THE VALIANT FRENCH EFFOR'


A famous French artist drew this sketch of an American
 ladder dredge during the French construction days. Most
 of the work was done under contract by individuals and
 companies.

closed December 10, 1880, and during the follow-
ing March the company was formed with a
capital of $60,000,000, little more than a third
of the amount which had been estimated as
necessary by his commission of engineers.
 The first detachment of workers was sent out
from France in January 1881 and the first two
years were spent principally in research, includ-
ing mapping and surveying. Actual construction
work began during the following year and in
January 1882 a "chantier" or working section
was established at Empire, crest of the conti-
nental divide, and later in the year working
sections were established along the proposed
route at Culebra, Mindi, Monkey Hill, Bas
Obispo, Gorgona, Cristobal and Paraiso.
 Between 1882 and 1888 the work went forward
with dispatch and much was accomplished, but
at a great cost of human lives and money. Yellow
fever, malaria and other tropical diseases deci-
mated year after year the ranks of the workers.
Along with the rest perished many a promising
young French engineer who had come to make a
name for himself in one of the greatest projects
ever undertaken by man. Almost unbelievable
today are some of the stories of suffering and
death during those few years.
 The total excavation accomplished during the
eight years was estimated at nearly 67,000,000
cubic yards. Notable work was done in Culebra
Cut, under the direction of Phillipe Bunau-
Varilla, and in dredging operations at the
Atlantic entrance, which was let under contract.
 During these years great sums of money were
expended and de Lesseps found it necessary to
raise more funds. After seven years of work it
became apparent that it would be impossible to
construct a sea-level canal, and much against de
Lesseps' wishes, a provisional change of plans
was made which provided for a high-level canal
with a system of locks.


 The greatest force of workers employed during
these years was in 1884 when more than 19,000
employees were engaged on the Isthmus. The
greatest amount of excavation during any year
was done in 1888 when more than 16,000,000
cubic yards of material were excavated.
 After the plans were changed, work was pushed
forward vigorously for more than a year, but the
deplorable state of the company's finances could
no longer be ignored, and in December 1888, de
Lesseps petitioned the French courts to appoint
temporary managers, which was done. After an
examination of the company's books and finan-
cial affairs, the temporary managers reported
that the total expenditures of the company had
been $260,000,000, or more than four times the
original capitalization.
 The temporary managers of the company made
a desperate attempt to reorganize the company,
but the faith of the people in the gigantic task
had been shaken, and on February 4, 1889, a
receiver was appointed to liquidate the company
and to form a new one. The task of the receiver


Many of the Belgian locomotives were renovated and used for
 light work by the Americans. This old locomotive was in
 use in 1910, the picture being taken at the old Empire shops.
was particularly onerous, because of the scandals
which swept the country as a result of the failure.
Thousands of French investors had seen their
life savings swept away in the crash and they
were bitter. The receiver attempted to keep
the work going in Panama, but he was compelled
to reduce the force and finally suspended the
work entirely in May 1889.
 One of the first steps taken by the receiver was
to satisfy himself that the construction of the
Panama Canal was feasible and he appointed a
commission of 11 engineers to make a thorough
reexamination of the project. The commission
returned its report in May 1890, submitting a
plan for a lock canal and expressed the opinion
that the work could be finished within eight
years at a cost of $112,500,000.
 During this time and until the affairs of the


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August 15, 1914


T August 15, 1939


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