Problems Building the Panama Canal

The Panama Canal ranks as one of the modern wonders of the world. The reason for this is that prior to it being constructed, the only way to get around South America would have been to travel around the outer extremities of the entire continent. Going around the entire continent was too time consuming and implausible for many travelers and cargo ships. Constructing the canal, however, proved to be a nightmare as the project was plagued by problems that almost prevented its completion.

History of the Panama Canal

According the Associated Press, the history of the canal goes back to the 16th century when gold from South America would take an eternity to reach the ports of Spain. During this time there was an effort to construct a canal through the isthmus of South America. Plans to construct the canal were completed in 1529. War, however, stalled the project indefinitely. Several individuals continued to evaluate and attempted to plan building the canal, but nothing ever came of it. In 1899, France's Ferdinand Marie De Lesseps created a team of engineers to construct the canal through Panama. De Lesseps was believed competent as he had constructed the successful Suez Canal in Africa. De Lesseps, however, struggled with one problem after the next until he agreed to sell the project to the United States in 1899.

U.S.Takeover of Panama Canal Project

The U.S. had its work cut out for them. The French workers were reported to have left due to disease-carrying mosquitoes and the inefficiency of the machines they were using. The French left behind the trails they had laid as well as a hospital.

Problems Constructing the Canal

It wasn't until 1904 that the U.S. began construction of the canal in the Presidency of Theodore Roosevelt. According to pancanal.com, the work that French had completed between the years of 1881 and 1888 was stalled as the clearing of the Culebra Cut was poorly organized with no tracks to move the debris they cleared. Landslides became a huge concern until the idea to build a lock (which either rises or lowers the water level to equal that of the body of water the vessel is entering into) was voiced. These "locks" would greatly decrease the chance of landslides and help remedy the fact that the two bodies of water they were attempting to connect were at two different levels. With the engineering aspect problems alleviated, the project was still plagued by poor organization, and perhaps the worst of its problems, sanitation.

Sanitation Issues Plague Canal Workers

Having begun work on the canal, U.S. workers soon became victim to malaria, yellow fever and typhoid due to unsanitary conditions. Army doctor William Gorgas knew the way to alleviate the symptoms was to destroy the mosquitoes that carried the diseases. He ordered the homes, hospitals and work stations to be fumigated to destroy the disease-carrying insects. Swamps and marshes were drained as well as roads paved. Gorgas became a member of the Canal Commission in 1906. His role there helped keep the Panama Canal area free of most of the ailments, although some cases were reported.

The Finished Product and its Future

The canal was not completed until July 12, 1920, at which point Roosevelt officially opened up the canal for usage. The older ships that the canal was built for, however, are outdated and the narrow passage cannot be navigated by many of today's super vessels, which carry much more cargo. Today, the Panama Canal is a popular tourist attraction. Many travelers visit the region for the canal alone.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Building of the Canal