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The Panama The Panama CanalCanal

An Oral History ProjectAn Oral History Project

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Panama Canal LocationPanama Canal Location

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Background of Parties Background of Parties InvolvedInvolved

15341534 Idea of a Panama Canal Idea of a Panama Canal suggestedsuggested

15291529 Working plans drawn upWorking plans drawn up

18481848 California Gold RushCalifornia Gold Rush

18761876 International company formedInternational company formed

18811881 French take over canal French take over canal constructionconstruction

19041904 U.S. Government purchases U.S. Government purchases rights to build and operate --rights to build and operate --begins constructionbegins construction

19141914 Panama Canal completedPanama Canal completed(St. George, 1989)

4(Shepherd, 1911)

NE

SW

(20 ft. tidal difference)

(1 ft. tidal difference)

How do the locks work?How do the locks work?

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What is Oral History?What is Oral History?

Oral history is a self-conscious, Oral history is a self-conscious, disciplined conversation between disciplined conversation between people about a historically significant people about a historically significant event of the past to create a record of event of the past to create a record of the event. Although the conversation the event. Although the conversation takes the form of an interview, in which takes the form of an interview, in which one person--the interviewer--asks one person--the interviewer--asks questions of another person--variously questions of another person--variously referred to as the interviewee or referred to as the interviewee or narrator--oral history is, at its heart, a narrator--oral history is, at its heart, a dialogue. dialogue.

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Questions

Simple, Structured, Single Topic

Open-ended & concrete

Determined in advance and submitted to the Interviewee

Off-limits questions

The Interviewee

Fits your questions

Willing

Validated

A Few Other Things

Informed Consent

Recording Equipment

Dress

Location

Questioning Techniques

Informal Time After

Thank You Note

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Panama Canal Panama Canal BackgroundBackground

(canalmuseum.com, 2001)

SWNE

Culebra Culebra CutCut

Continental Continental DivideDivide

Gatun LakeGatun Dam

Chagres River

Pacific Breakwater

Atlantic Breakwater

Miraflores Lock

Madden Lake

Pedro Miguel LocksGatun

Locks

(Madden Dam)

Mr. Robert Dill at 104 years of age telling his story.

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EngineersEngineersYearYear EngineerEngineer AccomplishmentsAccomplishments

1881-1881-8888

Ferdinand de Ferdinand de

LessepsLessepsOrganized French Organized French CompanyCompany

1904-1904-0505

John WallaceJohn Wallace Started U.S. ConstructionStarted U.S. Construction

1905-1905-0707

John StevensJohn Stevens Employed Lock SystemEmployed Lock System

1907-1907-1414

George George GoethalsGoethals

Final Organization of Final Organization of ConstructionConstruction

Atlantic Division: William SibertAtlantic Division: William Sibert Central Division: David GaillardCentral Division: David Gaillard Pacific Division: Sydney Pacific Division: Sydney

WilliamsonWilliamson(St. George, 1989)

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George W. Goethals, George W. Goethals, Chief Engineer, Chief Engineer, 1907-19141907-1914

John F. Wallace, John F. Wallace, Chief Engineer, Chief Engineer, 1904-1905 1904-1905

John F. Stevens, John F. Stevens, Chief Engineer, Chief Engineer, 1905-19071905-1907

(Pictured Left to (Pictured Left to Right)Right)

(CZ Brats, 2007)

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Equipment UsedEquipment Used

Marion Steam Marion Steam Shovel- Bucyrus Shovel- Bucyrus typetype Excavation rate for Excavation rate for

one shovel: one shovel: 150 cu.yds./hr. 150 cu.yds./hr.

Average of 40 in use Average of 40 in use per day at Culebra per day at Culebra CutCut

Approximately 100 Approximately 100 purchased by U.S.purchased by U.S.

(canalmuseum.com, 2001)

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Bucyrus Steam ShovelBucyrus Steam Shovel

(Gus Steigler’s Days in Panama, 2007)

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Culebra Cut Before and Culebra Cut Before and AfterAfter

BeforeBefore AfterAfter

* 20,000,000 cu. yds. added to excavation due to slides* 20,000,000 cu. yds. added to excavation due to slides

* 25% of total spoil removed* 25% of total spoil removed(canalmuseum.com, 2001)

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The Panama CanalThe Panama Canal““Path Between the Path Between the Seas”Seas”

(canalmuseum.com, 2001)

The Culebra Cut Today

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DiseaseDisease

Major ProblemsMajor Problems Umbrella AntsUmbrella Ants Standing WaterStanding Water Open SewageOpen Sewage

MosquitoesMosquitoes MalariaMalaria Yellow FeverYellow Fever

(canalmuseum.com, 2001; McCullough, 1977)

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Disease SolutionDisease Solution

Dr. William Dr. William GorgesGorges Drain SwampsDrain Swamps Install PlumbingInstall Plumbing Maintain RoadsMaintain Roads Use PesticidesUse Pesticides

(canalmuseum.com, 2001; McCullough, 1977)

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Project SafetyProject Safety

Overall 30,000 Overall 30,000 lives lost lives lost between French between French and American and American effortsefforts

Main causesMain causes Rock SlidesRock Slides ExplosivesExplosives DiseaseDisease Upheavals Upheavals Sink HolesSink Holes

(canalmuseum.com, 2001; Canal Zone Images.com, 2007)

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Dynamite/Blasting Dynamite/Blasting

