New-York tribune., 1905-02-27
Urge SEA LEVEL CANAL.
COMMITTEE UN4NIMOUS.
Declares 1t Could Be Done in Tzcelue
Years. at Cost of $3.50 800. 900.

anna Canal have just been laid before the 18TH
r,ian canal Commission by the engineering COM
-,i,tee of that body. consisting OF Commissioners
Fur- Parsons and Davis
The principal recommendations are summed
I'D I'm this resolution:
pesolved That this committee approves and
.o-nroend for adoption by the commission n
isn for sea level canal. with bottom width
- 80 fAet and minimum depth OF water of 35
fee+ ard with twin tidal locks, at Miraf1ores
,hose rsa bic dimensions shall be 1000 feet long
I'D 100 feet wide. at total estimated cost of
Soa0 10000 Such estimate includes an allow
snce FOR administration engineering, sanitation
and contingencies. amounting to S3S.4J0.000 but
is without allowance for interest during con-
s-rlction. expense of zone government and COL
lateral costs and water supply, sewers or paw
irg of Panama or Colon which last items are to
h. repaid by the inha abitants Of those cities.
The committee estimates that sea level canal
ran he completed within ten or twelve years.
These recommendations are the conclusion of
q report TO the commission prepared in the canal
zone under date of February Il last, and based
on complete engineering reports on all of the
problems involved
The committee decided that in no circum-
stances should the surface of the canal be
than sixty feet above the sea. and estimates that
81 this level the cost would be S17S OF, ,406 A
tbrty-foot level is estimated to cost S194 213 406
II is recommended that the Chagres River be
height Of 200 feet. and the waters of the lake
thus created disposed of through tunnels. The
work OF the foundation of the dam will require
from one TO one and half years. and, the COM
rnittee reports IT should begin at once The
dam al this place, 1t is stated involves no
formidable obstacles which is not the case at
the Boho location.
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 so & cubic yard. The former
Isthmian Canal Commission estimated this cost
al SO cents. This reduction amounts TO a total
Of S15.0Oo,000, and is given a justification for
the recommendation for level canal
Immediate work is recommended at Colon in
constructing a safe harbor. To this end,
outer breakwater is suggested, well the
construction OF an inner harbor at the entrance
10 the canal 1t is recommended that bids be
invited for this work Other minor features of
canal construction recommended include COM
pleting the Cutuncillo diversion channel, begun
by the old canal company, to divert from the
canal the waters of the Catuncillo and Mindi
rivers and other smaller streams. In connection
with This three small dams must be built, two
scrcss the Chagres River near MindL and
dependent OF the decision as TO a level for the
caral, and its immediate execution is recon-
merded.
other subsidiary features depend the level
determined on. and are not discussed
The committee makes these observations In
summing up.
The practica bility OF certainly and satisfac-
SO simple and economical method as the Gam
Doa 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, make the construction Of sea
level canal at reasonable cost far more avail
able than has heretofore appeared possible.
These recent DEVELOPMENTS in the conditions at
tending the construction Of the canal are SO i'm
portant as TO be almost controlling in character.
The remaining element Is that of the time re-
quired 10 make the great summit excavation.
il is 10 be carefully observed that the results
thus far obtained in the Culebra cut have been
reached under disadvantageous conditions Of
both organization Of plant and force. The rail
road tracks serving the excavators are yet frag-
mentary ana tentatively placed to serve the pur-
poses OF investigation. In both respects the dis
position of plant is far more unfavorable both as
10 economy and celerity of operations, than will
be the case when & complete track system has
been arranged and laid down 20 serve a large
number Of steam shovels operated by expe-
rienced force
In the face of these disadvantageous condi-
lions the cost Of excavation has been reduced
far lower than was anticipated, and it has been
demonstrated that each steam shovel may be
counted on TO yield an average record Of at least
engineer estimates that with one hundred steam
shovels installed. with a complete system of
tracks serving them, yearly record of 10000
600 cubic yards Of eXcava ton may be reached
without requiring greater output per shovel, or
greater speed in working, than has already been
attained This rate of working could probably
be reached within two years from the present
time
With the rate Of progress which appears
reasonable TO anticipate, this committee believes
that level canal, with a tidal lock 1000
feet long and 100 feet usable width at Mira
flores, be completed within ten to twelve
years from this time, the bottom width of the
canal being 80 feet and the minimum depth OF
water 81 feet.
mittee 10 express TO the commission its unani-
nous judgment that with the contemplated
system Of working, and with the rate of de-
Veiopment which appears to be justified by the
level canal. free from the restriction of locks, |
should be adopted. This committee believes that |
such canal. with terminal harbors. be con- |
strUcted FOR a sum not exceeding S230,5OODD0
The advantages Of a level canal across |
me lsthmus most obvious II would be a |
waterway with restriction 70 navigation and |
which could easily be enlarged by widening -or |
deepening at any time in the future to accom- |
tnodate an increased traffic. without any incon- |
Nehlence 70 the shipping using IL, whereas lock /
Vsial Is III reality permanent restriction 70 the
,ounle Of traffic and size Of ships that use II. |
,7IthOugh II is possible 10 design and construct /
locks adapted 10 the future transformation to |
sea level canal, that transformation cannot be /
MADE without serious Inconvenience 10 naviga- |
.oh and al a cost so great as to be excessive. |
me additional cost OF a level canal over |
mat OF q canal with locks. with a summit level |
o. O. SIX feet above mean tide Is So 1852 000 or |
sfs'4ZOJO more than the estimated cost OF the |
1eck canal with summit level Of eighty-five /
Ieet above mean tide, proposed by the former
ssstnfnl5n Canal Commission, after allowing
Fo+Dope0 for the Colon breakWater and direct /
ehlIahce not previously estimated. This COM
.hlttee considers this additional expenditure
'ully justified by the advantages secured"
s-