April 4

Workmen building the Panama Canal had been digging and excavating the big ditch for a long time. Just as they thought it was finished, there was a huge landslide and much of the dirt taken out fell back in again. The man in charge dashed up to the boss, General Goethals, and exclaimed: “It’s terrible! Terrible! All the dirt’s back in again! What shall we do?” Goethals said calmly. “Dig it out again.” What else was there to do?