Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-07-02

G. A. Stephens Of Maine Talks OF Canal
Construction.

editor of the Youths Companion, for
generation a writer of stories of ad-
venture for boys, has recently visited
Panama, where he has had excellent
opportunities for observing the great
project we have undertaken. Amerl-
cans speak glibly of the possibilities OF
a tide-level canal at Panama. or this,
Dr. Stephens says: 1T is not an easy
matter to estimate the exact amount or
earth which would have to be removed
TO get a clear channel across the 18TH
mis-. thirty-five feet below low-tide at
Colon and at La Bonca on the Bay of
Panama. But computing it at the vari-
Gus levels, step by step up to the Guile
bra, through this vast cut and beyond,
deducting what the French appear to
have done, we obtain 446,OOOOOO CUBIC
yards, as n very conservative estimate
OK what remains to remove. in order to
have an open ditch from ocean to ocean,
$50 feet wide at the bottom, with thlr-
ty-five feet Of standing water in 1t.
Now as to the length of time required,
we have to guide us only what the new
French company has done. 1t is agreed
on all hands, however, that this new
company has worked with fair degree
Of diligence and with honesty.
During their most successful year,
1897, the new company employed 1900
men and removed, mainly in the Guile
bra cut, $50, 900 cubic metres, chiefly
earth. This was by far the best ever
done by the French. Adding forty per
cent to this 100000 metres for better
American methods and better machines,
and assuming that the United States
will employ 10000 latOrers in place OF
$500, we find that to remove the 341.-
100000 cubic metres forty-six years and
n:ne days will be required, or until 1851.
BY employing 10000 laborers the work
might be done in about thirty one years.
Mofe than 10000 could not be advan-
tageously worked there. At best, there
fore, allowing nothing for contingencies
or accidents, a tide water canal at Pa
rama could not be completed before
1886, which few Of the present genera
ton would see.
"As to the cost of a tide-water canal
at Panama, reckoning laborers' wages
at only a dollar per day. and the salar-
les of engineers, fOremen, ct al, at
equally reasonable rates; adding pres
ent cost figures for machinery, tools.
explosives, transportation, hospital.
equipment and maintenance, with the
thousand other minor expenses, and to
this interest on the money, as used, for
thirty years, at three per cent. am I'M
able to find the amount called for to
construct a tide-water canal at less
than $50. 0OO. 900. or. adding the price oil
the canal from the French company,
&610,O0O.O 0O."
DIR. Stephens i'm other ways makes
more distinct than do the formal re-
ports the size of the project to which
we are already committed. The Guile
bra cut he describes as the greatest
thing Of it's kind ever undertaken by
man. When complete it will be three
fiftkR of q mile wide at the top, failing
off TO a width of a hundred and fifty
feet at the bottom. into which the
great lake. made by the dam at Bohio.
will5now back and fill it to a depth of
thirty-nve feet. From the top Of the
Culebra on the north side of the. cut
the depth VIII be nearly or quite four
hundred feet - - e. >
These figures, he says. convey little
idea of the tremendous quantity OF
earth and rock which must be removed.
1t ID not until one descends into this
vast trench and marks how tiny the
locomotives and great steam eX-
cavateurs look when seen in the pro-
digious depth and breadth Of the exca-
walton, that conception of this more
than Hercl,Iean labor dawns OH the
mind. 1t is like Niagara. and must be
contemplated for a while. At first
sight it might be thought that a thou
sand men, operating ninety or hun
bred of these steam excavateurs. would
dig 1t out in a year: but by the time
the visitor has walked and climbed
about the cut for an hour or two. he
can readily believe that the task may
occupy five thousand neh. with ma
chimes, for ten years.
sss nss The Of s :s'; ;s'' r E:
excavation accumula' ike the
walls o: an oven. TT sefns lsteam-
boilers add to the cor e I. Thel
eyebalIs ache and thlu ieei dr.
and hot.
1T is no place." idf o..p pms
''for a white man'sl4 gao.
Cork helmet, or gr1f
both. are necessarytdA sa. h.. ,
makes me shudder o Az a w
man suffering impledE ten yee
labor: here on the prtF five tho ~.
men. But only at heEice Oh ouv,
toll can stately vesel4steaih '' n
the Culebra.''
The French Canal dnpany mas re-
moved much earth her, but Is,Yly
more remains to be talen out. th/fs,
arc lights strung along he cutting, sd
men of the night shift would I'D e nc
far the easier days wo,k: for tn.,,Hd st
terrible sun-rays would be aose"l ow hi
the cooler night wind wouio one /,
through the trench. Indeed. Il links r
shift of men were employed, plan G
1t would be better. after the h kly
is installed, to work theme
night and have them sleep dT-AAE
DR.. Stephens account of thnit -
problem there is even more ircsseS.
He says: 1.-The French exerch hss@
or no sanitary control over tn, ci\l
laborers. They built little vil.see 10 !
wood and galvanized iron for the1nena ei,
live in. but in most cases provSessd
neither water nor drains. If they fell