New-York tribune., 1905-04-16
LSTHMT1N PROJECTS.
Engineers Studying Plans TO Meet
Com pier Conditions.
IrRoM TIE TRIBUNE BuREAr,l

washington April lJ.-Chief Engineer Wal
isce and his technical associates on the Canal
Commission are beginning 10 receive numerous
suggestions from a variety of sources, including
plans, more or less in detail, from Bunau-h arl-
Ia late of the Panama Canal Company. and Lin
don ". Bates. Of Chicago and New-York Mel
aher proposition is regarded with favor By the
experts and neither is likely to be accepted, al
though any project laid before the commission
viii receive respectful stteEFtieR. The commits
sion expects 10 receive its fun share Of sugges
tions and advice: most oft worthless. but some
of II entitled to consideration. although as yet
the plans from reputable sources appear 10 have
been based on an incomplete knowledge Of the
situation on the isthmus. A plan may look well
enough on paper. but il is found 10 be impracti-
cable when, the experts come 10 apply its pro-
visions toE1he actual conditions in Panama.
Thus in the Bates proposition the idea OF a
monster dam at each end Of the canal might ap-
pear feasible 70 thqse ssRo DO not know that It
would be impossible TO construct such dam at
Colon within tWelNe.tpfles OF thai port. There
is no foundation f0r the big works, and ii is one
Of the problems 'iof the -lsuaineeFs TO provide
against the adoption Of a plan which. after tho
money for the construction is spent, proves a
failure.
There has been no important work Of the en-
gineering class which has engaged as much
"A
isthmian canal, and yet Chief Engineer Wallace
and the other. engineers have found there are
many questions remaining undecided. For in
stance none OF the proposed dams have been
located and the locks have been placed only
tentatively. II is found that more complete
knowledge OF the ground viii be required, and
additional borings must be taken The greatest
problem is that which relates 10 the control Of
the Chagres River. and especially to the dis
posal Of the surplus volume Of water. il is i'm
portaut that The water shall not be allowed TO
lax the capacity OF The canal OF give 100 great
a current 10 the stream there. The French en-
gineers went into some OF these subjects casual
~, hut they We're. toward the end of the project
hampered by lack of funds and the expiration
II time limits controlling the concessions, 50
that while they looked into the matter of docks.
dams and locks. they abandoned nearly every
Thing costly or time consuming as not suited TO
their limited purpose. AL Of this and other IN
formation ss'n0W in the possession OF the engi-
neers in Washington, but much more Of the
same sort is required. &c that it wiz be a long
line before they have all the data upon which
10 proceed with caution and certainty. They
r,ronounce therefore, as foolish the talk Of com
pleting the canal IN four years. It could be
done, undoubtedly, il the physical conditions
were conformabie to the plans Of ingenious en-
gineers but the plans have TO be made to III
The existing situation. II isn't possible, as On'
II the canal commissioners SAID To-Day 1Ol
fhe isthnus to be made over TO fit anybody
designs
The technical members OF the commission ar
coming 10 the conclusion that the sea leVe
canal is the most suitable. and IL is believed b'
rhen that in the end. ultimately, If not within
a Few wears the canal viii be Of that type, IN
stead Of canal Of lockG For this reason tn
engineers are now planning 70 consider a dc
sign which viii work out that if IL be a 81
or a 60 or 81" foot canal. with locks an;
dams II shall be arranged and constructed 81
as 10 permit the engineers later on-perhaps
many wears hence-to change the canal to one O
e-a level. This must he done a not 10 inter
fere with the traffic the canal and II &
this feature. decided unon within the last feT
iays by the engineers that adds 10 the per