| Show II r- r y r. r r rc rITE E AT t 4 1 t i iI K YA 1 A L 7 f c I A. A 1 vi 1 i z ft y 8 I I T t spy Y a r s 44 i t 1 t I Gazer r Y t 7 J r 1 fu ts tilt IraL i AT It n f i Pf A l r 4 r r 40 i F vt At I I f 1 1 kA r. r S anUi v Y i p p f. f J x Jj d d if I II r I re V c e arc me at nt the point of or entering upon t the construction stage of oC our canal e en en- en n- n The preparatory work included topographical surveys I. I borings s s experimental t mental excavations erection of oC wharves and similar facilities of oC the railroad and p J relaying of ot tracks to 0 the dumps al' al assembling i ling a n plant and collection on of material sanitation p preparation for Cor housing hO and ami i l' l feeding Q laborers and aid a vast amount of oC detail involved In III the till general or organ organ- an- an rh These f preliminary tasks tusk are either accomplished or 01 measurable measurable- distance of ot so o being Wo We have ha now to decide upon the lh type of waterway to be constructed and to set about making itt it t with wHir aJ nil all reasonable expedition The Tho majority majority ma nm- r. r report o of Iho the hoard board of oC consulting engineers recommends a n sea level canal and e estimates the cost at somewhat len J that than g oi and the time for tor Ito lla completion al at 12 op Ol 13 15 i Yarns Vuo 1 hu i y concurring mcm mem a cr i their toti on J Wie h holtet that of ot waterway In hi t question attention will wall the most convenient anti mORt most rapid rf passage and andt will t 1 be he e greatly great great- greatly ly 1 less liable lIl to accident and obstruction than any structure on a a. high level These are arc among the prominent reasons advanced advanced ad nd- h by the minority for their strong advocacy of a n lorI look canal which th they consider the better belter one Ol because of oC the following 1 I Greater Greuter capacity capacity ca la tot foe traffic than afforded b by the narrow waterway proposed by the board 2 greater safety for ships and less danIer danger danger dan dan- ger Ier of Interruption to traffic by hy reason of the wl wider vIrler ur r and nI deeper channel at t small cost 3 quicker ulcer passage across 9 the isthmus for for- for 01 large larre ships or a large fic ftc U 4 O t materially less less Ifs time lime required for or construction 5 materially less cost The argument ment and plan ulan of the minor minor- It Ity have ha received the Indorsement of ot the commission with one exception of the ther thet I r t administration and of the chief engineer 55 jJ Tho The President only awaits the approval o of congress to lo proceed with the work along alons the lines indicated by the minority pro- pro It is that the future sJ 1 and t probable y J y Panama canal canol will be built after arter the det de- de r. r t sign n of oC the tho five Dve American engineers who I. I f 4 a 0 i differed from the finding of their col- col leagues Like many another solution to tu a great problem th the plan is the most simple that t r t has yet ct been advanced and Will entail less leas 1 work work than any other It consists In the formation of two artificial lakes hakes to cover the Isthmus from rom sea to sea Ilea How this is to bc he accomplished may better be understood un un- tood b by the consideration of oC the configuration conI configuration con con- figuration I of the neck of land between Colon and Panama The l land Island of Man Man- upon ul wh which ch Colon stands lies Ices largely below water level lovel From the shore I the ground rises In the course oune of seven i 1 miles to a foot afoot elevation at Gatun II It r then dips sharply and from Gatun to Obispo a distance of oC 23 mile miles It maintains maln- maln 1 f a general elevation Ie 0 of 40 oW feet above aho the tho mean level of the thc Atlantic Obispo is the northern entrance to tho d divide v de and Pedro Miguel I Is tit the southern e. e exit xH The distance between these points Is eight miles mile From Pedro Pdro Miguel to So SoP Sosa a aHill Hill on the of Panama Bay Day Is a stretch of six miles of land hardly hurdly anywhere anywhere anywhere any any- where exceeding 10 fe feet t above tho the mean level of oC the Pacific ocean ocean A hu huge e dam at Gat Galun Gatun will arrest arr l and Impound the waters of or t th the Cha Chagres g and Its so as to form a lake lit 0 miles In extent st stretching to toI toI square with normal water r level at al t 85 I Obispo feet elevation cleva lion The same level will b be I Maintained In the thc Culebra Cut ut from o Obis Obis- T un to T Pedro lel str strewn or of po nc constitute the sum sum- will i about 3 r 33 miles mile level h l of oC l l lc the line c canal anal On lh the Parlor Pacific of dams of the hn divide a system side Grande will the Rio t convert designed the to catnip six Ix miles or of the lIn line from fromM Hill Into a second 1 Miguel to M 7 Pedro water level or of fin 55 fret feet At I lake Jake with a ht summit will h be reached byA h by J. J Gatun the lIght flight ot of dui locks triple means mcall of oC a l t contrivance at P Pedro dro Miguel f and a similar the lower level or of Sosa j i will twill gIVe P upon reached he be gIVeT will n Lake T Tho ho I settle Pacific oral at al Sosa It Lykes or of I lodes s b by a final fl understood that this b be