Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-11
PANAMA CON DITIONS
MEMBER OF COMMISSION READS
A PAPER.
Addresses Members of American So
ciety of Civil Engineers
Tells of the Work.

e. F. Grunsky. a member of the Panama
Canal commission, read paper last night
at Rauscher's before a meeting of the resi-
dent members of the American Society of
Civil Engineers, in which he told about the
condition at Panama and the work in hand
He said 1t was hoped that within a few
months data will be at hand to enable the
commission to reach a conclusion to the
type of the canal to be constructed That
the element of risk is not all in favor of
the canal which is free from locks, he said.
will be realized by every engineer who Wis
Its the points of maximum cut noting the
shattered and unstable formation, where
iandslides, If occurring, might seriously and
for long periods of time impede traffic, and
where the magnitude and seriousness of
such an obstruction. and consequent inter-
ruption of traffic should it ever occur,
must be assumed to grow with the depth
of the cut.
The borings which the commission has
made at Gamboa. he said, indicate there
will be no difficulty in securing a good
foundation for dam across Chagres river
at that point, and it is quite probable that
the commission will see its way clear to
the erection of an earth dam of huge di
mansions at this point.
Would Create a Lake
Erection of this dam would create above
IT lake with a surface extent of about
thirty square miles, the rise and fall of
which would prove a great equalizer of the
flow of Chagres river and make the diver
sion of a portion of this rivers flood flow
to the Pacific slope feasible. This, he said,
would go far toward reducing the
amount of water to be handled in the canal
that it's flow would not seriously impede
the passage of vessels in a sea level canal.
During the period of organization and
the study of the canal project the commits
sion's work, Mr. GrunSky said, had been
mainly at Washington. Its duties in a
measure have been subdivided, questions of
Importance being preferred to six standing
committees. 1t is proposed, he said as far
as practicable to have the committees fol-
low each other TO the isthmus thereby
keeping three members of the commission
in close touch with its executive officers in
charge of construction, sanitation and the
government of the canal zone.
He said that Iaborers in large numbers
had not been sent TO the isthmus because
the time for any considerable increase of
force has not come.
The meeting called to order by the
president, Gen. Alexander Mackenzie. who,
however, resigned the chair to Mr.. II. NJ
Wilson, member of the local committee
of the society, in order to answer a call to
appear before a congressional committee.
Chief Engineer +. H. Newell of the gov
eminent reclamation service delivered a
brief address in which he outlined the
reclamation work.
Col. B1ddle'S Paper.
Col. Biddle the District Engineer Commits
sioner, read paper relative to the prog
ress of the work on the new Washington
railway terminal, and what it is proposed
to do.
The Washington Filtration Plant Work.
was the subject of paper read by Assist
ant Engineer E. d. Hardy.
The committee on arrangements was COM
posed of Gen. Alex. Mackenzie. chief of en-
gineers, L. s. army; H. NJ. Wilson, D. S.
CARL and D. E McComb.
Among those present were Gen. Alex.
Mackenzie, chief of engineers L. S. army;
Mr.. c. f. Grunsky, Panama canal commits
sion; Admiral j. G.. Walker, L. S. navy;
Senior Obaldia. minister from Panama; MIR.
j. c. Hooe, Nh d. ]. Murphy, secretary
Panama canal commissions; Col. John Bid
die. L. s. A, Engineer Commissioner Dis
trict of Columbia; Capt. Chester Harding
L. S. A; Capt. Jay ]. Morrow, L. s. A;
Capt. II. C. Newcomer. L. S A; Mr.. d. w.
Lum; Mr.. c. b. Hunt, engineer of high
ways District of Columbia; Mr.. q. E. Nc
Comb, superintendent of sewers, District of
Columbia Mr.. W. P. Richards, surveyor
District OF Columbia Mr. Charles Fernald,
assistant engineer, District of Coumbia
Mr.. A. G.. Norton, Mr.. c. e. Babb. Mr. H.
NJ. Wilson, geological survey; Mr. F. H.
Newell, Mr.. G. II. Fitch Mr.. Elwood
Mead, Mr.. w. NJ. Wallace, Mr. Ed
ward c. Healds Mr.. E. NJ Doug
lass, Mr.. y. H. Weber, Mr. o. b. French,
MIR. q. B. Stricken, Mr.. John f. HayfOrd,
Mai. Chas. w. KItz, I. S. A: Mr. Chas.
Albert McKenney, Gen. Peter c. Hams, L.
S. A; d. S. CARL, superintendent Capital
Traction Company; Mr.. j. II. HANNA Mr.
o. H. Tttman. United States coast and
geCdetic survey: Mr. f. q. Williams Mr.
Ewald Schmitt, Mr.. F. c. Hlder, Mr.. F.. D.
Eardy, Mr.. Asa E. Phillips, Mr. Feliz Frey
hold. Mr. d. l.. Reyburn. Mr.. f. l.. Averil
Lieut.. G.. b. Pillsbury, Mr. Bernard r.
Green. superintendent Congressional Ii
brary; DIR. Stratton, bureau of standards;
Mr.. Z. p. North, Mr. Cyrus b. Babb Mr.
]. II. Quton. reclamation service; Mr.. C.
r. Olberg, Mr.. j. Il. Lippencott Mr.. T. A.
Noble.