Evening journal., 1904-12-19
four CANAL PROBLEMS
Chief Engineer Wallace Tells Com
mittee of His Investigations.
GIVES ESTIMATES OF COST


Range From s2oo,ooo,ooo For so-Foot
Level to ssoo,ooo,ooo For Sea Level
Canal - sfs9 Men Are Now at
Work
Washington, Dec. 19.-John +. Wal
lace. chief engineer OF the isthmian
lanal commission, has given the house
committee on interstate and foreign
commerce the benefit OF his investiga-
tions. so far as made, regarding the
engineering tasks to be performed IN
the construction Of the Panama canal
The Associated Press has been given
the benefit OF the testimony 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
he 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 high dam at Bohio.
upon which depends the advisahillty
of constructing a high-level canal,
with the surface of the water 80 feet
above sea level.
"The second plan under considera-
I to - q. oh.
sea level. Constructing a canal on this
plan admits Of two different methods
of treatment-frst. the construction 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 a dam GO 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 20-foot or 30-foot level
above the sea. with a single lock at
Mirahores 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 60-foot level plan.
"The fourth plan would be the con-
struction Of a sea level canal, with a
tidal lock at Mirahores. In this con-
nection 1t is necessary TO explain that
while the mean sea level OF the Pacific
and the Caribbean sea are the same,
high tide in the Bay of Panama rises
10 feet above mean sea level anl 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
80 or 60-foot level"
Asked by members Of the commits.
sion for an estimate Of the cost of tn,
various plans, Mr.. Wallace said tn,
best estimate that could be made Al
, present would be based on the esti,
mate of the former commission OF
5000. 10000 for a 9O-foot level canal
Figuring with this as a basis the 60.
foot level canal would cost s225. .000,-
600, could be open for traffic in IL
years and fully completed in IL years;
the 3O-foot level would cost $3.50, ,OOO,
600, open for traffic in 70 years and
fully completed in is years; the sea
level canal would cost $3O0.0OO,OOO.
Work is now going on in Culebra
cut, one American steam shovel and
some of the French machinery being
in operation. Fourteen American
> steam shovels have been purchased,
one of which is being set up. During
October 3lS9 men were on the payrolls
Of the commission. OF these 2l55 were
laborers receiving Is cents silver an
hour, 245 laborers receiving 17is 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.