(PANAMA CANAL) Binder containing 58 extroardinary photographs of French and American engineering projects associated with the Panama Canal. Albumen (17), printing-out paper (2), and silver (38) prints, the images measuring 6 1/4x4 1/4 to 7 3/4x10 inches (15.9x10.8 to 19.7x24. 5 cm.), the original mounts slightly larger, with caption information on print or mount recto and a Culver Pictures hand stamp, bar codes, and labels on mounts verso. 1880s-1910s
Led by Ferdinand de Lesseps, the builder of the Suez Canal in Egypt, the French began excavations in 1880. Their attempts to build a canal through Panama (province of Colombia) advanced further that decade but ultimately failed, paving the way for the Americans to step in and complete the project. Includes images of French engineer P. Buneau Varilla, who was responsible for promoting the project and convinced U.S. lawmakers to buy the rights to build the French canal in Panama; numerous construction scenes; and pictureque views of Panama.
