The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-12-22
FOUR CANAL PROBLEMS
Chief Engineer Wallace Tells Conn.,
mittee of His Investigations.
GIVES ESTIMATES OF COST

Rance From s2oo,ooo,oOo For so-FOot
Level to $500, 100000 For Sea Level
Canal - S1s9 Men Are Now at
Work
Washington. Dec. l9.-John F. Wal
lace. chief engineer OF the isthmian
canal commission, has given the house
committee on interstate and foreign
commerce the benefit Of his investiga-
lions. so far as made. regarding the
engineering tasks to be performed III
the construction of the Panama canal.
The Associated Press has been given
the benefit of the teAmony in advance
of its publication 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 on which
ne is to report to the canal commits
sion. Mr.. Wallace made an explanation
of the general problem He said:
THE first plan to be considered, the
one estimated upon by the former
commission. is the possibility and
practicability Of a high dam, or proper
foundation for a high dam at Bohio.
upon which depends the ACCESSIBILITY
of constructing a high-level canal.
with the surface of the water 80 feet
above sea level.
THE second plan under cOnsidera-
ton is a summit level of 90 feet above
sea level Constructing canal on TINS
plan admits Of two different methods
Of treatment theTonstruction OF
a dam 60 feet above sea level at Bohio'
with two locks of 80 feet. there being
two locks on the western slope sec
ond. the construction OF dam 60 feet
above sea level at Gatun. eight miles
from Colon. with two S0-foot locks in
the same vicinity
"The third general plan under con-
sideration would be the construction OF
a canal with a 2O-fOot or S0-foot level
above the sea, with single lock at
Miraflores and a single lock at Bohio.
or in the immediate vicinity; the con
struction of the Gamboa dam to be re-
uqired in this instance the same as IN
the CO-foot level plan.
"The fourth plan would be the con-
struction of a sea level canal, with a
tidal lock at Mirafores. In this con-
nection it is necessary to explain that
while the mean sea level of the Pacific
and the Caribbean sea are the same.
hish tide in the Bay Of Panama rises
| 10 feet above mean sea level AMI falls
10 feet below, whereas. the fluctuations
of the tide of the Caribbean at Colon
is less than two feet. The construction
| of a dam at GambOa would be the same
under the sea level plan as under the
/ 30 or 60-fOoi level"
Asked by members Of the commits
sion 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 esti-
mate of the former commission OF
5000. O0O. 900 for a 90-foot level canal.
Figuring with this as a basis. the 60
foot level canal would cost 1928 ,OOO,-
600. could be open for traffic in ID
years and fully completed in II years;
the 3O-foot level would cost S25O,OOO.-
900. open for traffic in u years and
fully completed in Is years; the sea
level canal would cost $500 100000
Work is now going on in Culebra
cut. one American steam shovel and
some of the French machinery being
in operation. Fourteen American
steam shoves have been purchased.
one of which is being set up. During
October 31S9 men were on the payrolls
of the commission. OF these 2l55 were
laborers receiving IS cents silver an
hour. 245 laborers receiving 17l2 cents
an hour. 775 were machinists boiler
makers, pipe filters, plumbers, car
penters and masOns: 256 were Ameri-
cans from the United States, whose
compensation is paid in. gold. and who
fill positions as engineers. clerks and
foremen. More labOrers are to be EN-
ployed in the immediate future.