persons.
The census is designed not only to count the population of the Canal Zone but also to provide data, for staffing ant^ budget purposes, to indicate the load which such Canal Zone facilities as hos- pitals and schools will be called on to carry. Although Canal Zone residents and employees will be asked, through ques- tionnaires, to provide more answers than- the annual police census has called for, all of the questions will be of an imper- sonal nature, rather than the somewhat THANKSGIVING'S Thanksgivina, even if the Pilgrims are wearing Guatemalan shirts and saddle oxfords. And Indians can be just as fierce in khaki pants as they can in buckskins. If the background personal nature of the questions asked in looks suspiciously like the Balboa elementary school, that's because it is. the Federal census taken each 10 years^ Wide Distribution The questionnaires, printed in different Answers Now Available To Some Of Queries colored inks for different categories and for easier sorting, will be distributed to every employee of the United States Asked By Employees About Vacation Travel Government in the Canal Zone; to every employee of the United States Govern- Answers on the vacation transportation by topics and put into question-and- ment in Panama—Embassy employees, questionnaires distributed throughout the answer form. for example; to the dependents of all mili- Company-Government by the Personnel ELIGIBILITY: tary personnel; and to all persons who Bureau indicate that there are many live in Canal or access Q. Who will be eligible? the Zone have to questions among employees concerning A. Any United States citizen em- Canal Zone facilities in any way. This application in their own individual cases ployee who has completed two years of last category will include employees of of the recently-enacted legislation. Late like oil ship- service as a civilian employee in the Canal private firms, companies and in October, about 2,400 questionnaires lines, retired employees, religious Zone or who will have completed two ping and had been returned to the Personnel workers. years of service when he is granted leave, Bureau. and the immediate members of his family. Government employees who live in and work in the Canal Zone will The questions asked by employees set A dependent parent is considered an Panama a general pattern falling into certain immediate member; a dependent parent- also be included in this year's census. census to be taken next month will categories. Many of the questions can in-law is not. All employees accepting The be answered; the answers to some, how- the transportation must sign an agree- be handled by the Personnel Bureau of ever, still await a directive from the ment to return to their jobs. the Panama Canal Company. The forms Bureau of the Budget. Meanwhile the which each employee, and those in other Q. Are locally-hired employees eligible? Transportation Section is operating on categories, will be asked to fill out have A. Yes. an interim Company-Government plan been worked up by a committee headed Q. My wife is a Panamanian citizen ; is and answering specific questions for em- by Mrs. Eula DriscoU, Assistant to the she eligible? ployees who are about to go on leave. Personnel Director. A. Yes. The Canal Zone Police will assist in The transportation legislation, which Q. I am about to retire; am I eligible? taking the census among the land licensees is an amendment to section 7 of the A. Employees must have more than and the employees of private firms in the Administrative Expense Act of 1946 one year to serve after return from leave Canal Zone, and the United States (commonly known as Public Law 600), before their retirement to be eligible for Embassy will handle the csnsus for U. S. was designed to make it possible for and the vacation transportation. citizens working in the Republic of encourage employees outside the conti- Q. Is my son who is attending college Panama who have Canal Zone privileges. nental United States to return to the in the United States eligible for P. L. 600 The distribution in military agencies will United States at frequent mtervals; and transportation? be handled by military authorities. to treat overseas employees more uni- -4. Yes, if he is accompanied to or from formly for vacation purposes. the United States by the employee. (If One Per Household The most frequently asked questions he is traveling unaccompanied he is In the Company-Government organ- and their answers follow; they are divided entitled to one round trip (.s'«e me 20) ization, the census forms {See page 18) THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW November 5, 1954
COMMUNITY CHEST CAMPAIGN AIMS FOR LARGEST GOAL AND HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYEE PARTICIPATION
COMMrXIT'i' L'llKST Board of Directors met recently at the Jewish T. Wise, Mrs. .\rnold Hodgson, Campaign Secretary; W. G. .\rey, -Ir., Board
Welfare Board-l'SO to complete last details of this year's drive for funds. Chairman; Mrs. I. F. Mcllhenny, P. A. White, Campaign Chairman; Stanley Twelve of the directors are elected from the community at large, three are Loney; back row: Brodie Burnham, Glenville Davis, Elvin Butcher, C. W. appointed representatives of the Armed Sen'ices, and the others are appointed Hoffmeyer, Lt. Col. William Drake, W. R. Price, Lt. Col. W'alter Gerdau, l)y the various Canal Zone civic councils. Lt. Comdr.Jones W. Purcell, and Roger W. Adams. Other members of the Board Left to right they are, front row: Beresford Gittens, Mary Brigham, Russell are: Eugene I. Askew, Mrs. Cleo Burns, William .Jump, and Nelson Maper.
With two record goals —a larger em- heads this year's campaign committee. the Community Chest are: Boy Scouts ployee participation than ever before, He is assisted by Mrs. Arnold Hodgson, of America; Girl Scouts of America; and a larger quota, $50,000, than in past as Campaign Secretary, and by all mem- International Boy Scouts; International years — the Canal Zone Community bers of the Board. A. E. Beck, Chief Girl Scouts; Jewish Welfare Board-USO; Chest's annual drive for funds got under of the Terminals Division, is working Armed Services YMCA-USO, Balboa; way late last month. with Mr. White oiTtBe ^lantic side, and Armed Services YMCA-USO Cristobal; Community Chest Sunday was observed Robert J. Boyd is in charge of the solicita- Salvation Army; Summer Recreation (Jctober 24 in churches throughout the tion in Panama. Board, U. S.-rate; Summer Recreation Canal Zone. The following day Com- The Community Chest campaign will Board local-rate; Congress of Civic pany-Government representatives who continue until November 15. CouncOs, local-rate, and Cristobal-Mar- will handle the actual solicitation for Agencies w^hich will receive funds from garita Civic Coimcil. funds in their respective divisions met for "kick-off" meetings on both sides of the Isthmus. Bids For First Large 60-Cycle Govenior Seybold addressed the em- ployee representatives at the Pacific side Generators To Be Opened Dec. 1 meeting and was scheduled to make a similar talk on the Atlantic side, but a Bids will be opened December 1 at One of the engineers first makes an last minute change in his official plans Balboa Heights for furnishing and instal- appointment with the householder for a forced him to cancel his Atlantic side ling four new generator units and a con- date on which his personally-owned appearance. trol board in the Gatun Hydroelectric equipment may be surveyed. Later a Although the $50,000 goal is the highest Station. This is one of the first major survey team of two men visits each home which the Community Chest has been steps in the conversion from 2.5-cycle to and inspects the household equipment called on to raise since the Chest was 60-cycle current in the Canal Zone. to obtain the technical data necessary started several years ago, the Governor The four vertical-shaft, hydraulic- for conversion.
expressed his confidence that the resi- turbine-driven 60-cycle generators and Each householder is tald that such dents of the Canal Zone would accept governors will replace part of the 25- equipment as refrigerators, washing ma- their community responsibility and pro- cycle equipment at the Gatun station. chines, or fans will have to be modified vide the necessary funds for the Chest's They will work in parallel with two other in order that it will operate on 60-cycle dozen participating agencies. units which will be converted to 60 current and that the Panama Canal Com- Governor Seybold pointed out that the cycles later. pany will pay the cost of these changes, Community Chest was the one annual Other developments in the conversion provided the equipment is in regular use opportunity to give to many organiza- program are the 10-day visit to Toronto, and in operating condition.
tions through one and expressed the hope Ontario, last month, by Col. Hugh M. After the survey is finished, an inven- that all employees would give generously, Arnold, Engineering and Construction tory of the equipment in his home which not because they felt that they had to but Director, and the continuation of the will have to be converted is mailed to lii'cause they felt that they wanted to. house-to-house survey on the Atlantic each householder, together with an Meanwhile an intensified effort w-as side of the Canal Zone. explanatory memorandum. He is asked being made to reach all Company-Gov- Colonel Arnold visited the offices and to check this list and report any omitted ernment employees in order that they plants of the Hydroelectric Power Com- item or coirection to be made. may have an opportunity to make their mission of Ontario where a similar Householders whose equipment has Chest contributions. Over 300 solicitors conversion is presently being carried out been inventoried are also asked to report are approaching or have approached on a large scale and discussed, generally, in w'riting if they acquire any new their co-workers, with cards which the problem of the conversion of the frequency-sensitive ecjuipment or dispose will enable them t.i make cash or payroll- Canal's power systern. of any which has been listed. The coop- deduction contributions. This year pay- The domestic survey has been com- eration of householders in this, as in the roll deductions may be spread over a pleted in Gatun and the team of five siu-vey in general, is necessary for the six-month period. engineers is now working in Margarita. success of the program. P. A. White, Chief of the Dredging From Margarita they will move to other This latter is stressed since new equip- Division and Vice Chairman of the Com- Atlantic side communities. A survey ment which has not been reported cannot munity Chest's Board of Directors, of Pacific side homes will be made later. be scheduled for conversion. November 5, 1954 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW Fish People Meet Monthly To Discuss How's And Why's Of Tropical Small Fry
the collector becomes more sure of him- self. Egg-layers range from the tiny Neon-tctra from the Amazon, just as startlingly colored as a neon tube, to the comparatively large Angel fish, techni- cally known as Pteroplu/llum cimekei and by the less fearsome name of Scalare. Consistent breeding of the Neon-tetras has baffled collectors ever since the tiny fish were first introduced in 1!)36; Aquar- ium Magazine, the bible of fish people, has a standing offer of $100 for the col- lector who can breed neon-tetras and ex- plain his methods so that others can fol- low the procedure. A good many of the egg-laying fish are overwhelmingly fond of roe, especially
their own, and if a collector wants to Iweed his ti-opicals he must save the young from their own parents. The Ramiresi, for instance, spawn on a piece of slate which the collector has placed in the tank.
The slate, eggs attached, is then removed to a hatching tank. The orange and black-barred Tetrazona are tricked into laying their eggs on heavy nylon yarn which is covered with greenery to cam- ouflage the yam. Occasional Exception The Mohls, however, have a pair of AQUARIUMS are ntner-failing intei'est tu fi^h |«'(i|.|r, likr [hv-v Mlticers uf the Canal Zone Aquarium Angel fish who are exemplary parents. Society. The Society's president, Capt. W. E. Jones, is standing, far right. Other officers are: Paul Mohl, secretary; James Mardiucic, vice president, and Miss Mildred Watson, treasurer. Once the eggs are laid on a leaf in the special breeding tank, the parent fish take Molly has a bad case of the ick. There are any number of reasons why turns fanning them with the pectoral fins, Double-talk? No! That makes per- they are fish people. Captain Jones, who to keep the water circulating. Each day pectly good sense to a member of the has been raising fish for the past 20 years, the eggs are moved, and cleaned in the Canal Zone Aquarium Society or to other says: "It's a nice quiet hobby which process, to another leaf. When the little fish people. It means, translated: One of doesn't annoy the neighbors." The Angels appear they are also moved until my Black Mollienisias has a bad case of Mohls, who are comparatively new ad- they can swim by themselves. If fright- Ichthyophthirius. dicts but now have one of the largest ened, however, the parent Angels will eat Once informed of Molly's condition, local collections, wanted a pet. Their son either eggs or small fry. fish people immediately begin a discus- was allergic to dogs and cats so fish Beside being protective parents, this sion as to whether the best treatment for seemed to be the answer. particular pair of Angels apparently are this parasitic fishy ailment is quinine sul- Tropicals Only strict disciplinarians. When the babies phate, one-half grain to each gallon of begin to "free swim" they are expected All of the members of the Aquarium aquarium water, or merchurochrome, to travel in schools, and well-behaved Society are devotees of tropical fish —no which may have a delayed after-effect schools at that. Stragglers are gobbled goldfish for them. As one tropicalist on Molly. up, which should teach them a lesson. says, goldfish are dirty, they don't get Members of the Aquarium Society are along with other fish, and they spend Babies Eat Pablum much concerned with the How-to's: How most of their time trying to eat each The feeding of babies and adults is a to treat sick fish, how to breed them, how other. far trickier problem than the novice ex- to feed them, how to plant their aquar- Almost all of the local collectors have pects. He soon learns. Fish babies are iums and how to aerate the water in them. started with Guppies, tiny South Amer- fed Pablum, just like human babies, but Membership Tripled ican members of the tooth-carp family. the fish pablum is mixed into a culture Organized last January "for the ex- Guppies have a number of points in their with yeast and "Mikro" worms, which change of ideas and advancement of the favor. They are small, seldom over two are so minute they are hardly visible to hobby in the Canal Zone," its Constitu- inches long; an aquarium which will hold the naked eye. A small bit of this culture tion says, the Canal Zone Aquarium So- 50 guppies will accommodate only 25 is scraped from the side of the dish in ciety has already tripled its membership. other tropicals. They arc pretty; the which it has grown and dropped into the Sixteen fish fanciers attended the first brilliance of the males compjnsates for tank, several times a day. meeting January 9; 48 members are now the drabness of the females. And above Brine shrimp, which are small marine paying their 25-c?nt monthly dues. The all, they are hardy, or beginner-proof. shrimp, are also fed to the babies, and only requirement for membership is that Most of the collectors have six to eight another fish baby food is "green water," an individual b? a Government employee; species in their aquariums. ordinary tap water which has been ex- it is assumed that he is interested in fish. Guppies are live-bearers, as opposed to posed to a tremendous amount of sun- Meetings are held the first Wednesday of egg-layers. A female guppy will produce light. It is filled with sub-microscopic life each month, usually at the Jewish Wel- an average of 40 to 50 young at a time, and is fed into the aquarium with an eye fare Board-USO on La Boca Road. and will give birth to a new -and over- dropper. The avocation of all members is the sized—family about every four weeks. Tanks And Plants same: Fish. Their vocations varj^ widely. From Guppies, or Rainbows, the Soci- Grown fish enjoy fresh or canned roe, The Society's president is Capt. W. E. ety members usually move on to other chopped shrimp or liver, alone or mixed Jones who is in charge of the Balboa Dis- viviparous, or live-bearing, tropicals, the with pablum, and Angel fish thrive on an trict of the Fire Division; James Mar- Platies (pronounced as if it had two t's), unappetizing sounding mixture of finely- chuck, vice president, is a policeman or the striking Swordtails which have an chopped liver, strained spinach, and pab- working out of the Balboa station. The almost overwhelming scientific name: lum. treasurer. Miss Mildred Watson, is Ship- XiphorphoTus hellerii. Feeding and breeding are only two of ping Clerk for Ai-niy Transportation, and Oviparous, or egg-laying tropicals, are the problems which fish people have to Paul Mohl, the secretary, works at Sosa harder to raise and they usually come a consider. The size, type, lighting, and Hill quarry as a general operator. little later, chronologically speaking, as aeration of the aquariums (See page iS) THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW November 5, 1954
