The Steam-Shovel Man

The Steam-Shovel Man follows the story of an American engineer known as the Steam-Shovel Man who becomes involved in the construction of the Panama Canal. The protagonist is a tough hardworking individual who operates the massive steam shovels used in the excavation process during the building of the canal a project that was one of the most ambitious engineering feats of its time. As the story progresses the protagonist faces numerous challenges both technical and personal. He must contend with the difficult terrain harsh working conditions and tropical diseases like malaria which were rampant during the construction. Beyond these physical obstacles he also confronts human conflict in the form of corruption sabotage and competing interests from other workers and engineers involved in the canal project.