The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-07-19

791 miles long and there 602 miles of
heavy work. The total cost of the cut
alone, including the upper approach to the
lock, is estimated at $A,4l4,4 6O Eight
years will be required to excavate this see
ton of the canal and over 100000 cubic
yards of material will be displaced.
technicalities, of the most dificult engi-
neering problems on the canal, but they
by no means include all of the great feats
to be accomplished.
Beginning at Limon Bay a channel 500
feet wide at bottom has been excayated,
which is conducted to a point about two
and one-third miles from deep water in the
bay, forming narrow, but we'll protected
harbor. The estimated cost of the entrance
and harbor is a little over $s.OO0,000 and
$4,000 a year will be required to maintain
1t. The bottom width of the canal from
the end of the harbor is 15O feet, which
width is maintained for distance OF 1211
miles to the Bohio locks. The estimated
cost of this section of the canal is some
thing over $l1,00O,OO0. A do6ble flight OF
locks will be located at Bohio with nor
NAL lift of eighty-five feet, the four cham
bers to cost S11, 567,255.
The canal above the locks will enter the
artificial lake formed by the great Bohio
dam, known Bohio lake. For seven
miles il will be a broad, deep body OF wa
The channel at the upper end will be en-
larged to provide for the flood discharge
of the Chagres river, and near the entrance
of the summit will be placed pair of gates
one hundred feet wide. Then, If 1t should
become necessary to spill the torrent or
the Chagres: the level of Lake Bohio would
| liar to those at the Bohio, and KNOWN as
Pedro Miguel, will open level of about
one and one-third miles to the Mirahores,
where q spillway will be constructed to
regulate further the flow of the river. 1t
will be no mean project, for it is estimated
to cost s., ISL, 401
miles beyond the Miradores, the canal will
pass through a low swamp country, fed
by the Rio Grande river. A dredged chan
mel 200 feet wide, will extend about four
and half miles from the end of this reach
to deep Water in Panama bay. The harbor
at Panama is a natural roadstead, and will
not require expenditures.
A SERIES OF DAMS.
An interesting feature of the engineering
work will be the construction of the Gil
gante spillway to discharge the flood wa
tiers. dam constructed entirely of con-
crete with a crest at elevation 50, terminal
ing in an apron at elevation 65, will cost
81, 309, 419. The water will pass to the Pena
Blanca swamp. The swamp is separated
from the line of the canal by ridge.
which will give a storage capacity, between
the two levels, of ASS, 600, 900 cubic feet. The
water will be discharged from the Pena
Blanca swamp into the Aqua Clara swamp
by artificial channel twenty feet deep
and 500 feet wide on the bottom. The cham
nel 5,676 feet long, can discharge over no.
900 cubic feet of water per second at a
velocity of about nine and one.half miles
per hour. The cost of the outlet is esti-
mated at s., 1905 The area of the level at
the Aqua Clara swamp will be % square
miles. Further on are other SwampS. The
ground separating them from each other
and from the line of the canal is low: a
wide area will be afforded for the. spread
of the water until a point IS reached near
Gatun where, The valley ., contracting; an N,
to divert the Chagres. This channel Will be
$50 feet wide. about eight and one-half feet
deep and nearly 1000 feet long. In this low
region a series of leyees, aggregating in
length about five miles, will be constructed
to protect il from overflows.
The total length of the canal, from deep
water in the Atlantic 10 deep water III the
Pacific. is forty-nine and nine-tenths miles.
eleven miles of which distance is the broad
channel OF Lake Bshio. The total cost of
construction OF the entire canal Is estimated
at $l44. 233. SoS.
The sharpest curve OF the narrow chan
mel has radius or $50 feet, so that the
alignment may be considered good. The
commission has estimated the time re-
quired for vessels to pass through the canal
IA period which. of course. will vary with
the size OF the vessel and with the volume
of the traffic. A ship of average size-400
feet long. 50 feet beam and drawing 24i9
feet--mceting an ordinary number OF other
ships. will require about eleven hours and
fourteen minutes TO pass through the canal
One consideration moving the commission
TO favor the selection of the Panama route
was the existence OF the Panama Railroad
which practically parallels the route Of the
canal The advantage of such a line Is seen
at a glance. IL gives Immediate access TO
every section of the work. and provides
means for transporting material and labor
no small items in early completion Of the
work. The amount of material 10 be sup
piled for The great engineering project is
almost beyond computati ton by the ordinary
mind. Concrete. stone. lumber, steel ard
supplies of a general character I'm enormous
quantities must be rushed forward day by
day Food clothing and medicinal sun
plies TO outft the hordes OF laborers en-
ployed will be an immense item of trans
portation. The railway company Is operat-
ing three steamships on the Atlantic side
and numerous smaller vessels and launches