George Welsh as Technical Staff Chief, will notify Civil Defen.se which employees Civil Defense Duties Are Assigned would be needed for essential operations and which could be spared for other Units service in time of any great crisis. To Major Company-Government The Transportation and Terminals Bureau, for which R. W. Adams is if necessary, Each unit of th ' Paiama Canal Com- set up emergency hospitals Technical Staff Chief, will provide trans- pany-Canal Zone (lovernment will have supply medicines and medical and surgical portation for civil defen.se teams and their a duty to perform in case of enemy equipment, blood bank and laboratory equipment, for supplies and equipment attack or a natural disaster such as a services. In addition, the Health Bureau in general, and for refugees and casualties. large-scale fire, flood, or similar occur- will deal with sanitation problems. The Marine Bureau will work dosel}- rence, according to an overall plan which Refugee Centers with the Civil Affairs Bureau on any was approved rec3ntly by Cov. John S. Just as the Health Bureau is responsible marine fire fighting and with the Engin- Seybold. for care of casualties, the Community eering and Construction Bureau on radio Should such a disaster occur, the Canal Services Bureau, represented bv Douglas communications. These tasks will be organization under Governor Seybold Johnston as Technical Staff Chief, will handled bv Capt. Horatio Lincoln, as will be responsible for all areas of th? handle refugees and their problems. Technical Staff Chief. Zone outside military reservations; Canal Refugee centers will be set up by the Com- Security and Information military forces under Lt. Gen. William munity Services Bureau and emergency Two other Canal units, Internal Secur- K. Harrison will be responsible for the housing provided, through coordination ity and the Information Office, although military areas. Each will support the with the Bureau. The Commun- Supply not Bureaus, have been as-igned tasks in other; an agreement to this effect has been ity Service Bureau will also an-ange for the overall program. For Internal Secur- signed by the Governor and General the mass fe'>ding of refugees and of civil ity, Frank Wilder is Technical Staff Harrison. defense workers, and set up a registration Chief, while J. Rufus Hardy will perform Henry L. Donovan, Civil Affairs and information service on those who a similar duty for the Information Office. Director, is the Company-Government may have been made homeless. Internal Security will direct the Tech- Civil Defense Director. His deputies are All of th" community utilities services nical Staff and physical security and plant F. R. Johnson on the Pacific side, and and of the highways wall be the respon- protection activities as well as handling B. I. Everson on the Atlantic side. Mr. sibility of the Engineering and Construc- all other matters which would affect the Everson is assisted by A. E. Beck. tion Bureau whose Technical Staff Chiefs, security of the Company-Government. Technical Service to date, are Nelson Wise, R. M. Howe, In case of an emergency, the Informa- and B. J. Brown. This Bureau will For planning purpos3S, each Company- tion Office will issue instructions and build whatever temporary shelter may (lovernment Bureau Director and inde- other information to the public, and before the be needed, restore port facilities and do pendent branch chief is considered as any emergency it will keep the public what demolition and clearing of debris head of a tech'iical service, comparable informed on civil defense activities and that may be needed. to the service his unit provides during its program. A highly important part of its respon- normal operations. In most eases, the Official services for the Canal will be sibilities would be the release of any Director or Chief has assigned a repre- performed by the bureaus listed earlier persons who might be trapped in damaged sentative of his office to prepare plans for in this story. Volunteer services will be buildings or under debris. Engineering the service his unit would be called on handled through the Warden Service. deter- to perform. and Construction forces will also contamina- The Civil Affairs Bureau, for instance, mine the extent of radiation burst, will for Capt. W. E. Jones and Capt. tion in case of an A-bomb which Distinguished Visitors B. A. Darden are Technical Staff Chiefs, screen refugees, casualties, and civil contamination, and will be responsible for the Fire Service and defense workers for decontamination. See Zone Late Last Month Police Service in civilian communities. do any necessary its the Fire Food and Clotliing In addition to normal duties, Late October brought a small fliood train auxiliary firemen to be In any disaster, just as it is day by day, Service will of distinguished visitors to the Canal called on in time of disaster. The Police the Supply Bureau will be the source of Zone. Heading the list were Theo- food and clothing. Its Technical Staff Service, assisted by auxiliary personnel dore H. Maenner, a construction-day Bain, will decide what sup- who have been specially trained, will be Chief, W. C. Isthmian and now a member of the control. plies and e(iuipment would be needed and responsiblefortraffic and highway Canal Company's Board of Directors; see what warehouses and storage facilities A highly important part of the handl- Edward A. Bacon who, as Assistant ing of any disaster will fall on the medical are available. The Supply Bureau will to the Secretary of the Army, is in service of the Health Bureau, whose probably work more closely with all other charge of Panama Canal affairs ; and Technical Staff Chief is Col. W. C. Doan. bureaus than any other single unit, as it W. M. Whitman, another former handling a'l casualties, other will be called on to provide food for the The of Isthmian and now Secretary of the than those of the most minor nature, will hospitals and clothing for the refugees, in Panama Canal Company. he the responsibility of this Bureau. It case of a major disaster of any sort. They arrived October 22 and spent will be called on for first-aid service, to The Personnel Bureau, represented by almost a week inspecting Canal oper- ations and talking to Canal officials. Also here at the same time was Miss Helen M. Gibbs, a staff mem- ber of the House of Representatives Merchant Marine and Fisheries com- mittee. Miss Gibbs inspected vari- ous Canal Zone facilities, talked with Canal officials and with representa- tives of various employee groups. Other visitors the end of October included Miss Beatrice Cobb, North Carolina newspaper publisher; Ro- land T. Huson, Editor and Publisher of "The Plainsman," of Zackary, La.; Wayne C. Smith, of the "Meri- den Record," Meriden^ Conn.; and Frank S. Baker, publisher of the Tacoma, Wash., "News Tribune." Miss Cobb was en route to South America; the others were returning to the United States from the Inter- American Press Association meeting DUCK AND COVER, and Canal Zone school children are under their desks in a matter of seconds when atomic drills are called. The drills are part of the overall Civil Defense planiiini; for the Canal Zone. in Rio de Janeiro. —
November 5, 1954 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW Commissary Customers And Officials Exchange I deas At Semi-Annual Forums
retail stores within the next few months. Sizing Policies Much of the time of the U. S.-rate forum was devoted to commissary sizing policies. Customers' representatives criticized the commissaries for buying on
the l)asis of what was sold—;, p., s^ many size 14 dressps, medium-sized shirts, or 7-A shoes—rather than on the basis of the number of requests which were received for these and which could not be filled. Mr. Johnson told the group that sales clerks will be instructed to record the requests they receive for items and sizes
which they are unable to fill, and that future buying will be guided by these reports. John Brown, the commissary's shoe buyer, and E. E. Eder, of the wholesale housewares section, displayed some of their new items and described others which would be appearing in the retail
SHOES AND samples of other commissary merchandise were displayed during the forum held last stores in the near futui-e. month for customers of the U. S.-rate commissaries. Clockwise, beginning with F. R. Johnson, Supply Shoes For Nurses Director, who i^ standing, are: Lester Ferguson. E. E. Eder, R. L. Sullivan, Mrs. Grayce Gravatt, Mrs. Thelma Bull, Mrs. Eleanor Becker. Xorman .Johnson, Mrs. Jean Bleakley, John M. Bromi, Mrs. Robert Mr. Brown told his audience that the Medinger, Mrs. Preston Minton. W. C. Bain, and Miss Mary Orr. commissaries are now carrying more large-size shoes than they formally did Walruses and carpenters talk of many Supply Department in New York, told this had be^n a customers' request—and things: Shoes —and ships—and sealing those attending both meetings that much that they are adding wider widths in wax—of cabbages—and kings. of the difficulty with potatoes appears to 'teen-age sizes for girls. He described People at last month's Commissary be packing and shipping and handling the special shoes for nurses which are forums didn't ha\'e much to say about after they leave the United States. carried by the commis aries; du'-ing the sealing wax or kings, but shoes and ships Shipping Potatoes meeting he received a recommendation and cabbages - and dozens of other He outlined the efi'orts to find potatoes from the Nui'ses' Association as to the things in for their full share of —came which would ship well and to locate type of shoes thev require and want. discussion. growers who would be willing to pack Other items discussed at less length the When two forums had ended, the their potatoes for overseas shipment. included: Handling of meat and the people who do the supph'ing had a better All potatoes sent to the commissaries packaging—W. G. Bain, Superintendent idea of what commissary customers want; must meet high standards, he said; like of Refrigerated Products Storage, said people who run the commissaries theii' had all perishable goods they are inspected that as the group suggested he would have notebooks full of suggestions improv- for twice by Department of Agriculture pliofilm inserted between meat and the ing their stock, service stores; and and inspectors before the potatoes leave the cardboard on which it is laid before people who are the customers had learned United States. wrapping; availability of ham hocks and what is being done about their suggestions Both refrigerated and non-refrigerated a good "rat" cheese; stocking of better requests. and shipments had been tried, he continued. cabbage; the general desire that U. S. total of 40 representatives of the A Refrigerated potatoes had less spoilage sugar be made available in five-pound various Canal Zone communities and but became wet when they were removed packages; different styles in men's trou- certain groups, such as the Nurses' from storage. At both meetings, Mr. sers; more medium sized chthing of all Association, the Civic Councils, and the Ferguson showed potatoes in a new types for men; grading of eggs; and a labor organizations, attended the two ventilated crate which had been shipped request that the newer synthetic fabrics forums. The October forum was the to the Canal Zone with considerable and weaves be provided as yard goods. third for customers of the U. S.-rate success. Local Rate Forum stores and the s?c,ind for those who do He also announced that a new potato, At the forum for customers of local- their buying in local-rate commissaries. growTi in Maine and especially suitable rate commissaries, five days later, much Twenty Sugg ?stions Adopted for baking, v/ould be put on sale in the of the discussion centered (See page n) F. R. Johnson, Supply Director, who presided over both meetings and acted as moderator for the questiors and answers, reported that of the 40 suggestions sub- mitted at previou'i forums, 20 had been adopted almost entirely, 15 were still under study, and five had been found to be impractical. Some of the suggestions which have been adopted include: The addition of a number of new items in the food and grocery line; marking of canned fruits and vegetables to indie ite grades—the actual accomplishment of this is waiting new numbered tabs; the addition of packers at checkout stands at the local-rate commis- saries during rush periods; and emphasis on courtesy in the training program which was begun for commissary personnel about five months ago. Both groups learned, at length, of the CL'STOMERS OF the local-rate commissaries talked over some of their problems at a forum held last Si^e attempts being made by the commis- month. of those attending appear above, left to right: C. Haywood, Cleveland Roberts. Marcus Grannum. Richard Burns, Mrs. Hilda Butcher, Mrs. Xorma E. Hamilton. Xorman Johnson. saries to provide better potatoes. Lester Lester Ferguson, F. R. Johnson, and, with their backs to the camera, left to right: George N. Engelke. Ferguson, Procurement Officer for the C. R. Shay, John Manning, and Bj J. Elich. ) — ^
THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW November 5, 1954
FOR YOUR INTEREST.AND GUIDANCE IN^^CCIDENT PREVENTION ACCIDENTS DON'T JUST HAPPEN