Total: Total: 4,535,000 lbs. 4,535,000 lbs. of dynamite of dynamite used in canal used in canal constructionconstruction

Blast holes Blast holes were:were: 15-27 feet deep15-27 feet deep Filled with 75-Filled with 75-

200 lbs. of 200 lbs. of dynamitedynamite

(canalmuseum.com, 2001; The Panama Canal)

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BlastingBlasting Common ProblemsCommon Problems

Steam shovels hit Steam shovels hit unexploded charges unexploded charges

Lightning Lightning Human ErrorHuman Error

December 12, 1908December 12, 1908 52 holes; 44,000 lbs. 52 holes; 44,000 lbs.

dynamitedynamite 26 killed; 40 injured26 killed; 40 injured

(canalmuseum.com, 2001; St. George, 1989)

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Train/RailwaysTrain/Railways Total: 160 steam locomotives used Total: 160 steam locomotives used

throughout projectthroughout project Approximately 10 in use at all timesApproximately 10 in use at all times 4,000 wagon cars4,000 wagon cars

Ligerwood LoaderLigerwood Loader

(canalmuseum.com, 2001; Gaillard Cut, 2007)

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Chart of ExpendituresChart of Expenditures

Total French contributionTotal French contribution $287,000,000$287,000,000

U.S. buys all property U.S. buys all property rights to canal from the rights to canal from the French French

$40,000,000$40,000,000

U.S. Cost for equipment U.S. Cost for equipment and materialsand materials

$312,000,000$312,000,000

U.S. contribution to finish U.S. contribution to finish canalcanal

$352,000,000$352,000,000

Total cost to build canalTotal cost to build canal $639,000,000$639,000,000

Note: U.S. came in $23,000,000 under budget.Note: U.S. came in $23,000,000 under budget.

(canalmuseum.com, 2001)

Opening of the Panama Canal

President Wilson detonated the dike at Camboa via telegraph October 10, 1913 in Washington, DC.

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ConclusionsConclusions Greatest engineering accomplishment Greatest engineering accomplishment

of it’s timeof it’s time Largest dam until Hoover DamLargest dam until Hoover Dam

Trip from New York to San FranciscoTrip from New York to San Francisco 7,872 miles and months of travel saved7,872 miles and months of travel saved

““Nation Sized” projectNation Sized” project More than just canal constructionMore than just canal construction

New towns (still flourishing today) New towns (still flourishing today) Dredging of canal Dredging of canal

Rock slides continueRock slides continue More than 232,000,000 cu.yds. since 1914More than 232,000,000 cu.yds. since 1914

(St. George, 1989)

Robert DillRobert Dill

1889-19931889-1993 Worked 5 ½ years on the CanalWorked 5 ½ years on the Canal

Special Thanks Special Thanks

The History ChannelThe History Channel

Modern Marvels: The Panama CanalModern Marvels: The Panama Canal

(Permission granted for educational (Permission granted for educational use)use)

Narrated by Harian SapersteinNarrated by Harian Saperstein

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31(Gomex/Routers, 2007)

Gatun Locks

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ReferencesReferences canalmuseum.com. (2001). Retrieved November 29, 2007, from canalmuseum.com. (2001). Retrieved November 29, 2007, from

www.canalmuseum.com/ Canal Zone Images. (2007). Retrieved December 6, 2007, from Canal Zone Images. (2007). Retrieved December 6, 2007, from

www.czimages.com/CZMemories/Photos/POWArchives.htm CZ Brats. (2007) Retrieved December 6, 2007, from CZ Brats. (2007) Retrieved December 6, 2007, from

www.czbrats.com/cz_brats.htm Gaillard Cut. (2007). Retrieved December 6, 2007, from Gaillard Cut. (2007). Retrieved December 6, 2007, from

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culebra_Cut Gomex/Routers J.M. (2007). Retrieved December 10, 2007, from Gomex/Routers J.M. (2007). Retrieved December 10, 2007, from

news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/06/photogalleries/panama-canal/ Gus Steigler’s Days in Panama. (2007).Gus Steigler’s Days in Panama. (2007). Retrieved December 6, 2007, from Retrieved December 6, 2007, from

www.czimages.com/CZMemories/Gus/Gus_Index.htm Joel’s Blog, (2005). Retrieved December 10, 2007 fromJoel’s Blog, (2005). Retrieved December 10, 2007 from

www.joelsblog.net/index.php?m=200511 Marion Steam Shovel Company, (2007). Retrieved on December 10, 2007, from Marion Steam Shovel Company, (2007). Retrieved on December 10, 2007, from

www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=925 McCullough, D. (1977). McCullough, D. (1977). The path between the seasThe path between the seas. New York, NY: Simon and . New York, NY: Simon and

Schuster Schuster Shepherd, W.R. (1911). Shepherd, W.R. (1911). Historical atlasHistorical atlas. New York, NY: Henry Holt and . New York, NY: Henry Holt and

Company. Company. Retrieved December 8, 2007, from Retrieved December 8, 2007, from www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/

St. George, J. (1989).St. George, J. (1989).Panama canal: Gateway to the worldPanama canal: Gateway to the world. New York, NY: . New York, NY: G.P.Putnam’s G.P.Putnam’s Sons. Sons.

The Panama Canal. Retrieved November 29, 2007, from The Panama Canal. Retrieved November 29, 2007, from www.eclipse.co.uk/~sl5763/panama.htm

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The Panama The Panama CanalCanal

An Oral History ProjectAn Oral History Project