will Ill 1 with vast amount of a 11 i scheme to dispenses compared with h the tho sell sea coca excavation ns as entails leas Ie thau a any uny nu and than RS In plan PInn le 1 than lower r lock loch canal at u. u uniform n depth dot of or 45 15 f feet t order to secure a n dredging n to o be bc bedone no And there sere Is practical 8 R and 25 26 and cry very done cn en rol points latter point and and 0 bs 1 po little Itc between the bottom of the tile cut I la Is now nw The file 31 51 31 at point and ami 0 the Ulc project w a nt erect l lon on will win i I Its ex- ex J under con ration n feet above aho sent level ca fl only to I 41 40 low below w It as with hc the c W 0 In instead o of t. t to must mut he be It boards board's pl plan n. n and work l avoided J would b bt borred that t the tho the greater r par part through hard ar rock Cof for the divide with the tho theOn std a of at two t On the f fur u nob or In ns n w ex e exception oC of an tn dwa ay all ta l. soft needle edle a i in an order or or- and a earth ear there hero there IB is n nO nod Ar JtB t depth throughout der to secure tit the foot S-foot channel x will wll start a aLake at atthe Sow Soso The l point ab about Lake a P r tI tIthe at uJ i contour the 0 of oC to w the z of l c Our R of at hl a und andr Instead of oC the or of Fr French each pu pUI n the the inshore through Limon DB Bay Bayto suing lag to to the will mil mouth thin run of oC direct reel a IlI tunce of oC 1 W tulles mlle channel will u Lt le at least lead SOO feet icet This t i wide nt at bottom the bottom the report recommends i ihl its ls hl expansions to lOd IOa or more mort feet and Ji and H 41 feet deep at ot mean man Id td le The rIle dimensions dimen n- n of or the the- harbor channel arc are main maln- maintained h through a tidal waterway running three miles inland to Gatun For a R distance distance dis dis- h tance of oC nearly 16 miles m from the entrance entrance entrance en en- trance locks locka the channel will have u a width in general exceeding half a mile alt and affording lal lake e navigation so o that vC vessels In may mav v anchor pass and change di direction d- d freely nd Beyond Hond San Pablo the mile 24 point the channel will decrease to bill feet for or four miles tulles and then thou t to 00 oo for Cor the remainder of or the wa way to Through the lire he heaviest lest I po portion of or orthe the Culebra cut the canal wll 11 bo be 00 feet reet wide which I l the minimum bottom along the line Immediately tI hey be- vond the Iho locks forks at Pedro Miguel ud the c chan chan- ian cuK po r feet d ci er I tb h XI tot and rot for two mile miles rune through h n deep expanse of water willer more than a mile In breadth rc to the Soil SOM locks Jocks Thence for fOl a distance of four miles to lo the seven fathom curve beyond Isla the channel will have a n foot foot bottom at ut the standard depth of ot 45 feel The controlling feature of this project Is the great earth dam across s the Chagres t at liat Gatun It will wl 1 b l. l h by far the Uw lal largest Cl ind 1011 t structure of oC It Its Ita kind In tin world dwarfing the dams of oC San Leandro and in California Its top will willbe willbe be bc CO m feet above the tilt water level In to the th lake and feet Ceet wide At Al the waterline water waterline line the distance through the dam dart will he be r. 1 f ft t nor and ami at sea level the lorle correspond correspond- corresponding lug ing distance will be bc more than half a tulle mile it will Ill have t a length of feet and will contain cubic yards artl of or material It will exert a weight upon Its foundation equal to about one olle ton per square foot toot for every ery 20 0 toot feet of height Under the highest portion of the embankment embankment embank embank- ment the pressure will be bc six and a it half tons per square foot The regulating works will c. c consist of a solid ma mass of masonry almost 70 iO feet In elevation On the top tOl of the crest grooved piers eight ll ht feet in thickness will wI be fitted with sluice duct gate sute capable of discharging cubic feet teet of or water per second when HT the lake JAIl Is la no more afore than one foot fool above the normal normal normal nor nor- mal level These 1 regulating works can cun 1 br- br depended ld upon to prevent the lake rising more than two feet teet on occasions of cx- cx ve flood The function of Lake Gatun in a affordIng affording afford Hord- ing an easily navigable channel Is of oC no nomore nomore nomore more vital importance than its service as al asa asa a 0 reservoir and source o of supply In Hurt Hu till hi rt dry ry Reasons An enormous amount of wa- wa will trill be bc needed for and although the lake lak may be drawn upon without affecting traffic to for I cubic re feet ct during the 90 00 0 days lays of oC annual drouth It Is IB not nOI Improbable that the demands demands demands de de- mands upon the future may aino ai at alno atno no very distant date necessitate nece te the cre cre- creation 1 aton atlon dt df larger cr supplies The volume of water In q question llon will be bc subject ti I. III evaporation and ration Infiltration and It will he called upon to furnish power for Cor workIng workIng work work- Ing tho the large laroe sates gales lighting and other purposes After ACter making