One of the hardest things in the world men, that accidents are preventable, then ing cigarette starts a fire. to explain is how accidents happen. you will be iaterested in this discussion of A lot of fires start this way. Whose Many people think accidentsj!is( happen, accident causes printed below. It is a fault are they? The guy who carelessly as though they were in the same category somewhat condensed version of one of throws away a lighted cigarette, or the as an earthquake or a falling meteor. the talks that appears in the brand new guys who leave a mess of burnable stuff Workers still do not comprehend that book of Five Minute Talks (Book four) into which it can fall and start a fire? accidents have clearly discernible causes— which the National Safety Council has The answer, of course, is both parties— and that they can be prevented. published. a combination. * * * If you ever have bumped into the That's how it is with most accidents. in a situa- problem of convincing your men, or fore- by Fred Lubet, Staff Representative Someone breaks a safety rule tion where there is an accident-combina- Accidents don't just happen. They are tion ready and waiting to turn the unsafe always caused. And the cause is almost act into a disaster. Not everv dangerous always that same person, or persons, fell act produces an accident. But no acci- along line. down on the job somewhere the dent is ever produced unless one or more Suppose you fell on a stairs, no demon dangerous acts are committed. tripped you. Something made you fall. Sometimes you kid yourself into think- That something was the result of an act ing, "Well, everything is just right, so I act. of a person, or a failure of a person to can break a rule because it won't produce Chances are the fall was your own fault. an accident in this case." Maybe you were taking the stairs too That kind of thinking is just the type fast. Maybe you had had a few beers. that produces all those deaths you hear Maybe you were carrying something too about from so-called unloaded guns. A big and bulky. Maybe your eyesight guy thinks he knows the gun is unloaded, is bad. so he can pull the trigger, because an But maybe somebody else did some- unloaded gun never goes off. But he is thing to cause your fall. Maybe Junior WTong and there is a tragic accident. left his skates on the stairs. Maybe It doesn't ever pay to violate the Mom left a mop bucket there. Maybe safety rule, "Never point a gun at any- the bannister was broken or the carpet thing you don't want to shoot." And torn. Maybe the light was poor. Maybe it's the same in your daily work— it "Kennedy, you've been going to the whole blooming stairs just collapsed doesn't ever pay to violate a safety stock car races again!" the because it was rotten. regulation. That's just like pointing an NAnONAl SAfETf COUNCH Probably, though, your fall was the unloaded gun at someone. result of of things. a combination these Remember that there is a cause or let's work. HONOR ROLL Now take an example here at causes for every accident. If everyone Bureau Award For Here's one that involves fire, although it would do his part to make working here BEST RECORD could just as easily be machine operation, safe, there would be no accidents. Make SEPTEMBER using ladders, or anything else. sure you do your share for safety. ' ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION Here's a cigarette. Suppose I light * * * BUREAU it and throw it on the floor. It burns a There is never any excuse for an acci- while and then goes out. Nothing hap- dent, there is only a reason. AWARDS THIS CALENDAR YEAR pens. Suppose I throw the cigarette in Hindsight can usuallv explain an acci- Community Services 6 a pile of scrap paper. Now the smolder- dent that foresight should have prevented. Civil Affairs 3 Health 2 Disabling Injuries per 1,000.000 Man-Hours Worked Engineering and Construction 1 1954 Supply 1 SEPTEMBER ( Frequency Rale) Marine Transportation and Terminals 1 1 1 .,.. .._ — Engineering and Conslruction Bureau Division Award For NO DISABLING INJURIES p!^^ SEPTEMBER Community Services Bureau
MAINTENANCE DIVISION Civil Affairs Bureau EoT:Tx-:;:( SERVICE CENTER DIVISION DREDGING DIVISION Marine Bureau wwwz::^ INDUSTRIAL DIVISION C. Z. Govl.-Panama Canal Co. ( This Month 'mmm^ AIDS TO NAVIGATION SANITATION DIVISION C. Z. Govl.-Panama Canal Co ( Last 3-Year Av.) AWARDS THIS CALENDAR YEAR Supply Bureau :]^ Aids to Navigation 7 Sanitation 7 Health Bureau Service Center 7 |: J Motor Transportation 6 Transportation and Terminals Bureau Dredging 4 I -t— Electrical 4 — 1 £C 7,0 40 Grounds Maintenance _ - 4 bO
Hospitalization and Clinics i Number of Disabling Injuries 26 Man-Hours Worked 2,285,102 Industrial 3 LEGEND Maintenance 2 Railroad- -- 2 I I Amount Better Than Canal Zone Government—Panama Canal Company Last 3-^'ear Average Storehouses 2 Locks 1 .\mount Worse Than Canal Zone Government Panama Canal Last 3- I I — Company Year Average Navigation I Commissary Terminals ffUjiy^ Accumulative Frequency Rata This Year November 5, 1954 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW OF CURRENT INTEREST
Official
Panama Canal Company Publication
Published Monthly at BALBOA HEIGHTS, CANAL ZONE
Printed by [he Printing Plant Mount Hopf, Canal Zone
John' S. Seybold, Governor-President
H. (). Paxson, Lieutenant Governor
William G. Arey, Jr. Public Information Officer
J. RuFUS Hardy, Editor
Eleanor H. McIlhenny Editorial Assistant
SUBSCRIPTION—$1.00 a year SINGLE COPIES -5 cents each
On sale at all Panama Canal Service Cen- ters, Commissaries, and Hotels for 10 days after publication date. f^SSk^m
SINGLE COPIES BYMAIL— 10 cents each ^'I'AK UF the show during fire prevention wee'-c was Chief .Sparky, the fire prevention dog who, as mascot for the Canal Zone Fire Division, rode through the street."; of Panama and the Canal Zone on a B.^CK COPIES— 10 cents each Balboa Fire Truck during the fire prevention parade. In private life. Sparky is a lady Dalmatian named Dagmar, who was loaned for the occasion by Mr. and Mrs. .John E. Schmidt of .\ncon. Shown above, On sale when available, from the Vault Sparky, nee Dagmar, sits at attention beside Sgt-. Edward E. .Mbin of the Balboa Fire Station. Clerk, Third Floor, .'-\dministration Building,
Balboa Heights. There is a new look to the Board Room on this type of mail is December 10. in the Administration Building at Christmas air mail for the States should be Balboa Heights these days. sent out of here by December 18 at the latest if there is to any of Postal money orders should be made pay- The change, engineered by John D. be guarantee delixery before December 25. In any case, able to the Treasurer, Panama Canal Com- Hollen, Chief of the Executive Planning mail early and avoid the rush both in the pany, and mailed to Editor, The Panama Staff, was brought about mostly by the Canal Zone and in the United States, addition of six new giant-size photo- Canal Review, Balboa Heights, C. Z. postal authorities advise. graphs of various scenes in the Canal Zone taken by C. S. LaCIair, Panama Canal official photographer. They re- Retired Last Month place the Pennell lithographs which The home fire safety questionnaire have been in the Board Room for sent out during Fire Prevention Week by many years. the Canal Zone Fire Division to Canal Zone families, through the children in Enlarged and mounted on wooden the elementary grades, was an out- mounting blocks, the scenes include standing success this year. Fire Divi- black and white photographs of the sion officials have reported. locks at Pedro Miguel, the Goethals Memorial in Balboa, a view of the Cris- The questions, answered in a joint tobal Docks, Gaillard Cut, the Dredg- session by the entire family, showed ing Division at work in Gamboa and a that most Canal Zone families made a picture of the SS "Gothic," the ship sincere effort to keep their homes safe on which Qu'^'^n Elizabeth visited the from fire. In most cases, however, Canal, passing through Pedro Miguel there was nothing they could do about Locks. multiple attachment plugs which are used to supplement the number of table several The conference and outlets in the home, and the matter of re-ar- pieces of furniture have been special circuits for heavy duty appli- ranged to give the Board Room a more ances was left strictly to the Electrical spacious appearance, and several pot- Division. ted plants add a green touch. Most Canal Zone families, according was designated as The Board Room to the questionnaire, have no base- the original plans of the Admin- such in ments or cellars, no oil mops nor baby Building and is one of the istration sitters, do not repair their own cars building which is still few rooms in the and had nothing to do with installing original purpose. being used for its the fuses in their quarters. \ supris- ing majority do not smoke and since Canal Zone postal officials, anticipating they have electric stoves in the kitchen, the Christmas rush, have come out with they have no use for the matches they their annual appeal to Canal Zone residents have been advised to keep out of the to mail their Christmas packages and reach of the children. letters early. During Fire Prevention Week, the One of the lirst Christmas mail deadlines children of the first three elementary is less than two weeks away, they have grades were taken on a tour of the Mrs. KATHEKI.XE M. t^WAIX (known as pointed out. Canal Zone fire stations, the others "Katie Mary") retired from Canal service at the end were witnesses to fire fighting demon- .\11 packages and first class mail to be of October after more than 20 years of being District stations. Each child who turned in a sent to the members of the armed forces Nurse and one-woman Well Baby Clinic for the completed questionnaire was made a ox'erseas or to friends and relatives any- Pacific Side of the Isthmus. Junior Fire Chief in good standing and where in the world except the United States For years Katie Mary has gotten along won- given a certificate signed by .Sparky, should be mailed from the Canal Zone by derfully with the younger generation, whom she con- the fire prevention dog, to prove it. November 15. siders adults in miniature and treats as such. Each Four thousand of these Junior Fire year she has met and inquired into the health of More time is given to those sending Chief certificates (in Spanish) were some 1,000 new babies—even more during the war ordinary parcels and first class mail to given to the Panama Bomberos for the years. She is showii above with one of the many the United States and air-mail parcels and junior fire fighters in the Panama she has helped usher through babyhood letters to foreign destinations. The deadline elementarv schools. .
THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW November 5, 1954 Up And Down The Banks Of The Canal
Marine Bureau Governor-President's Office Health Bureau wasn't Hurricane Hazel, It i)robably Dr. Evganie P. Shirokov, of the Surgi,al just regular October weather which but Service at Gorgas Hospital, left recently to heavy seas outside of Balboa kicl III! Mechanical Divismi, ivas a Canal Zone with the class of 1954. He has been in rkitfir laxt month; he arrived on the 68-foot general practice in St. Paul, Minn. yacht E.xplorer, which he is captain. Dr. Henry W. Harper, formerly veteri- of DWIGHT MfKABXEY The Explorer, which is used for scien- narian at the Corozal Clinic, ;s- now on duly in the Health in tific expeditions hy the University of Miami Dwight A. McKabney: a former Canal Office Panama City. • • • liad been working off the South American employee is back on the Isthmus unth a port it Dr. James R. West recently west coad. At a west coast was degree in law. He joined the staff of the joined the the deck the Grace Line's Pediatrics Section of Gorgas Hospital loaded onto of Office of the General Counsel early last i5anta Barbara and brought to Cristobal. month. He had worked with various units A gi-aduate of the University of Ohio, he it returned through th' has served as a medical officer in Unloaded there, of the Canal organization from 19^0 until the Army. At the time of Canal to Balboa where Captain Gorman 1943, when he resigned to enter the Navy. his appointment to Gorgas Hospital he had just tied up at the Balboa Yacht Club. From 1947 to 1951 he was employed by the completed his residency at With the beginning of the dry season, Accounting Division, leturning to the Childrens' Hospital in Akron, Ohio. Dr. West's sci3ntists will fly here to rejoin the Explorer United States to enter law school at the wife and three young daughters reside with and remw their work. University of Hlinois. He is a member of him in • • • Ancon's "Fishbowl" section. the Hlinois State Bar. Harbor haii two unusually Balboa • • • inter^^sting visitors in October: the Branch, Navy hospital ship "Haven" and the G. 0. Kellar, Chief of the Safety Civil Affairs Bureau four-masted Brazilian traininji ship left for the United States about mid-October. "Almirante Saldanha. He attended the National Safety Congress The annual public drawing for low "Haven," true to her name, had The which was held in Chicago, October 18-22. numbers for 1955 automobile license been involved in a mercy mission just • • • plates will be held Saturday before she arrived in Canal waters. A morning, Oid timers in the Governor's Office sick crewman was transferred from the November 20. The drawing will take and elsewhere in the Canal Zone wel- Swedish freighter "Soya Maria" to the place in the office of the License come J an old friend last month. He was Section "Haven" in the Caribbean when the Brig. Gen. James A. Steese, one-time of the Civil Affairs Building on Gaillard freighter radioed that he was ill and assistant to the Governor of the Canal Highway and will ship had no doctor aboard. An begin at 8 a. m. the Zone. emergency appendectomy put the crew- Numbers will be assigned in order of General Steese, who is an inveterate man back on his feet in no time at all. drawing for the first traveler, arrived from Australia on the thousand applications Tne Brazilian four-master caused last lap of a trip around the world. He received. considerable curiosity among Zone resi- spent about two weeks here, seeing Applications will be dents, many of whom telephoned the available begin- what had happened in the three years Halboa Port Captain's office to ask its ning tomorrow, November 6, at all Canal since his previous visit. iuentity. Zone Gasoline stations, at the License training ship was making its The Section Office, and at the Drivers Exam- second Canal Zone call this year. In Personnel Bureau iners office in Building 1029, Cristobal. July, it had stopped in Balboa en route from Rio de Janeiro via Port of Spain, Mrs. Barbara B. Story and Mrs. The drawing for low license numbers Trinidad, to San Francisco, via Balboa, Katharine T. Purdy are new employees will be conducted by L. R. Evans, Chief Acapulco, San Diego, Honolulu, and in the Wage and Classification Division. of the License Section, and E. L. Farlow In October it was on its way Guam. Mrs. Story, who previously worked as from San Francisco, via Los Angeles, of the Civil Affairs Director's Office. It Manzanillo, Balboa, Cartagena, La a Position Classifier for the Weather will be witnessed and supervised by Guaira, Belem, and Recife. Biu-eau in Washington, holds a similar representatives of U. S.