The building of the Panama Canal

This past February, as part of a cruise down the Central American coast, I experienced an event that I had wanted to for years – seeing and going through the Panama Canal. I had read several books about the incredible task of building this creation, and had previously turned down a private trip through the canal with adventurer and close friend, Quen Cultra (to my later regret).

But I learned so much on this trip and the lectures given. I will make this a two-part presentation. The first will cover the history of creating this huge change for the water world. The second will be those things I had never known, contemplated or even thought about until I went on this adventure.

Most of us have heard how President Theodore Roosevelt was the man behind the canal. While that is true, there was so much that went on before and after he entered the picture. The completion ran through the presidencies of Roosevelt, Taft and Wilson.

For centuries, there was no way to sail between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans except circling South America or hoping for a huge ice melt and making a northwest passage. Neither way was particularly an affordable or safe way to make the trip. For years, all the transportation between the two oceans went by land, be it covered wagons or later the railroad and semis.

The first known crossing from east to west in Central America was done with explorer Vasco Balboa in 1513. The crossing was done just north of Panama. Later European countries wanted a way to cross to the Pacific without sailing east around Africa and thoughts of digging a canal through Central America rose as a possibility. For most, the ideal location was to go through Nicaragua. For one reason, the land was flatter than Panama.

The first attempt was by a Frenchman, Ferdinand de Lesseps, who envisioned a sea level canal through Nicaragua. He eventually withdrew his plans because of the enormity of the project itself and because of the diseases that were killing all the workers in that area. In 1880, the attempt collapsed.

Around 1890, the U.S. became interested in such a crossing under President Roosevelt, a huge Senatorial fight followed trying to decide whether it would be through Panama or Nicaragua. This included numerous graft allegations among the politicians and potential contractors. The project had multiple lead engineers as the task went on and on. Finally, Secretary of State John M. Hays negotiated with Panama to obtain the right for a crossing by the U.S. The cost was $10 million to Panama and a yearly amount thereafter.

But there was another major problem even after it was decided that the crossing would take place through Panama. At the time, Panama was in a strange state as they had claimed their independence from Colombia, but were still attached in many ways to Colombia politically. In fact, in 1903 Colombia landed 500 troops in Panama and was ready to settle the matter of nationality by force.

Roosevelt countered by deploying the USS Nashville to Colón to handle the invading troops. Columbia did attack Panama City with its warship, the Bogota, killing one and wounding many. But the show of force by the U.S. sent the Colombians hurrying back home.

In 1903 Panama was its own country and Roosevelt was claiming the canal as “his.” Out of his actions came one of the most famous phrases associated with Roosevelt, even though it was an old African adage – “Speak softly and carry a big stick and you will go far.”

In 1904, the U.S. took over the canal and the partial works of the failed French attempt. This included little real work, a depleted workforce and almost useless equipment. But now came the real decision. Do you build a canal at sea level or do you build one with locks and the ability to raise a ship almost 200 feet above sea level?

The use of multiple locks was the final decision for several reasons. First, there was a small lake that was above sea level in the middle of the planned pathway across the country. It would make sense to enlarge that lake and a few other small lakes as part of the passage without any real expense.

Second, by raising the canal so many feet in certain parts, the digging on the higher part would be reduced as the canal merely passed over and above some mountainous terrain. Several dams were built to maintain the water at a needed level from various rivers to raise the canal in the locks.

A second huge task dealt with the health and welfare of the workers and eventual canal employees. Earlier attempts in building a canal led to massive deaths due to malaria and yellow fever. It was first thought that few got sick when they worked the day shifts, but the night workers seemed to contract these diseases substantially more often. Work in the daylight became an immediate solution.

It was during these times that the health officials came to understand that working at night led to more mosquito bites. The two thoughts were linked together, and it was learned that the mosquito carried both these dreaded diseases and was the culprit. This made sense as the night workers got bitten more often.

The work went on for years with the first boat going through the mostly completed canal on Jan. 7, 1914. However, the overall completion came to a quick halt as World War I emerged and even canceled a huge celebration planned for the grand opening.

The canal remained a U.S. territory until 1973 when Panama and President Jimmy Carter began the transfer of the rights to the canal to Panama. This was officially completed with the recognition of a place known as The Panama Canal Zone on Dec. 31, 1999.

There is so much left of the facts and history of the canal that I learned not from books but from lectures and observation while being around and sailing through the Canal.

More to come.