liberal allowa al allowance al- al V lowa lowance Pee ee for Cor these expenditures It Is calculated cal ral- that 1350 1850 ruble cubic cuhl foot feet per Ier per second cond will be available a sufficient quantity to effect 20 a 11 day All look locks will be In duplicate thus providing providing- for the tho continuance of ot traffic through one set whilst the tho other is I. in disuse on account o of accident or for repairs The fhe locks lock at Gatun will be In three flights with lifts o of about 2800 feet feel each Fourteen gates at will be required for or the these c duplicate The Thu amount of excavation for tor the Gatun locks loeks embracing a 0 distance of oC linear i near feet Ceet measured along the tho canal ax axis will be cubic yards More than thun cubic yards of ot concrete 4 mason masonry 1 n a quantity unparalleled ed In modern modern modern mod mod- ern building bu operations will be bc required In n this construction It Is la proposed ed to tod d distribute tribute 20 mixing plants along the tho feet fret of ot the main walls of the locks and to consume tons of at material dall dally with an nn output of or cubic yards of ot concrete The dams and locks at ot Sosa ant and anil P Pedro Miguel IIguel will involve similar work worle but of less len magnitude The time o of transit by hy moans means of tho the projected loci lock canal will vary from rOm nine to eleven n hours depending upon the size of shins an and the Iho number of oC lockage ell The broad stretches of oC channel will facilitate passage by night and the entire canal will bo bi brilliantly lighted h by electricity the tho flaming arc are being the tho most probable medium The minority seem to have observed observed ob ob- ob- ob served I extreme conservatism In n arriving at their Ir estimates o of nine years yr-ars aa as the time necessary for the tho completion of the work and as aB the cost The status of at the canal enterprise In Is once more disturbed and thrown Into a condition of unexpected uncertainty by hy bythe hyth the th extraordinary finding of of- tits the senate commute In favor toha of a sea level waterway water water- way There f. f can ln b bl hut but ut one reasonable excuse for or such a decision That is II the fact that the majority of tho the international board hoard of or consulting en engineers n ot fa favored d that plan Tits This consideration however loses the greater greaLer part of or U It Its weight In view o of the tIte great reat preponderance lerance of expert opinion against tho the so called s soa level channel The majority of tho board was composed for the most part of oC tho the foreigners who night recommend a hazardous undertaking I ing In without Involving their own govern govern- w ni x uR Y y P Ps r if 1 L iy j V ion s r k yh r t I A r. r ff I 6 v. v r Zy 3 y sr I T. T 11 d I 1 l. l t f Yc r n r N F yr S 7 t br 4 f r FOE ST D LOY 3 AT 42 uL uLIS IS T. T J J r t t S. S j y i j VJ a 9 f tr t- t r x 0 A M i w c l 1 fd f ments In the risk and who could not be bc expected to have very deep consideration for Cor tho tha American taxpayer Amongst thorn them oro o ly four men who vho have havo any le of r the Peculiar rt t to the tho project at Panama Pan Pan- ama hec were verc Mr Hunter the chief engineer pf of q the Manchester canaL Pro- Pro feasor Burr Durr who 1 Is a theorist General Davis who Is not an en engineer and Mr 1 Parsons Tho The minority that reported reported re re- re- re ported In favor of the lock canal Included three thrle men whose experience In canal works Is ta unexcelled by any In the world and all 1111 of whom are arc closely familiar with conditions on the isthmus G General Ab Ab- bott batt was connected with the French company company company com com- pany and was a member of first isthmian Isthmian mian commission Mr lr Randolph constructed constructed constructed con con- the tho Chicago drainage O canal which Is tho the finest artificial waterway In Inthe Inthe Inthe the world and Mr Ripley built the great locks at al Sault Ste. Ste Marie Murle which arc th the lar largest t structures of the kind In ox is tim fl u. u The Th minority has bus tin the support o othe ol 01 f th the isthmian canal commission with one on e exception exception Mr lr Stevens Ste the chief engin and ter-and or and of or a n lar largo o majority of tho the experienced rI engineers ens of oC this countr country The Tho foreign engineers sed with but hut curt consideration tit thu experience o othe ol of f till the Soo canal because forsooth It Is no noan not t an un ocean waterway water The fhe fact tact that In n nine months month of tho the year It accommodates three times lines the annual tonnage of or the Suez ranar did not appear to impress them Itis HIs It H ItIs Is significant that each of oC th these e foreign n members mi rs is la Js or has been connected d with witha a canal tanal which has proved ed Inadequate to tolie tot t the lie hI requirements It was del designed ned to fill within a er very C few W years cars of Its completion It is not th then n. n surprising that their plan contemplates a channel 40 to feet Ceet In depth a which would In all probability be he out-of- out flat date before it could be be- opened There are areat areat at present two vessels e on the lire stocks w a will draw 3 8 feet |