- and local-rate the organization. position with Canal civic councOs; the public is invited to Supply Bureau Mrs. Purdy, who was em])loyed by the attend. John .U. Brown, Commissary Shoe United States Embassy in Manila, is a Zonians who would like low license Buyer, flew to New York October 22 on his clerk-stenographer. numbers should get their applications • • • second buying trip of the year. While in ill early. The Central Labor Office, Building the United States he will visit the National • • • 69, is having squirrel trouble. For sev- Shoe Fair in Chicago and the Popular eral years a family of squirrels had The Office of the Contraband Control Section, of P. Price Shoe Show in Boston. made its home around the vine-covered which L. Dade is Chief, Ave. moved the end of last month from the During his trip he will see the new building on Roosevelt Office work- ers say the squirrels are interesting and Civil Affairs Building to Building 721 — will he manufactured later iifferings that cute but deplore their habit of dropping the old Balboa Dispensary Building — for the 1955 Spring and Summer seasons. half-eaten green almonds on freshly- on Balboa Prado. • • • The shoes will not be ready for delivery for washed automobiles. • • • An informal farewell party was held one four to six months after the variojis showings. • • • Several personnel changes have taken place Friday afternoon last month in room 208 Henry M. tiatherwood had been in the Peisonnel Bureau. Mrs. .Jolie Ann of the Civil Affairs Building, honoring to the Hope Guard appointed Mount Seeley resigned her position as Clerk-Sten- .Mrs. Marie M. Gore on her last day at Force. His appointment completes ographer the Employment and Utilization work with the Police Division. the unit. in • • • Division early last month. Doris .May Mrs. Gore, who has been arrest clerk of Frank Chollar, of the Mount Hope Capptll Bussey is taking hei place. the Police Division for the past five years, Printing Plant, has been assigned tem- Another resignation was that of .Mrs. has gone to Marianna, Fla., to join her porarily to the Duplicating Unit of the Jean J. Jacobson, of the Central Labor husband. He is with the Civil Aero- Printing Plant at Balboa Heights. He is Office Division. Her husband, an Army na u t ics .4 d m i n isir at io n relieving George Sanford, who is on wan ant officer, was transferred to the Thirty-five of her fellow workers xcished vacation in the United States. Pentagon in Washington. Mrs. Gore goodbye and presented her with - November 5, 1954 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW a tan alligator handbag and a pair of observe and study accounting machine However one of the minor nuisances gold earrings. Maj. George Herman, techniques there. encountered by the personnel working at Contractors Hill was the sudden Chief of the Police Division, made the • • • appearance of several stray "caballos" Donald Luke, presentation speech. an employee of the Account- who, despite noise and threats, per- A highlight of the affairs was a heauti- ing Division, returned to the Canal Zone sisted in hanging around. fully decorated cake, on which icing letters last ynonth after five months official duty Their presence, and the flies which followed, could have been tolerated, said, "Hasta la Vista, Marie." The Bal- at the Panama Canal Company's New but the early morning and night shift York boa Police Station got in on the parly, Office. He icorked icith personnel of driver going to and from the job was indirectly; what was left of the cake teas the Finance Department and had charge of often startled at the ghostly appear- sent to the station. the development and installation of revisions ance of a horse suddenly looming through the mists and fog which hang • • • of the Accounting System. over the hill. • • • The annual enrollment drive of the Since no one wanted to injure one of Members of the Tabulating Machine Canal Zone Chapter of the Junior Red the animals. Zone Police were asked to Section of the Payroll Branch got remove to safer pasturage these un- Cross will be held from November 8-24 together last month for cocktails and usual menaces to modern construction. under the sponsorship of Mrs. Jean A. a buffet dinner. The affair was so • • • Karch, Chaii-man, and Mrs. Doris C. successful that they plan to have similar gatherings each month. Philip T Greene, Industrial Training Etchberer, Assistant Chairman. Both Coordinator for the Appi entice School, are with the Schools Division. recently returned from the United States The Junior Red Cross, which is sup- Community Services Bureau where he completed several courses. One of ported by the children of the Canal Zone, these ioas. at . MassachuscMs. Jjistitute of does a great amount of work for children Technology where a special one-wcek course on the Isthmus and abroad. was given on corrosion. Another was a Money contributed by the children is two-iceek course, given in New York placed in a service fund and used for City by the Texas Oil Company, on helping less fortunate children. For in- lubrication. stance, eyeglasses are purchased for These were followed by another two weeks children who cannot otherwise afford at MIT, this time on Transitors and them; medicine and other help is given to Physics of Gaseous Electronic Devices, and children in the Republic of Panama; and by two weeks at the General Electric Com- packages are sent to children in Europe. pany at Schenectady, N. Y., on Ignitron Among other things, the Junior Red Rectifiers. Cross during the Christmas holiday sea- While some of the training was at son sometimes presents fruits, candy and Company expense for use in the Apprentice toys to children passmg through the School, the remainder was for additional Canal on ships, and bound for such far personal training. away places as Australia and New Zealand • • • • • • The Engineering Division recently Richard H. Whitehead, a member of issued a building permit to the Sectional the Goethals Memorial commission and an expert on Isthmian history, has RAOUL 0. THERIAULT Officer of the Salvation Army, author- presented two sets of books to the Canal izing the construction of a combination Raoul 0. Theriault, new Administrative Zone Library. They are: Hakluyt's chapel and living quarters in Paraiso. "Navigation and Voyages," a reprint of Assistant in the Office of the Coinmunify • • • the 1598-1600 edition, in 12 volumes, Services Director, has become a Pacific side J. B. Smith, Electrical Engineer of the and Damier's "Voyages," a second resident for the time in his career. edition printed in 1709 in London. The first Panama Canal Company, returned from the latter is in three volumes. Born in Massachusetts, he joined the Canal United States October 12 after a short The two sets will be stored in the organization in 1940 as a commissary leave. He accompanied his elder son, Paul, rare-book vault of the Library's Pana- assistant. All of his work, heretofore, has to Albuquerque, N. Mex., where Paul ma Collection and will be used for an been on the Atlantic side. At the time exhibit in the near future. of entered the University of New Mexico. his transfer to the Community Services • • • Paul recently won a four-year Naval Bureau, he was Supervisary Accountant in Former Zonians get around. Friends at ROTC scholarship, and, despite a subse- the Commissary Division at Hope. the Civil Affairs Bureau have received word Mount quent appointment to the United States Incidentally, he pronounces his name as recently of two of their former colleagues, Naval Academy at Annapolis, chose the it were spelled "tarry-oh." W. H. Drake and J. W. Tannehill. if University of New Mexico for his studies. • • • • • • Mr. Drake is Chief of Police for Las last Responsibility for the maintenance of Vegas, N. Mex., and recently was the The of the 33 families who have chosen the new Diablo two-family Gorgas Hospital and for the operation recipient the city a special on behalf of of masonry quarters for their residences and maintenance of the hospital's steam citation, presented by the New Mexico moved into their new houses on October plant has been assumed by the Mainte- AAA Club. The citation was given for 7. The first family had moved into the new quarters two to day- nance Division. the city's part in the 1953 National Pedes- months a earlier. • • • Protection contest. trian Chief Drake was Assignments to the Diablo quarters Clearing for the relocated Aids to with the Canal organization from 1925 varied widely as to service. The earli- Navigation power lines by the Elec- until 1947. est service date was May 12, 1934; the tricial Division now provides a wide, latest, January 5 of this year. clear of the back of Contractors The other former Zonian, Mr. Tannehill, view • • • Hill. Motorists can see much of the post here during con- was with the offices the hill, without Emmett Zemer and John W. Hare, grading activity on struction days. He served as postmaster having to enter the restricted area and Realty Inspectors, were subjected to a at Ancon and Station A for about seven without encountering the dirt, mud, thorough razzing by their fellmc workers dust of the heavy grading work. years and was at the old Maiachin Post and last month. Both former Safety Inspectors, They may even be fortunate enough about seven months. also Office for He to witness a blast and still be safe from they were in the field near Pedro Miguel on served temporarily as postal inspector. He flying rock. business connected icith land licenses, when is now a distributor of auto specialities in The ride along Borinquen Highway they came to a small stream which could be is spectacular and unusual and the Pasadena, Calif. crossed only by a log brid-ge. Whether they gorge of the Rio Grande, like its States- side namesake, is impressive now that tested its sturdiness or not, they aren't the the vegetation which formerly hid it Office of Comptroller saying. At any rate the log broke and is removed. is acting the James L. Fulton Chief of spilled them both; Mr. Zemer icas com- • • • during absence on pletely Fiscal Division the leave soaked and Mr. Hare got off with Contractors Hill continues to draw of Floyd H. Baldwin. Mr. Baldwin left a little less thorough drenching. interested visitors from military, pro- October 28 for a six-week vacation in the fessional, and business fields. During the past 30 days they included two United States. Engineering and Construction officers from the of • * • Corps Engineers U iUl liorses would seem to be an and two from the Navy's Engineers; Supervisor of the Richard H. Egolf, unlikely element to associate with a two representatives of Macco Pan- Machine Accounting Unit of the Account project such as the Contractors Hill Pacific; a representative of the Hercules ing Division, now on leave in the United excavation where some of the most Powder Company; two officers from the modern and powerful machines are Inter-American Geodetic Survey; a States, will spend about a week on official presently tearing the living rock representative from Standard Oil Com- duty at the National Cash Register Com- asunder in huge chunks and hauling it pany, and a number of Company- pany plant in Da}i;on, Ohio. He will swiftly to the dumping area. Government officials. Digitized by tine Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation http://www.archive.org/details/panamacanalr5419545pana — THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW November 5, 1954 It Takes A Lot Of Doing To Move A Hospital Any householder who has ever moved The remodeling was completed, on sched- and who hasn't—can understand a little of ule, in six weeks. It brought the following what was involved in transferring an entire commendation from the Governor's Office hospital, to the Directors of the Engineering and A certain ainoimt of linen, beds, dishes, Construction, Health, Community Serv- food, medicine and equipment are needed ices (which is installing a snack bar), and for a family of five; a hospital whose normal Civil Affairs (whose foreman had checked capacity is 200 beds, and its emergency for fire hazards and like jobs) Bureaus: capacity half again as large, has all of "A personal inspection this morning of those, and many other items, the Coco Solo Hospital for- ('OLON HOSPITAI, a(l?nitte(l its first patients in May iniO, its last on October 26, 1954. COCO SOLO HOSPITAL is set in 40 acres of beautifully landscaped pound, too. cibly brought to my attention just off the Boyd-Roosevelt Highway. Just as any family plans, the fine job that has been in its collective mind, what done by our forces in the alterations to make and where conversion of the hospital. to place furniture, "if we get "I would appreciate it if the house," the Colon Hospi- you will pass on to all the tal staff had done some theo- employees who have worked retical planning before the on this project my commenda- Coco Solo Hospital was actu- tion for their cooperation, and ally transferred to the Canal a job well done under emer- Zone Government by the gency and deadline require- Navy September 1. ments. Built as a service hospital, "I particularly want to Coco Solo needed a number mention the superior per- of changes to fit it to the pecu- formances of Mr. Nelson W. liar requirements of a con- Magner, Mr. Henry T. Car- solidated hospital for the penter, and Mr. Leo C. Page, Atlantic side. Many of these of the Engineering and Con- changes has been worked out struction Bureau." on paper but others had to be A special note commended decided "on the 'groitnd." the "constant, careful and By the time the work was intelligent interest displayed completed in mid-October by the Superintendent-desig- and the hospital stafl^ could nate, Dr. Wilkerson, in seeing begin to stock shelves, make that he acquired a hospital of beds, provision pharmacy and which the Canal Zone may kitchens, a large percentage DR. JOHN M. WILKERSON, Coco Solo Hospital be proud." superintendent, stops for a minute in the yellow-tiled of the Canal's divisions had When the remodeling was operating room. ^^^^^^^ had some part in the remodel- completed, the hospital staff ing of the Coco Solo building, Leo C. Page, began to stock the storeroom and made the Chief of the Architectural Branch, and hospital ready for patients. This job was Rubelio Quintero of the Electrical-Mechan- the special responsibility of David C. ical Branch, Virtually "lived on the job" Mcllhenny, the hospital's supply chief, and working out the needed changes with Dr. his assistant, Mrs. Mildred Frensley. J. M. Wilkerson and his right-hand man, Finally moving day came. At 7 o'clock Robert Cole. Maintenance Division forces, on a cloudy Wednesday morning, exactly directed by Nelson Magner, until he became eight weeks to a day from the date when ill, and with Henry T. Carpsnter as fore- the hospital was transferred, the first man in charge, worked six days a week, patients entered Coco Solo Hospital. tearing down walls, rebuilding partitions, Coco Solo Hospital's first baby, a girl, tearing up concrete, laying tile, and doing was bom at 8:10 a. m. a multitude of other things. For the move, the hospital staff had Electrical and mechanical engineers from divided forces, some of them keeping Colon the Engineering Division made the neces- Hospital operating until the transfer was sary changes in layout, and wiremen and finished, the others putting Coco Solo into telephone men, like Carl Newhard and operation. The last of the 91 patients Harvey Smith, of the Electrical Division transferred left Colon Hospital at 11:07 spent long hoiu's at the hospital and making a.m. cable connections in the field. FIRST for hospital patients is STOP the desk in the main lobby, above. BeKus is a ^ ir« ..f tin- Cocn A LOT OF LINEN is needed to keep Ihiei' 4.'