Panama Roughneck Ballads

Excerpt from Panama Roughneck Ballads

This little book is dedicated to the men in the Big Ditch, as the Panama Canal, now rapidly nearing completion, is called. The terms roughneck and husky are not used in a disparaging sense; on the contrary, the author is inspired by feelings of respect and friendship for the brave, hardy fellows who are facing the count less dangers attendant upon such a gigantic under taking as the piercing of the Isthmus of Panama and the joining of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. A feeble effort has been made to give the outside world an idea of the type of man now carrying to realization the dream of the lamented de Lesseps and the crowning ambition of the mighty Republic of the West. They are wonderful! Since the dawn of history no such body of builders has been brought together, and, probably never will again.