The Panama Canal Concession

Dear Cousins:

In spite of the fact that it may be called advertising, which, father says, we are not being paid to do, we wish very much to tell you about the Panama Canal representation which we saw at the Fair.

It is far and away the most educational and interesting thing at the Fair, and helped us to understand really why Madame World was so anxious to have the Canal cut, and why there is so much rejoicing over it.

They have a moving platform with chairs upon which we were seated, and given a telephone, through which we heard the lecture, and as the platform moved around the circle, carrying us from the Pacific to the Atlantic, we were informed as to each step in the great work of making the Canal, and shown exactly how it is now operated.

Of course we had to keep constantly in mind that if we were really to travel over the country which we were being shown that we could by no means do it in the twenty-three minutes which are used in seeing the show. But it gives a really correct idea of the country, and the work which has been and is being done, how the locks are opened and closed, and how the ships go through the locks, the location of the lighthouses, and of the various rivers and mountains, also how the cities are placed, and what cities are now submerged.

We had always wondered how it was possible for a ship to go higher than the level of the ocean, and no amount of explanation which father could give us was able to make it clear to us. But the actual passing through of the tiny vessel showed us at once. Whenever a vessel has gone through the Canal the fact is communicated to the world by the wireless which is stationed at each Canal entrance.

We are very glad that we saw the real working, splendid Canal spread out before us, and only wish that you might also have seen it.

Your loving cousins,

Jane and Ellen.