The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-27
SEA LEVEL CANAL.
It Is Favored by Report of the
Isthnlian Commission.

Washington, Feb. 27.-The frs
definite engineering plans for the con
struction of the Panama canal hav
Just been laid before the IsthniiaI
canal commission by the engineerin,
committee of that body, consisting o
Commissioners Burr, Parsons ans
Davis.
The principal recommendations ar.
summed UP in this resolution:
Resolved, That this committee ap
prove and recommend for adoption b.
the commission a plan for a sea Ieve
canal. with bottom width of $50 fee
and minimum depth of water of 81
feet and with twin tidal locks at Mira.
nores, whose disable dimensions shall
be 1000 feet long and 100 feet wide
at a total estimated cost of $3.50, 800,
600 Such estimate includes an allow
ance for administration, engin eering
sanitation and contingencies, amount.
ing to $3S,450,000, but without al
lowing for interest during conStruc.
ton, expense of zone government anc
collateral costs, and water supply
sewers or paving of Panama or Color
which last items are to be repaid D5
| the inha bitants of these cities.
The committee estimates that sea
level canal can be completed Within
ten or twelve years from the present
time.
These recommendations are the
conclusions of a report to the COM
mittee prepared in the canal zone I'M
der date of February IA, last, and
based on all of the problems involved
The committee decided that, under
no circumstances, should the surface
of the canal be more than sixty feet
above the sea, and estimates that al
/ this level the cost would be $178,-
IO13,406. A thirty foot level is esti-
| mated to cost S194213,406.
1t is recommended that the Chagres
river be controlled by a dam at Gam
boa, built to crest height of 200
/ q tins
created disposed of through tunnels.
The work on the foundation of the
dam will require from one to one and
a half years and the committee re-
ports should begin at once. The dam
at this place, it is stated, involves no
formidable obstacle, which is not the
case at the Bohio location.
Actual work with the new Amer
lean steam shovels in the Culebra cut
has demonstrated that the entire ex-
cavation can be done at cost of so
cents a cubic yard. The former 18TH
milan commission estimated this cost
to a total of SIS. 00O,0 600, and is given
as justification of the recommends
lions of the sea level channel.
Immediate work is recommended
at Colon in constructing a safe har-
Dor. To this end an outer breakwater
is suggested, as we'll as the construc-
ton of an inner harbor at the en-
trance to the canal. It is recommend
ed that bids be invited IOr TINS Work.
Other minor features of canal con-
struction recommended include COM
pleting the Gatuncillo diversion chan
mel begun by the old canal company
to divert from the canal the waters
of the Gatuncillo and Mindi rivers and
other smaller streams. In connection
with this, three small dams must be
built, two across the Chagres near the
Mindi and one across the Boca Mindi.
All of this work is independent of the
decision as to the level for the canal,
and its imme date execution is recon-
mended.
other subsidiary features depend on
the level determined on, and are not
discussed.
The committee makes these obser-
vationss in summing up:
1.-THE practicability of certainly and
satisfactorily controlling the floods of
the Chagres by SO simple and economi-
cal a method as the Gamboa lake and
its outflow channels, and the reduced
cost of excavation as actually demon
strated by the work of the commission
in the Culebra cut, makes the con-
struction of the sea level canal at a
reasonable cost far more available
than has heretofore appeared pos
sible.
These recent developments in the
conditions attending the construction
of the canal are so important as to be
almost controlling in character. The
remaining element is that of time re-
quired to make the great summit eX-
cavation. 1t is to be carefully OBJ
served that the results thus far OBJ
tanned in the Culebra cut have been
reached under disa dvantage cOndi-
tons of both organization of plant
and force. The railroad tracks serv-
ing eXcavators are yet fragmentary
and tentatively placed to serve the
purposes of investigation. In both re-
spects the disposition of plant is far
more unfavora BILE, both to economy
and celebrity of operations, than will be
the case when a complete track SyS-
tenn has ben arranged and laid down
to serve a large number of steam
shovels operated by an experienced
force. In the face of these disadvan-
ton has been reduced far lower than
was anticipated, and it has been
demonstrated that each steam shovel
may be counted upon to yield an aver
age record of at least 1000 cubic
yards per working day.
1.-THE chief engineer estimates that,
with 100 steam shovels installed, with
a complete system of tracks serving
them, a, yearly record of 80 million
cubic yards of excavation may be
reached without requiring a greater
output per shovel, or greater speed in
working, than has already been at
tanned.
This rate of working could prob
ably be reached within two years from
the present time
THESE considerations have induced
mission its unanimous Judgment that,
with the contemplated system of
working and with the rate of develop
ment which appears to be justified by
the work now being performed at