Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-27
A SEA LEVEL CANAL
Recommendation to- the 18th
milan Commission.
PREFERRED TO LOCKS
RESULT OF A STUDY OF THE EN-
CHEERING DIFFICULTIES.
Total Estimated Cost $3.50, 500, 600
Completion Within Ten or
Twelve Years.
PREFERRED TO LOCKS

l Twelve FEARS.
f! Commissioners Burr. Parsons and Davis,
| who have been making a study of the en-
! g1neering plans for the isthmian canal,
| have placed in the hands of the entire COM
| mission a definite set of plans for the con-
struction of the great waterway across
Panama. The principal recommendations
are summed up in resolution that the
! committee approve and recommend for
adoption by the commission a plan for a
| sea-level canal, with a bottom width of $50
| feet and a minimum depth of water of
| thirty-fve feet. and with twin tidal locks at
Mirafiores, whose disable dimensions shall
| be 1000 feet long and 100 feet wide, at o.
| total estimated cost of 1920. 500, OOO Such
estimate includes an allowance for admin
| istration, engineering, sanitation and con-
tingencies, amounting to $3S, 45OO coo, but
without allowance for interest during con-
struct1on, expense of zone government and
collateral costs, and water supply, sewers
| or paving of Panama or Colon, which last
items are to be repaid by the inhabitants
| of those cities.
Ten or Twelve Years Required.
The committee estimates that a sea level
canal can be completed within from ten to
twelve years from the present time. These
recommendations are the conclusion of a.
| long report to the commission prepared in
| the canal zone under date of February IA
| last, and based on complete engineering re-
ports on all of the problems involved. The
committee decided that under no circum-
stances should the surface of the canal be
more than sixty feet above the sea, and
! estimates that at this level the cost would
! be SITS, 4O6. A thirty-foot level is esti-
mated to cost S194 213 4O6
1t is recommended that the Chagres river
| be controlled by a dam at Gamboa built
to a crest height of 200 feet, and the
waters of the lake thus created disposed of
through tunnels. The work on the founda-
| ton of the dam will require from one to
one and half years, and the committee
reports should begin at once. The dam
at this place, it is stated, involves no for
midable obstacles, which is not the case at
the Bohio location.
Cost of Excavation.
Actual work with the new American
steam shovels in the Culebra cut has
demonstrated that the entire excavation
can be done at a cost of 30 cents a cubic
yard. The former isthmian canal commits
sion estimated this cost at 50 cents. This
reduction amounts to total of $4,000 900
and is given as a justification for the
recommendation for a sea level canal
immediate work is recommended at Colon
| IN constructing safe harbor To this end
an outer breakWater is suggested as well
as the construction of an inner harbor at
the entrance to the canal 1t is recon-
mended that bids be invited for this work.
Other minor features of canal construction
recommended include completing the Gatun-
clio diversion channel begun by the old
canal company to divert from the canal the
Gatuncillo and Mndi rivers and other
smaller streams. In connection with this
| three small dams must be built, two across
the ChaRreS river MiOdi
across the Boca Mindi. All of this work
! is independent of the decision as to a level
for the canal, and it's immediate execution
| is recommended Other subsidiary features
depend on the level determined on and are
not discussed.
| The committee makes these observations
| In summing up:
Controlling Floods of the Chagres.
The practica bility of certainly and sat-
| isfactorily controlling the floods of the
Chagres by SO simple and economical a
| method as the Garnboa lake and it's outflow
| channels, and the reduced cost of excava-
ton as actually demonstrated by the work
| of the commission in the Culebra cut,
makes the construction of a sea-level
| canal at reasonable cost far more avail
| able than has heretofore appeared possible
These recent developments in the condi-
| lions attending the construction of the
canal are so important as to be almost
element is that of the time required to
| make the great summit excavation. 1t is
to be carefully observed that the results
! thus far obtained in the Culebra cut have
| been reached under disadvantageous con-
ditlons of both organization of plant and
force. The railroad tracks serving the ex-
cavators are yet fragmentary and tenta-
lively placed to serve the purpose of in
vestigation. In both respects the DISPOSE
| ton of plant is far more unfayorable both
| to economy and celebrity of operations, than
will be the case when complete track sys-
| tenn has been arranged and laid down to
serve a large number of steam shovels OPP
| Grated by an experienced force.
Capacity of the shovels.
'Tn the face of these disadvantageous con-
| ditions, the cost of excavation has been re-
| duced far lower then was anticipated, and
| it has been demonstrated that each steam
| shovel may be counted upon to yield an
| average record of at least 1000 cubic yards
| per working day. The chief engineer esti-
mates that with 100 steam shovels installed,
| with complete system of tracks serving
| them. yearly record of 3O,O00.OO0 CUBIC
yards Of excavation may be reached with
| out requiring a greater output per shovel,
| or greater speed in working. than has al
ready been attained. This rate of working
| could probably be reached within two
years from the present time
with the rate of progress which now ap-
( pears reasonable to anticipate, this COM
| mittee believes that a sea-level canal, with
| a tidal lock 1000 feet long and 100 feet
usable width at Mirafores, can be COM
| pleted within ten or twelve years from this
| Time the bottom width of the canal being
| $50 feet and the minimum depth of water
| thirty-fve feet
"These considerations have induced this
| committee to express to the commission
| its unanimous Judgment that with the con-
templated system of working, and with the
rate of development which appears to be
| justified by the work now being performed
at Culebra, sea level canal, free from
! the restriction of locks should be adopted.
| This committee believes that such canal
with terminal harbors, can be constructed
| for a sum not exceeding $3.50. COO
Advantage of sea-Levei Canal.
1.-THE advantage of a sea-levefcanal across
| the isthmus are most obvious. 1t would
be waterway with no restriction to nav
| igation and which could easily he enlarged
Il - 4 49, 4