Panama, 1940s

between the borders of Costa Rica and Colombia linking the continents of North and South America the Republic of Panama within the borders of the Republic is the Panama Canal Zone a strip of land 10 m wide containing the Panama Canal the great inter ocean Waterway connecting the Atlantic and the Pacific in 1513 Vasco Nunes de baloa crossed the ismos to be the first European to set eyes upon the great body of water that mellan was later to name the Pacific here Balboa stands facing the ocean he discovered the ruins of old Panama one of the great historical landmarks of the Americans all the remains of the city founded in 1519 by the Spanish governor Pedro arus the cruel in 1671 the English free booer Henry Morgan crossed the king's bridge to attack the city and reduce it to a heap of smoldering Rubble 2 years later the Spaniards rebuilt the city some 6 miles away from the old site this time surrounding it with a huge Seawall to protect it from Attack the Panama City of today largest city and capital of the Republic centers about the 5th of May Plaza facing Central Avenue the city's main thoroughfare is the National Palace where important offices of the Panamanian government are located [Music] how would you like to take a transcontinental train trip and in less than an hour and a half from Panama City on the Pacific side to Cologne on the Atlantic coast to coast it's only a distance of 48 miles or if you prefer to drive you can travel over the new Trans isian Highway built and maintained by the United States government [Music] second largest city of the Republic of Panama is cologne one of the most Cosmopolitan cities of the new world this is Front Street cologne's main Thorofare it's many shops offering exotic wees from the four corners of the earth most of Panama is covered by dense jungle and only a small small portion of her land is under cultivation the region near David Panama's thirdd city is the center of most of the country's agricultural activity the raising of cattle is a major Panamanian industry in the mountainous region of Cherokee Province a good grade of coffee is grown coconuts are used chiefly on the Atlantic [Music] Sea these are cacao beans from which cocoa and chocolate are made the country's most important crop however is bananas grown most extensively on the lowlands of the Pacific side they constitute Panama's major export the Panama is best known for the great inter Ocean Highway the Panama Canal the Canal Zone a strip of land extending 5 miles on either side of the canal is leased to the United States and is administered from the Canal Zone of baloa as early as 1882 the French attempted to cut a canal through the Panamanian ismos but disease and the immensity of the undertaking forced them to abandon the attempt the United States then took over the task occupying the Canal Zone in 194 10 years later in August of 1914 the Panama Canal was open to traffic when crossing the ismos of Panama a boat is lifted in three steps to the level of Gaton Lake 85 ft above level and then lowered in three steps to sea level [Music] again before we travel through the canal let's look at the huge lock Chambers in which our boat will be raised and lowered this chamber is 1,000 ft long 110 ft across Ross and 70 ft deep 4 million gallons of water are forced in or out to raise or lower a ship to the level required these gigantic lock Gates weigh hundreds of tons and are operated entirely by electric power generated near the canal our boat approaches the canal from the Pacific side and enters the Mira flor's Lux the miraf flor's locks are made up of two sets of lock chambers that will raise our boat to the level level of Mira flor's Lake we're pulled into the chamber by Electric engines called mules the lock gates are closed the chamber fills with water and approximately 10 minutes later our boat is at the level of the second chamber again the electric mules pull our ship forward water fills the chamber and the lifting process is repeated we now enter miraf flor's Lake a stretch of fresh water 1 mile long leading to the third and last lift on the Pacific side the Pedro Miguel lock this lock will raise our ship the additional distance to the level of Gaton Lake our boat raised we move out of Pedro Miguel to enter the channel of the FED gaylard cut a huge ditch carved through the Continental Divide here was encountered what was perhaps the major engineering difficulty in the construction of the canal recurring Earth slides repeatedly blocked the cut threatening the lives of workers and the fate of the entire project today a method has been devised whereby such slides are controlled huge hydraulic hoses sloo the earth into the water where giant dredges work constantly to maintain a Clear [Music] Channel beyond the gaylard cut on our way to the mammoth katoon locks on the Atlantic side our boat sails across katoon Lake one of the largest artificial lakes in the world 163 Square mil in area the gon locks are most impressive because here all three locks are together with the aid of the ever willing mules and the ingenious methods employed in the operation of the canal locks our ship will now be lowered from Gaton Lake 85 ft to the level of the Atlantic Ocean the port of christoble the Canal's own City on the Atlantic side on the boundary between christoble and the Panamanian city of Cologne fly the flags of the United States and the Republic of Panama symbolizing the friendship that made the Panama Canal possible opening the ships of all Nations relief from The Long Hall around Cape Horn the Republic of Panama connecting link between two great continents conscious of her importance as an artery of international Commerce proud to be called The Crossroads in this world of ours