-bnl .vanL- lji,i Uiai dliown in the top picture -and the Solo Hospital's large, well-equipped kitchen. The hospital has a normal capacity of 200 patients. other patient facilities of Coco Solo Hospital in operation. The linen room is shown below. \V1LL1.\M GRADY and ROBERT COLE take CLIMB-PROOF fencing keeps youngsters awa\' look at the pharmacy. from the stairwells. 10 11 12 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW November 5, 1954 Rodriguez's And Smiths Outnumber All Others On Panama Canal Rolls each for the Maintenance and Schools Division; the Police and Railroad Divi- sions have two Smiths each, as has the Office of the Comptroller. Charles Smith Thirty-one of the 56 Smiths live on the Pacific side, including Gamboa. Three of the Atlantic side Smiths have the same first name, Charles. Charles Samuel Smith is a detective sergeant with the Cristobal Police District. Charles Sidney Smith is a guard with the Terminals Div- ision. Charles Tallie Smith is a conductor for the Railroad Division. There is also a Pacific side Charles Smith, an appren- tice shipfitter with the Industrial Division. Eight pairs of Smiths share the same first name. There are the Arthurs—Ar- thur L., a lock operator machinist, and Arthur W., administrative assistant in the Office of the Health Director. The SMITH yPEAKINC, but which one? .J. Palmer Davids are Maj. David H., military assist- Smith, -Jr., Chief of the Sanitation Division, seated, and .Arthur W. Smith, .Administrative .Assistant, ant to the Governor, and David S., a answer the same telephone in the Chief Health Office. steam locomotive crane engineer for the Industrial Division. FILE AFTER FILE in Balboa's Building 09 is tation Division, and John R. Smith is filled with records of people named Rodriguez. Mrs. Smiths By Pairs general and transmission supervisor for Una Rigby is going to have a hard time finding Jcse. Elsie H. Smith is a clerk-typist with the Electrical Division. Both Josephs are There are 299 Jose's listed. the Balboa Storehouse, and Mrs. Elsie N. Atlantic siders; Joseph C. is a plumber Smith an accounting clerk with the Ac- with the Maintenance Division, and Jos- What's in a name? Or should it be, locomotive operator at how many to a name? Numerically, as counts Branch. At Gatun Locks are the eph F. a towing pair of Smiths far as the Panama Canal Company-Canal two Georges: George A., a lock operator Gatun Locks. The other clerk. is the Roberts, also both Atlantic siders. Zone Government rolls are concerned, the machinist leader, and George W., a Jack E. Smith is a police officer at Balboa,, Robert C. is a filtration plant operator Rodriguez's and the Smiths have it, hands down. and Dr. Jack I. Smith is the district phys- for the Maintenance Division, and Rob- Division Currently there are 112 people named ician at Gamboa. ert W. works for the Industrial is chief of the Sani- as a crane operator. Rodriguez on the Canal rolls, and 56 John P. Smith the Smiths; if one rang in such Smith near- Commissary Customers And Officials Vincent Huber, Assistant Manager of relatives as Schmidt (4), Schmitt (1), and Wholesale Dry Goods, and John Manning Smithson (1), the number would increase Exchange I deas Al Semi-Annual Forums who heads the Wholesale Grocery Sec- to 62, although that would be a far cry {Cantinnei frun page 5) on provision tion, talked briefly to the customer from the Rodriguez total. of more space at Santa Cruz, now crowded representatives. In addition to the 112 Rodriguez's on because of the increase in population. Mr. Huber showed a number of new the rolls of the Canal organization proper, G. N. Engelke, Assistant General Man- clothing items, includmg nylon and dacron there are 171 others working for the ager of the Commissary Division, told blouses for women, and two "leisure Army, Air Force, Navy, or for contract- the group that during the Christmas jackets" for men, one of which was made ors or miscellaneous agencies in the Canal season the Santa Cruz Commissary's in Panama. Zone, and their files are all in the custody second floor, which has not been used for Mr. Manning displayed several new of the Canal's Personnel Bureau. some time, would be utilized as a sales grocery items, including jams and mar- Jose Rodriguez room and that consideration would be malade, deviled ham, liver paste, and a Down at Building 79, where the Per- given to continued use of this space after cane syrup. sonnel Bureau keeps the files on local-rate the holidays. Attending the two forums were: employees working anywhere in the Canal Locks For Package Bins Mr. Johnson, Mr. Ferguson, B. J. Zone, there are individual records of 3,331 Several customers suggested that the Elich, Assistant to the Supply Director; persons named Rodriguez. Of this total, Gamboa commissaries be open on Wed- Norman Johnson, Employee and Labor 3,331, there arc 209 whose first name is nesday evening instead of Thursday. Relations Officer; R. N. Sullivan, and Jose. four-drawer filing Eight standard Since Wednesday is a payday on alter- George N. Engelke, General Manager and cabinets to store the files of are needed nate weeks, it would be most convenient Assistant General Manager, respectively; the people named Rodriguez. to shop after the men return from work Mr. Huber, Mr. Manning, Mr. Bain, And these are current figures, from per- with their pay checks. Mr. Brown, Mr. Eder, and C. P. Shay, sonnel records established since December Another suggestion made during this all of the Commissary Division; and the 1939. Approximately 30,000 other files of forum was that some sort of check or following customer representatives: former employees, including those re- guard system be established to prevent C. W. Chase, W. H. Esslinger, Mrs. cruited from El Salvador and Colombia, the pilfering from lockers into which Jean Bleakley, Mrs. Frances Longmore, are in dead storage and were not searched customers put their purchases while they Mrs. Thelma Bull, J. D. McLean, J. T. for their Rodriguez's; Personnel people are buying in other parts of the store. Dillon, Mrs. Walter Wagner, Mrs. C. L. will wager that there are also plenty of Commissary officials promised to look into Coate, Herschel Gandy, Mrs. Rae Ebdon, the clan listed files. Rodriguez in those this and suggested that meanwhile, the Mrs. R. C. Meissner, Mrs. Elsa Bailey, Now The Smiths customers use combination rather than Mrs. Q. M. Berger, Mrs. Jean Bailey, Now as to the Smiths; There are 41 key locks on the bins. Mrs. Grayce Gravatt, Mrs. Eleanor Smith men and 15 women named Smith Commissary Calendars Becker, R. C. Daniel, Mrs. Robert working for 22 Company-Government Local-rate customers were told that a Medinger, Mrs. Faye Minton; units. The Locks Division heads the list supply of complimentary calendars would Cyril Atherly, Richard Burns, Mrs. with nine Smiths, two of whom are named be made available this year in the com- Hikia Butcher, Mrs. Anita Barnett, A. B. George. One is George A. and the other missaries. Methods for their distribution Dalby, Marcum Grannum, C. Haywood, George W.; they are not related. were discussed and a suggestion made Miss' Gloria McFarlane, Mrs. Lulitta The Electrical Division and the Hosp- that commissary purchase authority cards McFarquhar, Cleveland Roberts, Mrs. ital and Clinics Division tie for second be rubber stamped when an employee Doris Alexis, W. N. Arthur, Harold A. place, with seven Smiths each. Si.x Smiths receives his calendar, in order to assure Josephs, Jefferson Josephs, and Mrs. work for the Industrial Division, four an equitable distribution. Anacia McNish. November 5, 1954 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW 13 Dipper Dredge "Cascadas" Works On Canal Bank Break The second major slide or bank break to occur in ths Canal this year was sched- uled to be cleared up the first week in November after more than two weeks of night-time di-edging operations by the 15-cubic-yard dipper dredge C'ascarfas. The operation involved an estimated 45,000 cubic yards of material, mostly rock, which broke away from the west bank of the Canal October 16 about four miles north of Contractors Hill. Dredging in the area was carried on between the hours of three o'clock in the afternoon and seven o'clock in the morn- ing so that regular traffic through the Canal was not inten-upted. One-way traffic by that point was maintained until the material was cleared but at no time did the slide present any danger^to shipping. il "^The slide approached the size of the earth slide which occurred early in .July opposite the Cucaracha Signal Station north of Pedro Miguel Locks. ANNIVERSARIES A (jIRL ought to have a chance to be alone when she talks to Santa Claus, but Rebecca Fall's friends didn't She managed Two Pacific side teachers sliared honors give her a chance. to give the old Saint a pretty good idea of what she wanted. despite the audience. last month, although the\- nia\ ha\e been of the distinction. Miss Alice unaware CHRISTMAS may be just around the corner, favors, and cups which will hold something who teaches United States histor\- Candee, as anyone can plainly see (above), but hot without getting limp. The table covers, at Ballioa High School, and Miss Alvina Thanksgiving comes first. Bet you didn't know with a turkey design, are the 54- by 90-inch Freeman, fifth grade teacher at Balboa Kl- that while it dates back to Pilgrim days, it's siie, at 25 cents each. The other items run ementary School, joined the teaching staff been observed regularly only since 1863. from 1 5 to 25 cents each. Zone schools October 1, 1924. of the Canal Now that we've shown off, let's go on to some are, consequently, senior in service If you re going to dress your table up for They of the things the Commissaries have this year. of the six Canal employees who completed Thanksgiving, you might want to dress up Let's start with food, like turkeys. The 30 years of government service in October. yourself. The shoe section Commissaries will hove a good stock of these, Their Canal service is continuous. "Striking has come through with a num- Miss Candee comes from the Nutmeg big-breasted ones in large sizes for Matchsticks" ber called, of all things, Turkey the family of dozen or so, or small State, Connecticut; her travels have taken a "Striking Matchslicks," on Talk birds for the young couple having hsr far from her birthplace and enabled her account of they're trimmed with gold or their first Thanksgiving together. to combine two hobbies—seeing new places ebony tipped matchsticks. Won't light, These turkeys come all ready for the oven, and photographv. She spoke last month at though. Made by Delmanette, of calfskin, except for the stuffing, which you have to the JWB-l'SO,' illustrating her talk with they come in white, blue, and black, with a provide yourself. Here, little families get a her own pictures, on a recent trip to New medium heel, or graphite and red with high break this year. The Commissaries have also Zealand. heels; $12.95, has one ordered Swanson turkeys, already stuffed Miss Freeman, Wisconsin-born, PEOPLE who get invited out to Thanksgiving greenest thumbs her friends have and frozen. Nothing to do but roast them of the dinner might like to take a gilt to their These in 5-7 only. of her come pounds ever seen. The grounds Barnebe\ hostesses. Maybe the hosts shouldn't be over- showplace for the .Street apartment are a CRANBERRIES may be trite, but they're a looked, either. How about some of the new plants neighborhood; some of her have been natural to go along with turkey. They come Coro costume jewelry, or the gift-boxed Coty, moved to her schoolroom and her students fresh, so you can make your own variety of Helena Rubinstein, Mary Dunhill, Faberge, her interest in growing things. or in are picking up sauce, cans. Half slices of the canned Lentheric, or Prince Matchabelli toiletries to variety, alternated with half slice of fresh make a pretty lady look, and feel, prettier? oranges, are an attractive turkey garnish. The four other employees who observed For the host: Hickok's gift-boxed jewelry and And getting back to that turkey stuffing, both their 30th anniversaries in October are: billfolds. And for the house, Cannon's chestnuts and oysters will be available. Mrs. Mabel D. Andrews, a clerk-typist at gift-boxed terry towel sets. Gjrgas Hospital. Born iji Indiana she is a This year's Fruit Coke assortment, for The Housewares people always get huffy graduate nurse; her first assignment at Gor- Christmas or Thanksgiving, will represent a if they are left out of this column. We don't gas Hospital was nursing. Later she turned selection from seven suppliers, care much — for a Thanksgiving to the clerical end of hospital work. Pudding including National Biscuit Com- Horrid Column — for one item they sug- whose and Cake pany, Keebler Weyl, and FFV. Gertrude A. Smith, birthplace Thoughtl gest but here it Is: New bathroom They range in price from about is Ansonia, Conn., is also a nurse. She scales, in assorted colors, may be 60 cents for a one-pound cake to $5.50 for trained at Griffii Hospital in Derby, Conn., had at the Balboa, Cristobal, Ancon, and the fancy five-pound gift-packed cakes. The and worked in several \"eterans Hospitals Margarita stores, at $5.85 each. They weigh Commissary bakeries own Fruit Cake will also before she came to the Isthmus. up to 250 pounds which should take care of be available as usual. Plum Pudding from George A. Thibodeau is a Bay Stater; anyone's Thanksgiving dinner. England has also been ordered, but dock he was born in Chicopee Falls, Mass. Now sirikes make its delivery uncertain. HANDY THINGS to have around the house, auditor in the Internal Audits Staff, he an especially for the holidays, are the new Two- been in accounting work ever since he EXPERIMENTERS might like to try a peach has Timers, which got their name because they joined the Canal organization. pie instead of the usual Thanksgiving desserts. keep hot food hot and cold food cold. They The Commissary now has a peach-pie mix, of Jantes M. Thompson, whose home state hove o capacity of three and a half quarts, the Comstock line, which already includes is Florida, is well-qualihed to head the or, easier to understand, four trays of ice pumpkin, cherry, and blueberry mixes. Canal's Transportation Unit. When he is cubes. They are made with thick Fiberglas not arranging transportation professionally, Menu-fillers now on Commissary shelves Insulation between double walls; $3.75. so to speak, he is apt to be exploring old Include an excellent assortment of Heinz Where the writer of this column comes jungle trails across the Isthmus. pickles, several new items for from —Ohio— It was traditional after Thanks- Menu Fillers canapes— like the new Dan- giving dinner to relax and take ish meal spreads, spiced olives, Three of the employees who completed After things easy. No one wanted much olives stuffed with anchovies, and, for a 25 years of service in October have contin- Dinner to eat by evening time, but popcorn happy ending, almonds, pecans, brazil nuts, uous Canal service: C. S. McCormack, was exactly right. Of course, we walnuts, and filberts, ell in the shell. Maurice W Sherry, a id Harold J. Zier- did It over the fireplace, but an electric stove ten, though most of Mr. McCormack's TO DRESS UP the Thanksgiving dinner table, will do, for lack of fireplaces. All of which service has been with other Go\ernment the Commissaries have a variety of candles in IS leading up to soy that the Commissaries units. He is a towboat master with the the shapes of pumpkins, corn, or turkeys. The have corn-poppers, the old-fashioned kind Navigation Division, stationed in Cristobal. first two ore 1 8 cents each,- the turkey candles with a wire basket, a sliding wire mesh lop, Mr. Sherry worked as a postal clerk in are 25 cents each. For the younger set, and a long handle. They hold two quarts of Tulsa before he came (See page 11,) particularly, are paper cloths, napkins, plates. fluffy white corn, 89 cents, and at all stores. 