Panama

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

a city of the republic of Panama, capital of the State of the Canal Zone, on the Gulf of Panama and on the Pacific coast of the Isthmus of Panama. The city lies on a tongue of land, across which its streets stretch from sea to sea. The harbor is shallow, but affords secure anchorage. Panama is chiefly important as the terminus of the interoceanic railway and also of the PANAMA CANAL (q. v.). The railway, which has been in operation since 1855, runs across the isthmus from Panama to Colon or Aspinwall on the Atlantic, and accommodates large traffic. Pop. a about 65,000. PANAMA-CALIFORNIA EXPOSI- TION. This exposition, held at San Diego, Cal., during the entire year of 1915, was in celebration of the completion of the Panama Canal. The work of preparation took over three years, and the commemorative buildings reproduced the Moorish architecture of Spain, and the Spanish colonies of America. The groups of bu buildings, divided by streets shaded in the Spanish style, with cathedral and theaters, and palaces, studded with parks and lakes, covered 612 acres, Las Campana Bay of Las Minas ELEVATION AT 85 FEET Alhajuela SCALE OF STATUTE, MILES 1 2 3 Pta. Hala Remo Line of Canal Panama Railroad Pta. Cano Principal Dams Indicates shallow water Bay of Manzanillo La Soledad Indicates navigable water of 41 feet or over MANZANILLO ID Colon Marajal AN Cristobal Monkey Hil Cruges Light Limon Bay Pta. Toro fruebruncha Lomas de Ahorca Lagarto s de Flo P Pta. Limon E E Pia. Naranjitos Monte Ligio LOCATION San Looteka Juan Gatun B Bohio Mindi HI Tiger Hill Lion Hill Pia. Tortuguillo Chagres Chages Chagresito Tavernilla B Do Mamei CARIB Blanca San Andrest E 14 13 12 Ping Rio Rio Pina Rio alenquilla del Rancho Camacho Rw Medio Ahorca Lagarto PROFILE Rio Chagres, Palo Horqueta Rio Chagres TAVERNILLA Juan Grande Ris Chagres expon anzv1) Marais de las Vamos Vamos Rio Chagrea Rio Chagres Rio Chhatgres Rio Chagres Rio Chagres Palo Matias Rio Gatruss SAN PABLO Penitas Tiger Hill Mamei Frijoles Blanca Pena BOHTO Monkey Hill Mindi, Poi Rio Mindi Normal Water Levél COLON Bottom of Canal+40 Mean Ocean Level 0 1, Length 31 Level 0.59 +32 +16- +33 8+32 88+22 +32 +83 +50 +50 +16 +27 +14 06+ +16 +32 +43 +100 +7 -20 +8 +27 +16 138 235 20 2722185155 +16 11 11 15 16 17 18 19 20 78 11 12 12 01 22 23 24 25 9 4 2 3 5 Copyright, L. L. Poates Eng. Co., 1921 ZA Chaarese Rio Juan Diaz Las Lajas Yaviza Rio Royal Ruins of Road from Cruces to Panama Old Panama Pihiva BAY OF PANAMA Palo Grande Pta. Paitillo ft. Miraflores Panama Culebra Hill C @Gorgo 1. FLAMENCO Emperador Grande Pta. Farfan 1. NAOS 50 MILES 40 PACIF Pta. Batele Pta. Bruja Venado Pescado 1906 EMPERADOR HORIZONTAL SCALE Las Cascadas Pedro Miguel La 5 Milea CULEBRA 4 1 2 3 VERTICAL SCALE Marastores Locke Rio Grande 0 50 100 150 200 Feet Rio Obispo OBISPO Rio Obispo Rio Grande Corozalnde La Bocande GORGONA MATACHIN PARAISO Miraflores PANAMA 4 High Water Level-10 Mean Deransbevel Ocean +32 4-36 5+14 45 -31 +6 +10 +30 +156 +210 +190 +100 09+3 +77.5 +16.5 +164 +7 +43 +150 +108 +137 +167 +120 +95 +72 49 50 m 43 44 81 45 33 34 35 36 37 38 47 28 and the initial capital expended was $2,250,000. The exhibits were representative of the various arts and sciences, with particular reference to those especially distinctive of California and Spanish America. Round the Isthmus were gathered various amusements, and nearby was the Painted Desert, with cliff dwellings and Pueblo Indians from Arizona. During its course the Exposition was visited by many millions of sightseers from all over the United States and from other countries. PANAMA CANAL. The Panama Canal was opened to navigation Aug. 15, 1914. It was a colossal work and the difficulties met in its construction were GATUN LOCK, PANAMA CANAL almost insuperable. The project of joining the Atlantic and Pacific had existed for centuries, and it was one of the companions of Balboa who first broached the idea. The plan first took tangible form when the French began actual work on Jan, 20, 1882. The work was under the direction of Count Ferdinand de Lesseps, who had achieved fame as the builder of the Suez Canal. A terrific scandal arose, however, when the work had only gotten fairly under way, fraud and embezzlement were charged, and the company went into the hands of a receiver in 1889. The receivers resumed work in 1894 and continued until May 4, 1904, when the United States Government undertook to complete it. The rights of the French were bought for $40,000,000. The Republic of Panama ceded to the United States a strip of land five miles wide on either side of the Canal in consideration of $10,000,000. After ten years of work and the expenditure of over $300,000,000, the work was completed and the Canal opened for traffic in 1914. The Canal crosses the Isthmus of Panama at very nearly its narrowest point. From deep water in the Atlantic to deep water in the Pacific is 43.8 nautical miles. The minimum depth of the Canal is 41 feet. Starting on the Atlantic side at Limon Bay, the sea-level extends 5.7 miles to Gatun. Here there are three pairs of locks that lift the vessel to Gatun Lake, 85 feet above sea-level. The vessel proceeds along this through the famous Culebra Cut to Pedro Miguel Lock and Dam, where it is lowered to Miraflores Lake, which is 55 feet above sea-level and about a mile long. At its southern end are the Miraflores Locks, which lower the vessel to the level of the Pacific, and from there a channel seven miles long carries the vessel past Balboa and into the ocean. The locks are miracles of engineering construction. Their chambers have a width of 110 feet and a length of 1,000 feet, which makes them capable of handling the largest ships yet built. In connection with the building and operation of the Canal, there are great terminals at both entrances, with docks, warehouses, foundries, repair shops, and all the adjuncts of great commercial ports. Receipts from tolls average over $6,- 250,000 annually. The Panama railroad practically parallels the Canal from Colon to Panama on the east side. There was more traffic through the Canal in 1919 than in any year since it was opened, and the receipts for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 1919, exceeded operating expenses by $241,822. Two thousand, three hundred and ninetyousa six ships with a total tonnage of 7,128,000 passed through the Canal. These were, according to nationality: United States, 786; British, 602; Belgian, 1; Canadian, 2; Chilean, 93; Chinese, 4; Colombian, 1; Costa Rican, 12; Danish, 79; Dutch, 19; Ecuadorian, 1; French, 104; Greek, 3; Japanese, 87; Mexican, 1; Panamanian, 128; Peruvian, 65; Russian, 3; Spanish, 5; Swedish, 29; Salvador, 1. The entire investment of the United States in the Canal up to June 30, 1919, was $365,416,000. The governor of the Canal Zone in 1921 was Colonel Jay J. Morrow.