The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-16
PesTu.nl UIVes Strength 10 ?
Body.
VIEW PANAMA CANAL PROJECT.
Plan by Which, Its Author says, the Canal
Can lie Completed by 1913.

WASHINGTON, April l5.-Two Zig boxes
we're delivered at the White House Eie y
OF two before President Roosevelt departed
for the West by Col Edwards chief Of the
Insular Bureau Of the War Department .
When opened they were found TO contain
beautiful models Of relief mars Of the
Panama Canal. President Roosevelt, Cahi-
net Ministers and other callers examined
the maps with great interest, as a lso have
CT Altman Shonts, Chief Engineer Wallace
and the members Of the new Panama Canal
Commission.
These models present in graphic form
an entirely new project for solving the
physical problem at Panama, and this
project Is deemed so promising that for its
consideration President Roosevelt ordered
the creation Of a board Of consulting en-
gneors. composed Of the most eminent
professional men to be found in the Grid.
During the coming autumn It il e1pect' d
the board Of engineers will assemble in Il is
city and probably go to the Isthmus to
make a thorough investigation and decide
upon tho plan to be adopted.
Tho new prof ect is the work Of Linden
W Bates, the eminent hydraulic engineer
Mr., Bates is an American, but most Of his
work has been done abroad. As youth
he had valuable experience in building
mountain railways in the West. He exc
cuted an important contract on the Chicago
drainage canal There he invented and
built hydraulic dredge which has revo-
lutionized dredging throughout the world,
He built monster dredges for the Mississippi
River Commission. The Belgian Govern
ment invited him 10 prepare plans for the
enlarged harbor at Antwerp. He carried
out important dredging work for the Rus
sian Government on the Volga. He pre-
pared plans for the Indian Government for
improving the river at Calcutta, ono Of the
most difficult pieces Of engineering in the
world He devised plans for similar work
at Adelaide and other ports in Australia
for the Australian Government; also for
the Improvement OF the st. Lawrence for
the Dominion Government, and many moro
In various countries.
Last year he visited the Isthmus and made
a careful study Of the Panama problem.
The result Is the present project, which j.
entirely new and differs materially from
any previous plan.
The principal feature Of Mr.. Rates's
scheme is the creation Of lakes out Of the
swamps near the terminals Of the canal
which will not only obyiate the necessity
for most Of the excavation in those places
always of the most unhealthy character
but will also enable greater speed through
the lakes than in the canal banks, reducing
the time across the Isthmus from thirteen
hours estimated by sea level canal. to
eight and a half OF nine hours These lake
he proposes to form bv the construction Of
barraRes between the hills 20 as to impound
the waters OF the Chagres River which are
10 be diverted pa rtly toward the Atlantic
and partly toward tho Pacific. The lakes
are 10 lie fitted with spillways TO discharge
surplus waters, such as floods from the
Chagres. into both oceans. Twenty-six
miles of the distance across the Isthmus
would by this plan he through the lakes
Either two or four locks would he necessary
and Mr.. Bates figures the canal could lie
completed 10y 1918 as against lsl5-ie for a
sea level canal. The cost OF the canal
the sea level project will cost $3.50, 600 600.