In 1907 US President
Theodore Roosevelt appointed George Washington Goethals chief engineer
of the Panamal Canal. The building of the Canal had met with many
difficulties and delays under previous chiefs. Goethals did much to
make operations more efficient throughout the Canal project, with
great attention to details large and small. A major part of his
success was his particular attention to sanitation and control of
disease carrying mosquitos, which greatly reduced incidence of disease
and death among Canal workers.
In 1914 Goethals saw the completion of the Canal almost a full year
ahead of schedule.