82 14 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW November 5, 1954 PROMOTIONS AND TRANSFERS OCTOBER RETIREMENTS Retirement certilicates were presented September 15 Through October 15 the end of October to the following employ- ees who are listed alphabetically, together Employees who were promoted or traiis- (Typist), to File Clerk (Typist), Internal with their birthplaces, titles, length of serv- ferreel l)etween September 15 and October Securit\- Office. ice, and future addresses: 15 are listed below. Rcsradinfisaiid withiii- HEALTH BUREAU Beresford Cadogan, Barbados; Chauf- grade promotions are not listed. Ira N. C Read, from Supervisory .Ac- feur, Motor Transportation Division; 20 ADMINISTRATIVE BRANCH counting Clerk, Cost .Accounts Branch, to years, 6 months, 9 days; Panama. Snpcr\ isor\- .\cconnling .\ssistant, Gorgas Capt. Ellis D. .Senior George G. Graffman, from File Clerk, Carey, Ohio; Tow- Hospital. boat Master, Ferry Service; 34 years, 9 keeords Section, to I'assentjer Traffic Clerk, Daniel C. Zitzman, from Cash .Ac- months. days; Patterson, N. TransporLilion .Section. 8 J. counting Clerk (Teller), Treasury Branch, Mrs. Virginia D. Cunningham, from Mrs. Ruth T. Getz, Michigan; Clerk- to Supervisory .Accounting .Assistant, Colon Typist, Board of Health Laboratory; 12 File Clerk, Records Section, to Clerk- Hospital. years, 2 months, 15 Milledgeville, Ga. Stenoijrapher, Correspondence Section. da\s; Mrs. Ruthelma T. Zemer, Clerk- Sgt. Sanford D. Mann, Te.xas; Sergeant CIVIL AFFAIRS BUREAU Stenographer, from Wage and Classifica- Cristobal Police; 26 years, 1 month, 2 days; Mrs. Joyce C. Hudson, from Clerk- lion Di\ision lo Gorgas Hospital. Paducah, Texas. Slenographer to Clerical .\ssistant, Postal, Col. Henry S. Murphey, from Assist- Fred MuUer, New Jersey; Pipefitter, In- Cnsloms and Immigration DiNision. ant Chief to Chief, Eye, Ear, Nose, and dustrial T)i\ision; 15 vears and 5 davs; Mrs. Ruth R. Townsend, Mrs. Har- Throat Service, Gorgas Hospital. Balboa. riet K. Serger, from Snbstitnte Teacher. Mrs. Hazel V. Welby, from Staff Nurse Fred W. O'Rourke, Minnesota; Foreman Schools, to Library Assistant. to Head Nurse, Commmiicable Disease I )i\ ision of Marine Bunkering .Section, Terminals Di- I,il)rary. Clinic. vision; 30 years, 5 months, 11 days; Los Ernest B. Wright, from Junior High Margaret A. Cosgrove, Staff Nurse, .Angeles, Calif. School Teacher to Senior High School Ircjui Gorgas to Colon Hospital. Edward C. Stroop, Pennsylvania; .Ad- Teacher, Division of Schools. MARINE BUREAU ministrati\'e .\ssistant. Terminals Division; Alfhild M. Maedl, from Substitute Mrs. Charles J. Palles, from Sheetmetal 31 years, 5 months, 3 days; Circleville, Ohio. Junior High School Teacher, Teacher to Worker Leader, Maintenance Division, to Mrs. Katherine M. Swain, Kentucky; I )i\ ision of Schools. Sheetmetal Worker, Industrial Division. Public Health Xurse; 24 \e.irs, 9 months, S. Hollowell, Clerk-Typist, Mrs. Mary John M. Stuart, Christian J. Gunder- 3 da\'s; Lexington, Ky. Section to Police Division. from License sen, from Probationary Pilot to Qualified S. Hirschl, from Elemen- Mrs. Miriam Pilot, .\a\ igation Dixision. Substitute Teacher, tary School 'Teacher to John L. McDermott, from Supervisor, ANNIVERSARIES Division of Schools. Maintenance Division, to Lock Operator Mrs. Despa C. Ward, from Substitute (Ironworker-Welder), .Atlantic Locks. iContimtefrom iiage IS) to the Canal Zone, Teacher to Elementar\- School Teacher, Robert J. Hansen, from Tractor- where he is also a postal clerk. He is on 1 )ivision of Schools. BuUdozer-Operator, Maintenance Division, duty at the Cristobal post office. Stone, from Guard, Terminals Ralph C. to Towing Locomotive Operator, Pacific Mr. Zierten, once of St. Cloud, Minn., !)i\ision, to Policeman, Police Division. Locks. forsook his career as a teacher of mechani- Auvie H. Byrd, from Administrative SUPPLY BUREAU cal drawing se\'eral years ago to become .Assistant to Supervisory .Administrative Mrs. Melba M. Heintz, from Commis- assistant principal of Balboa High Schcjol, .Assistant, Division of Schools. sary Checker to Commissary Assistant, where he is affectionately but "Orwellishly" OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER Commissary Di\ision. known as "Big Brother." Mrs. Ruth J. Bain, from Commissary Howard E. Walling, from Materials Mrs. Anna M. Jones, another Minneso- .Assistant, Commissary Division, to Clerk- Engineer to Cieneral Engineer, Division of tan—she comes from St. Peter—is the Typist, General .Accounts Branch. Storehouses. fourth 25-year employee. She is a postal Mrs. Jean G. Humble, from Clerk- Harry A. Dockery, from Storekeeper clerk, working in the money order section 'Typist, Cost Accounts Branch, to Book- (Shipping), to Assistant Supply Officer at the Civil Affairs Building. keeping Machine Operator, Machine Knit (Groceries), Commissary Division. Branch. Mrs. Thelma A. Koenig, from Ticket Seven employees, only two of whom work Mrs. Jean de la Pena, Clerk-Typist, Seller, Service Center Division, to Com- for the same Bureau, had twentieth anni- friim Claims Branch, to Cost .Accounts missary Checker, Commissary Division. versaries in October. Tho.se with unbroken Branch. TRANSPORTATION AND TERMINALS Canal service are: COMMUNITY SERVICES BUREAU BUREAU Denton W. Broad, lock operator wire- man leader at the Pacific Locks; Florence Raoul O. Theriault, from Supervisory Mrs. Carol E. Wilford, from Cashier, H. Edbrooke, director of nurses at Colon Accountant, Commissary Division, to .Ad- Service Center Division, to Typist, Term- Hospital; Michael F. Greene, a customs ministrative .Assistant, Office of the Com- inals Division. inspector at Balboa; Frank D. Naughton, nuniity Services Director. Irl R. Sanders, Jr., from Maintenance employee relations officer with the Per- I. from Refuse Col- Foreman to Dock and Pier Maintenance August Bauman, sonnel Bureau; and Edward B. O'Brien, lection and Disposal Superintendent, to Foreman, Terminals Division. Jr., .Assistant Superintendent of the Term- .\dministrative Assistant, Grounds Main- Paul P. Desormeau, from Guard, inals Division. tenance Division. .Atlantic Locks, to Supervisor)- Storekeeper Twenty-year employees whose ser\ice is (Checker), Terminals Di\ ision. ENGINEERING AND CONSTRUCTION broken are: Mrs. Barbara K. Hutchings, Mrs. Helen E. Chisholm, from .Super- BUREAU clerk-typist in the Steamship Ticket .Agency N'isory .Accomiting Clerk to .Accounting Gale A. O'Connell, .\rchitectural Engin- at Balboa; and Robert Ward, wood and .Assistant, Motor Transportation Division. eer, from Maintenance Di\ision to Engineer- steel carman tor the Railroad T^ixision. Frank P. McLaughlin, Jr., from Crib- Division. ing tender Foreman and .Steam Engineer to October's 18 employees with 15 years John A. Snodgrass, from Plumber to Cribtender Foreman. Marine Bunkering Main- government service are evenly split; nine Quarters Maintenance Foreman, Section. with continuous service and nine whose tenance Divisifjn. Ralph A. Nelson, from Ganger and service has been broken. Joan M. Read, from Ticket Seller, Cribtender Foreman lo Ganger and Crib- Those with continuous service are: Service Center Division, to Clerk-Typist, tender Foreman and Steam Engineer, James F. Ahearn, plumbing inspector Engineering Division. Marine Bunkering Section. with the Contract and Inspection Division; Mrs. Elizabeth I. Brown, from Clerk- Mrs. Gloria M. DeRaps, from .Ac- Mrs. Carmen Casey, a cash accounting Typist to Clerk (Typist), Engineering counting Clerk to Clerk-Stenographer, clerk for the Electrical Division; Louis H. Disision. Terminals Di\ision. Mrs. Dorothy H. Benny, from Clerk Charles, a painter foreman with the Main- tenance Di\-ision; J. B. Clemmons, .Assist- (Typist) to Clerical .Assistant, Engineering ant Chief, and Immigration Divi- Division. Customs sion; Jessee Crawford, track foreman. Mrs. Mae B. Cross, Clerk, from Main- SAILINGS NOVEMBER Railroad Division; Emmett O. Kiernan, tenance Division to Office of Engineering control house operator. Pacific Locks; and Construction Director. Elmer J. Nordstrom, rates anahst, Office Armando de Sedda, from Cartographic From Cristobal of the Comptroller; Howard H. Sprague, Survey .Aid to Cartographic Compilation Cristobal November 6 super\isorN' auditor, Internal .Audit Stall; .\id. Surveys Branch. Pa nama November 1 .? and Benjamin L. Thomas, Pilot. Mrs. Laura J. Nelson, from Clerk to .-1 neon November 20 Those whose service is broken are: Clerk-Typist, Electrical Division. Cristobal. November 2 7 George J. Booth, lock operator-black- William H. Edmondson, from Super- smith. Pacific Locks; Jesse Y. Bunker, visory Electronics Engineer to Supervisory From New York policeman, Balboa station; Robert D. Electronics Engineer (General), Electrical Panama November 4 Kelly, retirement clerk, Personnel Bureau; Division. George E. Love, lock operator machinist, A neon *November 1 OFFICE OF GOVERNOR-PRESIDENT Pacilic Locks; Robert R. McCoy, electri- Cristolml November 1 cian operator foreman, Power Branch; James G. E. Maguire, from Policeman, /'<; na ma *November 26 Police Division, to Statistical .\ssistant, Henry C. Poole, customs inspector, Cris- Executi\e Planning Staff. *Leave New York Friday because of holi- tobal; Harold I. Perantie, Chief, .Admin- Mrs. Clay C. Dorey, frcjm Clerk- days (.Southbound the Haiti stop is from istrative Branch; Fred L. Raybourn, auto Typist to Clerk (Tvpist), Internal Securit\ 7 a. m. to 4 p. m., Monday; northbound, repair machinist. Motor Transportation Office. the ships are also in Port-au-Prince Mo)i- Division; and Robert L. Robinson, car- Mrs. Blanche A. Mclntire, from Clerk day, from about 1 to 6 p. m.) penter foreman, Maintenance Di\ision. November 5, 1954 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW 15 History Of French Line Antedates Beginning Of Canal's Construction The French, who played a vital role in the construction of the Panama Canal and who have left an indelible mark on the culture and history of Panama itself, have always be?n well represented by the shipping which has passed through the waterway since it was opened in 1914. Before the Second World War, the French Line, which handles most vessels of French registry passing through the Canal as well as its own, took care of nearly 30 ships each month. Traffic was resumed shortly after the war and during the past fiscal year a total of 136 French vessels used the Canal and a number of others, such as cruise vessels, called at either Balboa or Cristobal without mak- ing the transit. The cruise ships included the SS lie deFmnce, fifth largest passenger liner in the world and the SS Flandre, which was built since the war for the trans-Atlantic trade. Like several other major shipping companies which were in the Caribbean and West Coast of South America trade, before the Canal was built, French Lint- THE l''REXC'H LINE office building was built in Old Cristobal in 191S. Living quarters for the General Agent and his family are located on the second floor. ships were frequent visitors at both Colon and Panama before 1914. In fact, the Compagnie Generale Transatlantique, attempts of the French to build a canal passenger ship which came into Cristobal better known all over the world as the through the Isthmus of Panama. They in June 1916 for the first time and took French Line, had agents on the Isthmus were discouraged, however by the reports on coal. The Flandre, which was built as early as 1861 when the line opened a of a company engineer who siu'veyed the in 1913 in Saint Nazaire, saw military service between Saint Nazaire, Martini- proposed route and came to the conclusion service in both World Wai's and has que, Cartagena, and Panama. that a canal without locks would be since been replaced by the trans-Atlantic This service was started shortly after impossible or if possible at all would cost luxury liner Flandre which paid several the line, by decree of Emperor Napoleon at least $120,000,000 and take 20 years visits to Cristobal last winter with cruise III, had changed its name from Com- to build. passengers from New York. pagnie Generale Maritime to Compagnie Five Ships In 1878 The French'iLine office m Cristobal was agent for the SS Saint Andre of the Generale Transatlantique and entered By 1878, the French Line had five Com- pagnie Navale de L'Oceanie, the first the trans-Atlantic trade with ships run- ships, one of them called the Ferdinand French ship to make use of the ning to New York as well as to the French de Lesseps, calling regularly at the port Canal. It entered the the West Indies and Panama. of Colon from European ports with Canal on morning of March 16, 1915, en route from Tahiti Company Centennial passengers and cargo. to Line on Glasgow with a cargo of 6,800 tons of ore. The original Company, which dates The first offices of the French According to the Atlantic at Battery Beach The Pan-^ma Canai^ back to 1S55 and which will celebrate its Side were Record account of the transit, "no official centennial next year, had formerly been near the Hotel Washington. Thev were recognition taken of location in Old was the passage of engaged exclusively in the Mediterranean moved to their present which the vessel just as none was taken of first trade. Cristobal in 1918. The land on vessels of foreign the occupied by other nations making The first French Line ships, according office was built had been the of the use of Canal but at points along the to available records, called only at Colon a building used as quarters for one way individuals gave indications of their but by 1870 there was an additional serv- World War I censors, employed in the appreciation of the nation which had ice between Valparaiso and Panama Cristobal Post Office. performed such important work in which connected, by means of the Panama One of the early French Line ships to was Ijuilding the Canal." Railroad, with French Line ships calling visit the Isthmus after the Canal 11,350-ton Service To Tahiti at Colon. opened was the SS Flandre, a This was nine years before Count In 1923 the Compagnie de Messagerles Ferdinand de Lesseps, builder of the Maritimes, the second largest shipping Suez Canal and promoter of the original line in France, which is still represented French effort to build the Panama Canal, here by the French Line, inaugurated paid his first visit to Panama in 1879 a direct service from French ports to to inaugurate the beginning of the work Tahiti, New Zealand and New Caledonia. by the French Company. There is no The fii-st steamer to pass through the record that de Lesseps ever traveled to Canal on this run was the SS El Kantara. Panama on a French Line ship but there Weekly sailings to the Pacific Coast is ample evidence that in later years, ships from Europe were started in 1934 with the of the Ime brought thousands of French operation of the Line's ten new steamers and British West Indian laborers to work and motorships built especially for the on the project. express trade. There were the Wiscon- During the time that the French were sin, San Jose, San Diego, Oregon, San making a heroic struggle against odds of Francisco, San Antonio, Washington, climate, disease, jungle, mountains and Wyoming, and Winnipeg, all well known finance, the yellow fever death rate was among local shipping circles. high and there are reports of crew mem- A coastal trade between Buenaventura bers as well as passengers dying aboard and Cristobal also was started during the French Line and other ships anchored in early 1930's with the two small coastal Colon harbor. ships Nemours and Trois Ilets, both of As far back as 1865 the Compagnie which ran regularly through the Canal Generale Transatlantique nearly became M. \. GRIX(jOIIiE. who has been General .