This week's photo is from the same photo collection as last week's photo.  The photo is a bit rough and I had to do a lot of cleaning up.  I think this photo is and outstanding capture in time, especially catching the joyful face of the young lady looking behind her.  This must have been a special day for all those attending.  The Canal wasn't officially opened yet and they were doing tests with different vessels.  This photo was taken on June 8, 1914 two months prior to the famous Ancon transit.  Type written on the back of the photo is;  "June 8, 1914, 8:00 a.m. Allianca in middle level with water raised to the height of upper level, and height above sea level 56 feet".  I posted a colorized post card of the Allianca and some facts about this lockage in December 2000 (click here) that adds to this historic photo.  According to the 1914 report quoted in my December 2000 posting, there were leading and trailing locomotives, but they are not seen in this photo.  There might be a part of one locomotive showing behind this group of people.

It looks like the smiling young lady is holding a rather large camera.  I would love to have the photos she took.  This photo shown above is from a private collection which all  photos were taken by the collection's owner who was a young Signal Corps Soldier transfered to Panama in 1904.  He later became a Canal Zone Police Officer and worked in the Canal Zone until 1940.

I will be posting more of these photos in the weeks to come.