New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-19
TALK OF CANAL PLANS.
J. r. VILLAGES OPINION.
Chief Engineer Discusses Results of
Investigations So Far.

mas given the House Committee on Interstate
and Foreign Commerce the benefit of his in
vestigations, so far as made regarding the en-
gineerns tasks to be performed in the con-
struction of the Panama Canal. The testimony
was taken aboard the army transport Summer.
IN Colon Harbor. on the recent visit of the COM
mittee to the canal zone. It is to be printed
for the use of Congress. The benefit of the
testimony in advance Of its publication has been
given to The Associated Press through the
courtesy of Chairman Hepburn and Secretary
Cushman, of the committee.
Before taking up in detail the four distinct
canal propositions which are being considered
by him. and which he is to report to the
canal commission, Mr.. Wallace made this ex-
PLANTATION of the general problem:
The isthmus Is transversed by a mountain
range. the summit of which is approximately
twelve miles from the Pacific and thirty-fve
miles from the Caribbean. Originally gorge
evidently existed from the Caribbean near CO.
ION TO near Gamboa, and extended beyond that
point in eaSterly direction forming the upper
basin of the Chagres River. After filling this
gorge with an aluVlal deposit, the Chagres has
swung itself from one side of the valley TO the
other. The result is that the thread of the
original gorge cannot be followed or found from
surface Indications and it is only by drilling to
bedrock that exact information IN regard to
any particular locality be obtained. The
presence of powders in this alluvial deposit also
explains the reason why engineers not taking
time to go into the rock far enough TO deter
thinking they had struck bedrock To deter
mine the most feasible plan for the construc-
ton Of the canal will require most careful
and comprehensive examination not only of sur
face conditions, but OF the sub-suTfaCe.
After following the valley of the Chagres to
Gamboa, the line of the canal follows tribu-
tary. called the Obispo, up to the summit OF
Culebra, and thence down the valley Of the Rio
Grande into the Bay of Panama. The summit
at Culebra originally about 300 feet above
the level. and is the lowest point in the
divide along the entire length Of the Isthmus
of Panama The plan of the former commits
sion provided for a dam of practically 100 feet
in height, above sea level. at BohiO, with
water level of 90 feet above sea level. This
place selected account of the fact that
al that point the hills on either side Of the
Chagres come comparatively close together. be-
ing about 1900 feet apart and from the sur
face indications it seemed a favorable place for
the construction of dam. But the indications
that this locality will be unfavorable
and expensive one for the construction of a
high DAM
The instructions to the chief engineer by the
present commission were to make full and thor
ough examinations of the canal route the man
ner of doing the work and the various plans
which might suggest themselves and to lay be-
fore the commission the result of these exam
nations and his final recommendation.
THE PLANS UNDER CONSIDERATION.
The first plan to be considered, the one esti-
mated upon by the former commission, IS the
possibility and practicabity of a high dam. or
proper foundation for high dam at BOhio. on
which depends the advisa bility of constructing
a high level canal, with tho surface of the wa
ter ninety feet above sea level
The second plan under consideration Is a sum
init level of sixty feet above sea level. Con-
structing canal this plan admits of two
different methods of treatment. First, the con-
struction of q dam 90 feet above sea Level, at
Bohio, with two locks of 30 feet, there being two
locks on the western slope; second, the cOnstruc-
ton OF a dam go feet above sea level, at Gatun.
eight miles from Colon, with two 3O-foot locks
in the same neighbOrhood. The adoption of a
60-foot level also will render 1t necessary 70
construct dam at Gamboa, in order to provide
Mat ofpr Ugh in he
wet season to furnish water for the summit
level of the canal. The construction of a dam
at Gamboa in connection with this. would also
control the Chagres River, except that 1t would
be necessary to provide a safety spillway by
the construction of tunnel some eight miles
in length through the divide, dlscharglhg the
surplus waters of the Chagres into the head
waters of the Juan Diaz. or the alternative
plan of constructing a tunnel four miles long
through the divide separating the ChagreS basin
from the headwaters of the Gatuncillo stream
which enters into the Chagres Valley at Batun
Should this latter course be adopted. it would be
necessary to construct an auxiliary channel for
the Chagres from Gatun TO the sea, in order
TO divert its flood waters into the bay eastward
of Colon
The third general plan under consideration
would be the construction of a canal with
20-foot or 30-foot level above the sea- with
single lock at Miraflores and a single lock at
Bohio, or in the immediate neighborhood; the
construction Of the Gambia dam TO be required
in this instance the same as in the 6O-root level
plan.
The fourth plan would be the construction of
flores In this connection 1t is necessary to eX-
plain that while the sea, level of the Pa
cifc and the Caribbean is the same. hlgh tlde
in the Bay of Panama rises ten feet above mean
sea level and falls ten feet below; whereas the
fuctuation of the tide of the Caribbean at Co.
lon is less than two feet. The construction or
\ dam at Gamboa, with the necessary spillways
as noted in the previous plan. would De the
same under the sea level plan as under the 90
The CONSTRUCTION of the Gamboa dam would
provide the water supply for the entire line of
the canal, including the cities OF Panama ana
Colon 1t would also provide power plant Tor
the generation of electric power sufficient TO
furnish ample power for the operation OF the
Panama Railroad and for the operation OF any
machinery that might De uSed III tile Coi'St'uO-
ton OF the canal.
II would require two years TO construct this
dam and roughly estimated, its cost, including
spillways would he between SlopOooOo ana
S16,O 1000. not including the power plant
ESTIMATE OF THE COST.
Asked by members of the committee for an
estimate Of the cost of the various plans, Mr..
Wallace said the best estimate that could be
made at present would be based on the estimate
of the former commission of $2O0,O0O.00O for a
QO-foot level canal Figuring with this as
basis the GO-foot level canal would cost $40
GOO 600 could be open for traffic in ten years
and fully completed in twelve years; the 3O-foot
level would cost $3.50 600 900. open for traffic in
twelve years and fully completed in fifteen
years: the sea level canal would cost S3OO.OOO.-
600 could be open for traffic In fifteen years and
completed in twenty years
Chairman Hepburns questions developed that
the estimate of time to build the canal was
based on ten hour day and that with the con-
struction of the Ganboa dam and the operation
of the power plant electric light sufficient to
Hume the whole of Culebra cut might be had.
thus making practical the working of two or
CHI he