\gent until the beginning of World War II. involved in financing one of the early for the French Line in Cristobal since 1947. By the time that the second World REVIEW November 5, 1954 16 THE PANAMA CANAL War broke out in Europe in 1939, the Thousands Of Files To Be Moved French Line was handling approximately 30 ships each month; the majority of To New Records Storage Center these passed through the Canal en rout^ to South Pacific, West Coast of South The transfer early last month of 1,000 America, and North Pacific ports. cubic feet of out-of-service personnel For Duration Closed folders from files in the Administration During the War, France lost many Building basement inaugurated a ne\\ French ships in enemy action and the Canal unit, the Records Storage Center, Line office in "Cristobal was closed for operated bv the Administrative Branch. the duration. Housed in a fireproof warehouse-type until 1946 The oflice was not reopened l)uilding in the Balboa Industrial area, employee of when Max Chatron. former the new center is prepared, at this time, arrived to take the line in Cristobal, to accommodate approximately 6,000 company in - charge of the interests of the cubic feet of noncurrent records or, to fiscal year 1946, there Cristobal. During put it in lavmun's language, the contents French nation- were only eight vessels of of 1,090 standard file cabinets. Its facili- Canal but this ality passing through the ties are available to all Compan.\'- 1947 number steadily increased to 60 in Government units. the com- and 99 in 194.s" until at present The need for a permanent records year. panv handles nearly 200 each storage center has long been recognized of the This number includes vessels by the administration. Studies by the resumed Messageries Maritimes, which Administrative Branch have shown that West operation between French and the Canal has about 56,000 cubic fj-t of Caledonia Indian ports to Tahiti, New records, of which at least 49,000 cubic new ships and and Australia with two feet are estimated to be noncurrent. The new vessels are one pre-war liner. Saves Space the SS TahiUan and the SS Caledonien. part of these old files ari' each of which carries approximately 480 The greater of them stored passengers. kept in field offices, many in filing cabinets. This represents a Ships of the French Lme have resumed STi-^CKiS OF cardboird cartons on steel shelving of valuable office space and the operations between Eui-opean ports to costly waste now hold the Canal's old files, consolidated in ecjuipment which can be new Records Storage Center in the Balboa Industrial the West Coast of South American and expensive center storage. area. D. F. Mead, on the ladder, shows Mrs. Betty Pacific ports where they pick avoided by use of records the North Thomas and Mrs. Marguerite Budreau how quickly frozen food. up cargoes of fresh fruit and the (lid files can be located. which Four new fast fruit express liners, him to go to the front because the front now carry passengers as well as freight, came to him with such speed that he was A check of sui-plus buildings, made by West transit the Canal en route to the made prisoner of war a few days after the Administrative Branch last spring, Present Coast of the United States. landing in France. showed that Building 9-A, a structure plans call for more to be built. He was released from prison by General erected duiing World War II, was suit- French Line Staff Patton's Army at the end of the war able and handy. It is located inside the from that time behind the Instru- General Agent for the French Line in Europe in" 1945 and Industrial Area fence, he served as War Shipping Repair Shop, and provides about in Cristobal since 1947 is M. V. Gringoire, until 1947 ment the port of Marseilles. usable floor space. a veteran employee of the line. He first Administrator in 7,.500 feet of assisted by a staff of came to the Isthmus in 1926 and spent Mr. Gringoire is Slielves And Cartons 10 persons, most of whom are young several years in Cristobal as a boarding The building has been equipped \vith Frenchmen who have worked in offices of officer before being transferred to Colom- open metal shelving, especially designed the French Line in various parts of the bia and El Salvador. He was in Mar- for use with "record center cartons." world and all of whom speak English. tinique when the World War II began. These cartons provide for efficient storage as a There is also one Frenchwoman on the Called into the French Marines of either letter size or legal size papers. took his staff. She is Miss Louise Grimaud, first lieutenant, Mr. Gringoire A simple but eff'ective system of labeling to Secretary to the General Agent. She has training in Martinique and was sent and cataloging will assure prompt service. been in "the Cristobal office for the past France in the spring of 1940. He landed David F. Mead, whom everyone calls the German four years. Before coming to the Isth- in the port of Brest just as Freddie, is supervisor of the Center. His mus she worked for the French Govern- Army was breaking through the lowland long experienc> in the Administrative for the part of France. ment in Washington, D. C, and countries and the northern Branch is expected to stand him in good for French Line in New York City. He recaUs that it was not necs^ssary stead in promoting the success of this new operation. Panama Line Schedule Change Now Effective The winter schedule of the Pana- ma Line went into effect this week with the sailing of the SS "Panama" from New York yesterday. Henceforth the Panama Line ships will sail from New York on Thursday afternoon and arrive in Cristobal the following Wednesday. On the north- bound voyages, the ships will sail from Cristobal at 3 p. m. Saturday, arriving in New York the following Friday. The Saturday sailing is effective with the departure of the "Panama" on November 13. The overnight stop in Haiti, which was planned for the northbound ships, has been eliminated and the Lucien Mjchineau MR. CRIN'GOIRE with the members of his staff. Appearing in the picture .ire ships will remain in Haiti for only Agent; Henri Laigle, (. hiet .Jasper Rowe of the Traffic Department; .Jean-Pierre Marquer, Passenger and five hours. .\ccountant; .Allen Kelly. Accountant, and Eduardo \'ainqueur. Clerk. — - November 5, 1954 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW 17 STATISTICS ON CANAL TRAFFIC For the purpose of comparison between pre-war and post-war traffic through the Panama Canal, statistics for the fiscal year 1938 are used in this section, as being more nearly normal for peace time than those for 1939. TRANSITS, TOLLS AND CARGO TONNAGE DECREASE IN FIRST THREE MONTHS OF PRESENT FISCAL YEAR Although 62 moi-L' ocean-going com- MONTHLY COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC AND TOLLS mercial vessels transited the Panama Vessels of 300 tons net or over Canal during the finst quarter of the present fiscal year than during the cor- By fiscal years responding period in the previous fiscal Tolls year, the total number of transits, the Transits (In thousands of dollars) amount of tolls collected and credited M..iiih and the amount of cargo handled were all 1955 1954 1938 1955 1954 1938 less than the first quarter of fiscal year 1954. Jiih 640 638 457 $2,646 S2,817 $2,030 During the months of July, August, and AuKU-l 652 640 505 2,751 2,778 2,195 September, which constitute the first quarter of fiscal year 1955, a total of SL-pti'iiilH-r 660 612 444 2,756 2,591 1 ,936 2,435 vessels transited the Panama Octdlier 654 461 2,755 1,981 Canal; total transits for the first quarter of fiscal year 1954 were 2,694. Of this No\xMiil)c-r - 636 435 2,668 1,893 year's transits 1,952 were commercial craft of 300 tons or over. 690 439 2,963 1,845 Vessels Less Government Jaiuiar>' 626 444 2,726 1,838 The number of U. S. Government ves- 592 436 2,491 1.787 sels during the first quarter this fiscal year is only about 27 percent of the num- March _ - 693 506 2,934 2,016 ber of government shipping which tran- sited the Canal during the first three -\pril 654 487 2,838 1,961 months of fiscal year 1954. Commercial Ma\ 689 465 2,923 1,887 tolls for the first quarter of the present fiscal year were approximately $8,154,000, 660 445 2,764 1 .801 compared to .$8,186,000 for the first three for first ,5 iiicintlis months of fiscal year 1954. Cargo 'I'cilal^ of fiscal year 1,952 1,890 1.406 88,153 8,186 6,161 decreased from 9,434,783 long tons dur- ing the first quarter of the past fiscal Totals for fiscal year __ 7,784 5,524 $33,248 $31,918 year to 9,308,165 for the first quarter of the present fiscal year. Trade Route Changes Canal commercial traffic by Nationality of vessels Statistics on Canal shipping show a First Quarter, Fiscal Years marked increase this past quarter compared with a similar period a year 1955 1954 1938 ago—in the number of ships engaged in Nalic ilit\- Num- Num- Num- trade between the East Coast of the •Ions Tons Tons ber of ber of ber of of cargo of cargo of cargo United States and South America. Dur- transits transits transits ing the first quarter of fiscal year 1955, 502 transits were made on this trade Argentine 1 7,555 Belgian _ 6 3,331 8.204 route—an increase of 160 from the cor- Hrazilian 1 responding period in the past fiscal year. British 298 1. 672. 060 311 ,841,255 292 1 , 667 , 795 This increase is attributed in part to the Chilean - 17 79,100 20 87,063 2 10,096 increased production of South American Chinese- - 7 60.338 3 14,420 2 13,113 Colombian 51 67.811 46 49 , 739 ore fields. Costa Rican . _ 16 110,248 .? 18,155 Other trade routes showing increased Danish -- 96 2.S(>,1<)2 55 216,964 55 254,567 shipping were: Between the U. S. east Eciiadorean.-. 19 22.458 40 22,357 coast and Central America; the U. S. Estonian 2 4,695 Finnish . 2 14,828 east coast and Australasia; Europe to the French . 31 132,318 38 157,760 28 146,788 U. S.-Canadian west coast; Europe to German 76 197.864 84 180,876 91 450,641 South A.merica; and Europe to Austral- Greek - 38 295,542 M 297,093 31 18! ,941 Hondnran 96 .711 73 145,980 9 2,926 asia. 93 Htingarian 2 II ,176 U. S. Shipping Leads Israel 1(1.050 1 1.650 The U. S. flag continued to be the most Irish Italian 48 249,423 41 208,640 13 39,933 frequently cairied through the Canal with Japanese 121 740,027 95 639,025 75 522,490 British shipping in second place, and Korean 2 8,467 Norwegian ships third. Liberian 65 422,401 42 280,486 Nationalities showing an increase in Mexican .? 10,981 Moroccan 1 I 14,401 the number of vessels using the Canal Netherlands 34 173.509 29 : 132,296 60 217,168 were: Chinese, Colombian, Costa Rican, Nicaraguan 10 11 .579 5 3,242 Danish, Greek, Honduran, Italian, Japan- Norwegian 217 918.113 214 794.359 155 855,770 Panamanian _ _ 138 688,177 134 932,408 54 155,169 ese, Liberian, Netherlands, Nicaraguan, l'erii\ian_ 2 ,U,7I2 Norwegian, Panamanian, Spanish, and 1 (i Philippine 3 6 , 888 28,069 Swedish. Spanish _ - 14 57,196 7 23.677 15.280 ships were less in Swedish 63 220,438 57 173.387 31 206.645 Countries whose ; . - - - 1 8.800 number during the first quarter of the Swiss . I'nited States_ 483 2,795,410 536 ,088,915 495 2,860,814 present fiscal year as compared to fiscal \'eneznelan 2 1,953 year 19.54, were: Great Britain, Chile, ^'llg(>sl,l\ian 5 23,151 Ecuador, France, (Jermany, Peru, Philip- _ 1,890 9,434,783 1,406 7,642,111 pines, and the United States. Total. 1.952 9,308,165 18 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW November 5, 1954 Canal Zone Census To Be Taken Soon Canal Navigation Rules Translated (Continued from page 1) will be distri- For Masters Of Foreign Shipping buted by the timekeepers. Only one person in each household is to til! out the form. Workinfi wives or children living with their parents who received the questionnaires will he instructed to return their questionnaire blanks, with a nota- tion as to their status. I'iach questionnaire occupies two sides of a sheet of paper. The head of the faniilv will be asked to report: His name, th;' n'umbsr of his id.Mitification-privilege card, his place of residence, by general and by specific localities, and the number of persons, including servants, who live in his residence. form ( )n the reverse side of the census he will list by name all persons living with him, including servants, and their status. He will check in the appropriate blank as to their marital status, sex, citizenship whether U. S., Panamanian, West Indian, or other; and the grade in Caial Zone Government or Canal Zone private or parochiil schools which his children attend. The birthdates, by month and year, of each and the numbei- of the dependent's identification-privilege card, if any, will also be included. WILLI.\M O'SULLIVAN, the Canal's Official Translator, is fluont in half a dozen languages. Th» information obtained from the He just finished translating shipping regulations into Spanish. French, and Italian. ceasus (luestionnaires will be listed on cards and punched up by IBM machines. Non-English-speaking masters of a mutation of sentence; translate a medical After all of the questionnaires have been of the ships which ply through document from Portuguese or French; returned and converted to punch-card quarter the Panama Canal soon will have no translate, from English to Spanish, form, the information from these will be reason for misunderstanding the rules examination questions given to those compiled in tables for statistical plan- and regulations which govern its navi- applying for licenses as navigators or ning, and budget purposes. gation. marine engineers; or sit in on an official In 1908 First Census the Almost half of the Canal transits are call in the Governor's office when For many years the annual census of English. British and JTnited States ships and many visitor does not speak the Canal Zone was taken by the police of the masters of Scandinavian vessels— Occasionally he has served as inter- in March of each year. Later the month 1,.3.36 during the past fiscal year—have preter in the District Court in an emer- was shifted to June or .July. Neither of a working knowledge of Engli-sh, as do gency when a regular translator was not these times of year has been satisfactorj' many German and Japanese ship cap- available, and quite frequently he is as many local-rate employees take leave tains -710 during fiscal year 1954. How- asked to accompany groups of Spanish- in the dry season while the favorite vaca- ever there was a great ne.