PANAMA CANAL, THE. 1,2,3,4,5 Part 2

Description

The original catalog description provided by the Ford Motor Company reads as follows: “The Panama Canal was built by the U.S. It cost $375,000,000 and is forty-four miles long.” “Panama Canal was officially opened August 15, 1914. Landslides caused the closing of the canal at different periods up to April 15, 1916.” Map of Canal Zone showing canal and environs. “The Rio Chagres supplies water for the canal.” Shoreline from canal, thatch roofed houses. “Cristobal near Colon is the important port at the Atlantic end of the Canal.” Waterfront, docks, ships. “On the Pacific is Balboa, near the city of Panama. Here are dry docks and repair shops.” City from high point - dry docks, cranes, tugboat. “The locks in the Panama Canal.” Diagram showing locks and their levels - animated, ship progressing through locks. “The locks hold the largest ocean vessels.” Ship steaming into harbor. “Powerful electric locomotives pull the boats through the locks.” Ship in lock, locomotives pull it through open gate. “Emergency dams are pivoted parallel to the locks for use in case of accident to the gates.” “Emergency dam swinging into place.” “Lowering the wicket girder, a part of emergency dam.” “Metal plates slide into place against the wicket girder to form a dam to hold back the water.” “The water not needed in the canal flows over the Gatun dam. This spillway regulates the water level of Gatun Lake.” Views of dam and spillway from above and below. “The Gaillard Cut at Culebra is the greatest excavation in the canal.” Ship going through cut - dredging equipment in canal. “Landslides have been frequent at Culebra. It is being widened by blasting and dredging.” Water spout from blast. “It is a ten-hour trip through the Panama Canal.” Late, ships - ships moving through canal. “The Panama railroad follows the canal.” Railroad bridge across lake as seen from moving train. “Panama City is the capital of the little Republic of Panama. Along the city’s waterfront.” Boats, docks, workers. “The Precidencea, the home of Panama’s president.” Horse-drawn buggy, pedestrian traffic passing house. “The National Institute of Education, built with the money paid Panama by the U.S. for the Canal Zone.” “Panama’s historic sea wall.” Sea wall with towers, pedestrian walking along top. “The Avenida Centrale is Panama’s finest street.” Pedestrian, automobile, streetcar, horse-drawn vehicle traffic in business district. “The main street has many shops, over which the shop-keepers live.” Views of business district, traffic. “The hot sun makes the natives indolent.” Man sleeping in horse-drawn wagon. “Housework is very simple, as washing --” Women washing clothes in stream. “-- Cooking --” Man pounding grain in wooden mortar with wooden pestle - woman cooking over fire in outdoor fireplace. “Fruits and yams are the principal foods.” Open air market, customers, venders. “The Panamanian villages along the canal consist of rude huts.” Views of village with thatch roofed houses, villagers. “The bamboo huts are thatched with heavy palm leaves.” “Inside a hut there is not much protection from insects or heavy rains.” Hut interior with pot over open fire. “It is through the country of these simple natives that the Panama Canal has been built to shorten the trade route between the two oceans.” Shore from canal, huts, tropical trees and underbrush. “The End.” “Ford Educational Library.” [1919]

Collection

Ford Motor Company Collection

Series

Motion Picture Films Relating to the Ford Motor Company, the Henry Ford Family, Noted Personalities, Industry, and Numerous Americana and Other Subjects