Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-12-22
CHIEF ENGINEER WALLACE AD.
vIsEs SEA LEVEL PANAMA
WATERWAY AT $soo,ooo,ooo.

upon the method followed.
He outlines four distinct PROPOSE
tions, as follows:
/. A canal with the surface of the
water ninety feet above the level Of the
sea at it's highest point, calling for
dam at Bohio; cost, $20O,0OO,0OO. Could
be open for traffic in eight years and
fully completed in ten years.
2. A canal with the surface of the
water sixty feet above sea level at its
highest point, with two locks at Bohio
or at Gatun, calling for a dam at Gam
boa; cost, S225,000,000. Could be open
for traffic In ten years and fully COM
pleted in twelve years.
3. A canal with the surface of the
water twenty or thirty feet above sea
level at its highest point, with single
Bohio, calling for the construction of
a dam at Gamboa cost, 250,000,000.
could be open for traffic in twelve years
and fully completed in fifteen years.
4. A canal at sea level throughout its
entire length with tidal lock at Mira
flores, necessitated by the difference
in the high tides in the Pacific and the
Atlantic, and calling for dam at
Gamboa; costing $300,000,000. Could
be open for traffic in fifteen years and
fully completed in twenty years.
The fourth plan is practically recon-
mended in the report, Mr. Wallace de-
claring that it would be less expensive
to operate and could be widened and
deepened when required without inter-
fering with traffic.
Some Engineering Difficulties.
"The isthmus," says Mr.. Wallace 'is
traversed by mountain range the
summit of which is approximately
twelve miles from the Pacific and thir-
ty-five miles from the Caribbean.
Originally gorge evidently existed
from the Caribbean near Colon to the
vicinity of Gamboa and extended be-
yond that point in an easterly direc-
ton forming the upper basin of the
Chagres river. After filing this gorge
with an alluvial 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 can
not be followed or found from surface
indications and it is only by drilling to
bedrock that exact information In re-
gard to any particular locality can be
obtained.
| after following the valley of the
| Chagres to Gamboa the line of the
canal follows a tributary called the
| Obipo. up to the summit of Culebra,
then thence follows down the valley of
the Rio Grande into the bay of Pana-
ma. The summit at Culebra was orig
inally about 800 feet above the sea
level and is the lowest point in the
divide along the, entire length Of the
isthmus Of Panama.
Entails Big Expense.
"The plan of the former commission
provided for dam practically 100
feet in height, above sea level at Bohio,
with a water level of ninety feet above
i sea level. This place was selected on
account Of the fact that at that point
the hills on either side of the Chagres
come comparatively close together, be-
/ ing about 1900 feet apart, and from
| the surface indications it seemed a
favorable place for the construction Of
dam. But the indications are that
this locality will be an unfavorable and
expensive one for the construction Of
a high dam.
"The construction of the Gamboa
dam would provide the water supply
for the entire line Of the canal, in
Guiding the cities of Panama and
Colon. 1t would also provide a power
plant for the generation of electric
power sufficient to furnish ample
power for the operation of any ma
chinery that might be used in the con-
struction of the canal"
shortens Time With Double Shift.
Chairman Hepburn's questions de-
lveloped that the estimate Of time to
build canal was based on ten hour
day and that with the construction of
the Gamboa dam and the operation of
the power plants, electric light suffi-
cient to illumine the whole OF the cule-
bra cut might be had, thus making
practical the working of two or more
shifts and shortening the time of con.
struction. Mr.. Wallace stated that the
excavation of this cut was the fea.
ture of the construction Of the canal
that took the time. He said:
Upon the economical and efficient
handling Of the material from Culebra
cut depends the cost and the time it
will take to complete the canal Every
other question and every other prob
lem connected with the entire work is
4 SuDOFQlQdLS anu slulGTlUT5 W 5luo PROD
lem of the excavation and disposal of
the material from the Culebra cut;
that is the. principal problem of this
work. The control of the Chagres, the
construction of the various dams, the
construction of harbor improvements,
and all other works are relatively less
important"
| Work is now going on in the cut, one
American steam shovel and some of
the French machinery being in oper-
alton. Fourteen American steam shov.
els have been purchased, one of which
is being set up. The others are to be
delivered at the rate of one a month.
During October 3,185 men were on
the pay rolls Of the commission. OF
these 2,165 were laborers, receiving
ID cents silver an hour, 245 laborers
receiving 171a cents an hour; IT'S
were machinists, boiler-makers, pipe
filters, carpenters and masons; 256
were Americans from the United
States, whose compensation is paid in
gold, and who fill positions as engin-
| GERS clerks and foremen More la.