^d for regulations or French-speaking visitors to the locks. tion season for U. S. rate employees is which Spanish, Italian, French, and Recently he gave a series of three orienta- in the summer months. In future years Greek ship masters could read. tion talks to a number of Latin American the annual census will be taken in translation of extracts of the naviga- officers attending school at Albrook Air October. A tion regulations into Greek was made in Force Base on a tour of the Canal. Although a per-head count of the Canal Washington, but the translations into the from Panama Zone population was taken during the All official correspondence other three languages were completed to the Canal Zone is, of course, in Span- (earliest construction days, the first com- here recently by William Francis O'Sulli- ish. important part of his job is to prehensive Canal Zone census was that \r\ van, multilinguist who holds the unique make meticulous translations of all such of March 1908. post of Official Translator for the Canal letters. the Canal's Press Office In each "Administrative District"— When Organization. oflicial statement in Ancon, Empire, Gorgona, and Cristobal— issues a story or Precise Job Spanish to the Panama newspapers, he is the district tax collector was the census asked to make this translation. tak(>r. These figures were combined with His translations of the navigation census, taken the previ- about 10 days and those of the rural regulations took him Born In The Philippines ous .July, to derive a total Canal Zone was one of the most precise jobs he has Born in the Philippines, he has lived in population of .50,003. ever been called on to do. It involved England, Spain, and China, and has technical and nautical t^rms, legal phra- attended school in more countries than seology, and other fine points and was. most people see. His father was with Fish People Meet Monthly For Discussion necessarily, exact so that there could be Packard International and the family no danger of misinterpretation. {Conl'nue't from page S) ar^' important. moved frequently. His finished work is now in the hands Plants which go into the tanks have a Bill O'Sullivan was working in Cali- of the Marine Bureau which will have good deal to do with the health and wel- fornia World II broke out. the translations printed. They will then when War fart^ of the fish. Scavengers, like snails or His father had died a few years before be distributed to ship masters whose catfish, keep the tanks clean. Any of his and two sisters were native tongues are Spanish, French, and mother these is a study in itself; several of the interned in a prison camp. It was not Italian, or Greek. During fiscal year soinety's members are experts on one or until 1945 that he learned that they had 19.54, they totaled 1,974, or about a another of these fields, and speak, from been found, safe and as well as possible fourth of the Canal transits. time to time, at the society's meetings. under the circumstances, in the infamous Mr. O'SuUivan's translation of the In addition to its local experts, the So- Santo Tomas prison camp in Manila. navigation regulations was only one of ciety goes afield for help. Aquarium Mag- the Canal's out of the ordinary jobs he has Mr. O'Sullivan has been azine answers queries from societies all the many 1950. called on to do since he joined the Official Translator since March over the world, and has recently made up been Canal force. His desk is located in the Administra- a 700-foot movie film on hatching and Varied Duties tive Branch and although he comes under breeding. The Canal Zone Society is ar- that oflfice for payroll and leave purposes, ranging to have the film sent here for In a single day he may attend a meet- Board to his job stands by itself. It is uni(|ue in local showing to it.s members and other ing of the Canal Zone Pardon the organization. fish people. interpret a prisoner's request for com- ) November 5, 1954 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW 19 Principal commodities shipped through the Canal Oil, Coal, Ore, Lumber, (All figures in long tons) Fiu;ures in parenthesis in 1938 and 1949 columns indicate relative positions in those years. ATLANTIC TO PACIFIC Lead List Of Canal's First Quarter. Fiscal Years Commodity 1955 1954 1938 Principal Commodities Mineral oils 913.440 1.262,844 178.635 (3) Coal and coke 822,963 922.164 47.077 (14) 646,493 Mineral oils, coal and coke, ores, and Manufactures of iron and steel 420.748 425,326 (1) Phosphates - - 263.102 175,104 111 ,416 (6) lumber continued during the first quarter Sulphur 106.431 93.189 83,729 (7) of fiscal year 1955 as the principal com- Sugar. 101.038 99.247 3,207(31) modities shipped through the Panama Wheat 99.846 3.488 343 (--) Canal. These four commodities have Paper and paper products 91.488 102.950 132.018 (5) Cement . - 86.520 75.543 .SO, 5.59 (11) maintained top position since 1952; the Machinery. 71 .491 66.211 46,081 (10) quantities of all four shipped during the Automobiles 63,579 60 , 868 62.h66 (9) first three months of fiscal year 1955, Raw cotton. . 61,310 62,212 23.877 (13) however, were somewhat less than for .\mnionia compounds. 58,585 58,603 53-! (-) Fertilizers, unclassified-. 40,484 26.896 8.641 (41) the same period in fiscal year 1954. So\ beans and products. _ 21,076 82 , 204 900 (— I Several commodities showed a marked .Ml others 1.002,277 1 .021.652 il,592,8.?3 upswing in the amounts shipped through Total I 4.224.378 4.538.501 |2.989,009 the Canal in the first quarter this fiscal year, compared to the corresponding PACIFIC TO ATLANTIC period a year ago. In the Atlantic to First Quarter, Fiscal Years Pacific trade an increase was apparent in Commodity shipments of wheat, sulphur, and auto- 1955 1954 1938 mobUes. 1,138,763 1,186.261 .541.685 (3) Wheat shipments during the first Lumber 731,866 771. 3,W ! 877.574 (2) 425,528 438,499 ; 4,!9,129 (4) quarter of fiscal year 1954 totaled only Sugar Wheat 332,709 723,665 40,87.? (7) •^,488 long tons. During the first quarter Can lied food orodiicts 302,252 336,936 300,650 (0) of the present fiscal year 99,000 long tons Nitrate . - 288.459 160,547 222.7.56 (5) of wheat made the Atlantic to Pacific 211,324 45.781 1 978.129 (1) 148.7,?0 8.670(29) transit. This increase was attributed to 204,288 Metiils various __ 195,312 154,824 173,726 (8) relief shipments to the Far East and Refrigerated food products (except fresh fruit). 112,557 115,142 45,205 (10) to South America. increased shipments Copra, - 61,376 63,435 35,092 (18) Coffee . _ - . 59,681 70,009 37,173 (16) Sulphur Shipments Up Dried fruit 48.448 27,262 52,0,?9(12) Sulphur was another southbound com- Fresh fruit (except bananas) 27,827 66,805 26.622 (9) Iron and steel manufactures . 24,273 27,504 5,966 (—) modity whose shipments increased. This \11 others 919,124 559,552 861,813 itsm rose from the seventh position on the list of the most frequently shipped Total 5,083,787 4,896,282 4,653,102 commodities a year ago to fifth place this CANAL TRANSITS—COMMERCIAL AND U. S. GOVERNMENT year, and shipments of automobiles moved from twelfth to eleventh place. First Quarter, Fiscal Years Several commodities carried in the 1955 1954 1938 Atlantic-Pacific trade dropped in amount Atlantic Pacific as compared to the similar period a year to to Total Total Total ago. Most marked of these were soy- Pacific Atlantic beans; in the first quarter of fiscal year Commercial vessels: 1954, 82,204 long tons of soybeans were 952 1,000 1,952 1,890 1,406 reported as southbound cargo while dur- *SmalI --- - 167 152 319 311 211 ing the first quarter of the present fiscal year there were only 21,076 long tons 1,119 1,152 2,271 2,201 1,617 carried in the same trade. Other com- modities showing a decrease in the **l'. S. Government vessels, ocean- eoinc 49 39 88 359 amount of tonnage were paper and paper products and raw cotton. Small 31 45 76 134 Oils Increase Total commercial and U. S. In the Pacific to Atlantic trade the Governnien t 1,199 1.236 2,435 2,694 most marked increase was in mineral oils; 'Vessels under 300 net tons or 500 displacement tons. oil tonnage for the first quarter of this **\'essels on which tolls are credited. Prior to July 1. 1951. Government-operated ships transited free. fiscal year was 211,324 long tons com- pared to only 45,781 long tons in the TRAFFIC MOVEMENT OVER MAIN TRADE ROUTES corresponding period in fiscal year 1954. The following table shows the number of transits of la rge. commercial \'essels (300 Other commodities showing an increase net tons or over) segregated into eight main trade routes: in the Pacific to Atlantic trade were First Quarter, Fiscal Years nitrates, bananas, metals, and dried fruit. 1955 1954 1938 Nitrate shipments, for instance rose from 160,457 to 288,459 tons; bananas 149 156 349 from 148,730 to 204,288 tons; metals from East Coast of U. S. and South .\merica . . 502 342 97 154,824 to 195,312 tons; and dried fruit from 27,262 to 48,448 tons. East Coast of U . S. and Central .\merica 142 115 19 Although wheat took the number four East Coast of U. S. and Far East- . ... 288 307 217 spot in the list of commodities carried in the largest quantities, the amount this U S Canada East Coast and Australasia -- - _ - - 49 41 49 past quarter was less than half of that carried from the Pacific to Atlantic during Europe and West Coast of U. S. Canada _ _ 172 156 194 the first quarter of the past fiscal year. Europe and South .America 162 124 137 Other commodities showing a decline in the Pacific to Atlantic trade were: 95 77 44 Canned food products, sugar, refriger- 393 572 300 ated food products, fresh fruit other than bananas, iron and steel manufactures, 1,952 1,890 1,406 coffee, and copra. 20 THE PANAMA CANAL REVIEW November 5, 1954 Answers Now Available To Queries Asked Hazel, On A Rampage, Upsets I) per .vi'ar on the (Ciinlin'ied frum i>wji' Schedule Of Panama Line Ships Panama Line at a 7") percent reduction of fare, provided that if he utilizes one-way home leave transportation l)enetits as a nieniher of your family, the student dis- count rate tiiay be authorized in thi' same rs>| calendar year for one-way transportation onlv. I v\= Q. Are retired employees eli^dble? ro = .•1. No. They are, however, eligible for a 25 percent reduction on the Panama >! = Line. Q. Must I work two years after I return from vacation, or does the two-year period hefjin when my vacation starts? A. This is still to be deti'rmined, on the basis of Bureau of the Budget rulins;s. MODES OF TRAVEL: Q. Will there be flexibility to permit choice by employees concerning .ship- travel versus air-travel? .1. Yes, if both are available. Q. Must travel be by the Panama Line? By U. S. flag carrier? .1. Ship travel by Panama Line is not mandatory; travel will be by U. S. flag carrier whenever possible. Q. Will my car be transported free under P. L. (500, as amended. A. No (however, a reduced rate for employees cars on Panama Line ships remains in effect). Q. If an employee .should choose to at a ship his own car and pick it up "HEKE'8 WHERE we were," Capt. F, lieS. llmman, Master of the Panama Line's Crutubul, shows Beck, when the CriMobal reached the caastal city, could he be paid mileage on B. I. Everson, Transportation and Terminals Director and A. E. evading Hurricane Hazel. .\s Superintendent of the Terminals Division, Mr. Beck the car to his home town? Canal Zone after is Canal Zone agent for the Panama Line ships. .4. Yes, provided this does not exceed too close for anyone's comfort. Since the cost of transportation by common there was no way of stopping Hazel, the carrier by the most usually traveled Ancnn followed the old principle of a route to his actual place of appointment. TRAVELING SEPARATELY: bicycle confronted by a truck and neatly put herself out of Hazel's way by heaving Q. My wife is also a Panama Canal in the Caribbean for several hours. Company employee. Must we travel to When Hazel had passed, the Ancon con- together? tinued her voyage to Port-au-Prince, A. The answer to this and other similar getting out of the Haitian port only a questions awaits the Bureau of the Bud- few hours before Hazel struck Haiti. get directive; in the interim, the answer The Cristnbal, meanwhile, was in Haiti is yes. ROUTE FOR LEAVE: when Hazel began her devastating race across the .sea. The Cristobal, too, would Q. My home is in California; would a have had a head-on meeting with the less expensive travel elsewhere in the windy lady, but e\-aded this by heading United States be reimbursable? down toward the South American Coast .4. Yes. in a wide detour which took her well off Q. Do I have to go to my "place of Hazel's course, and brought her into actual residence" in order to benefit Cristobal hours late. under P. L. 600 as a ball player must That should have been enough for any at least touch first base? shipping line, but the Panama had to get A. No. You may go anywhere in the into the act, too. She was about to sail United States you wish, as long as the from New Y^ork when erratic Hazel transportation does not exceed cost of H. ESSLINGER. Chief llydrographcr. follottpd W. threatened the U. S. East Coast. .Just that of first class transportation by the Hazel's course on his weather maps. as large Na\'y ships along the coast put most usually traveled route to your out from their piers, the Panama left hers, "place of actual residence." If the Panama Line and the Terminals never again hear the name Hazel, anchoring in New Y'ork harbor until word Q. Can I get an "equivalent" paid to Division came that Hazel had chosen an inland a foreign country? it will be quite all right with them. course and the seaways were safe. This A. No, this vacation leave transporta- From (Jctober 9, when the SS Ancnn Caribbean, until the after- oN'ernight delay put her se\'eral hours tion is for travel to the United St;\tes hove to in the the behind schedule. only. However, stopovers are permitted noon two weeks to a day later when While Hazel was rampaging on her en route to or from the United States by SS Panama cleared from Cristobal for way, Panama Line oflicials were in close many carriers. New York, Hazel was making her effect touch with the ships and with Hazel. MISCELLANEOUS: felt, though in a different way from that swept across Haiti and up While the .ships were in the Caribbean, Q. Can I get free travel on a trip of in which she they kept the Cristobal office informed of less than 30 days? the United States to Canada. could recall no other their progress or, in the case of the .4 ncnn .4. Yes. Oldtimers here upset the while she hove to, their lack of progress. Q. What happens if I should quit before time when a tropical storm had For the leg from Haiti to New York, the the two-year period expires after m>- schedules of all three of the Panama Line York office was the contacting return to work? .ships, nor any hurricane of such duration. New agency. A. You probably would be required to The AncoJi, which cleared Cristobal repay transportation costs. This applies October 8, was the first to be affected by Me:Mitime, W. H. Esslinger, Chief of the ship the Panama Canal Meteorology and to all voluntary separations, such as Hazel. Radio reports warned voluntary retirement, but does not apply that Haz:>l was picking up intensity and Hydrographic Branch, received regular to reduction of force terminations or to beginning to rampage along a line which weather reports on Hazel's progress and these retired for disability. would bring the Ancnn and Hazel much plotted the hurricane's course. o^-.?^-a^(l/}