Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-02-27
iSTHMIkN CANAL COMMISSION
nave Received Definite Engineering
Plans Of Panama Canal

w Washington. Feb. 26.-The first def
lHite engineering plans for the con-
struction of I'll. PenaMa canal have
| -ust been laid before the Isthmian cam
| al commission by the engineering COM
| nittee of that body consisting of Com
| lnissioners Burr. Parsons and Davis
| summed up in this resolution:
Resolved, that this committee an
prove and recommend for adoption bv
| the commission Il plan for a sea lever
canal with a bO!rom width of $50 feet
and a minimum d-ptn of water of g.,
.et. and with twin docks. with Mara-
flores. whose usuablc dimensions shan
be loco feet long and 100 feet wide ar a
total estimated cost Of $50 800. 900
uch estimat-' Includes an allowance for
administration, engineering. sanitation
ana contingencies amounting to S3S.
.10.6pc bat without allowance for in
trreSt during constructions. expense. rr
zone government and collateral costs.
ard with supply, SEW ers or paving Of
Panama or colon, which last items arc
!" be repaid by the inhabitants of
tnoStc tiles
IN" committee estimates that a sea
l"vrl raral can be- completed within
from fo t" l. vars from the present
time.
Actual work With tho rev American
steam shoVtlS in the rult bra cUt has
Demonstrated that the entire txcava-
ton can BE-. done ut q ,cst of fifty
cents crbi. YARD The former
I.thmian canal Commission estimated
this cost at Eighty cents. This reduc-
ton amounts to Il total Of 81. 900 900
ana ii given as justification for the
recommendation for sell level canal.
Til" committee makes these ubSorya-
lions in summing up:
The p:artic3hilIty % certainly ami
satisfactorily controlling the foods of
The thi"rcS by 50 silnple and cconOm-
irGl method rs The Gambnn Lake ard
it, out loW thannelS, and the reduced
cost Of excavation lS actually delncn-
st"ated Dy III" "rcrk of the commission
i" the Culrbrd cat, makes the constrllr-
ton 0f a sell level canal reasonable
far more available than has hnretc-
fore app, AIRED possible. These recent
developments in the Ccnditions attend
ing IL" construction OF thccanal are So
iItrOl tant as to De ;tll"oSt controlling
in tharlctc". Tho raa&ining element
summit oXcaNltion.
The chief engineer estimates that
with 10a steam NhovelS installed with
Il complete system Of tracks serving
them. Il Nc lrly record of 30 90 n0nn cubic
yards OF excavation may be reached
without requiring Il greater output per
shovel or greater speed in working
| than has already been attained. This
rat" Of working could probably BE-
reached within two years from the
| present time.
| With the rate Of progress which now
! appears reISnnH BILE to anticipate. this
| committee believes that Il sea level ca
nal. with tidal lock loco feet long and
| 100 feet usuable width at MarHforcs
can he completed within 10 or |: years
| from this time. the bottom width of the
c:uIal being 80 feet and the minimum
! depth of water 81 feet. This committee
believes that such Il canal with ter
mna harbors. can be constructed for
u sum not exceeding $230 100000.
''The advantages Of i SEA level canal
| across the isthmuS are most obvious.
| II would be Il water way With no re-
Striction 10 navigation ana which
could easily be enlarged by widening
or deepening ut any time in the future.
to accommodate an increased trafii".
without any Inconvenience to III" ship
ping using it. Whereas. Il lock canal is
i'm reality Il permanent restriction to
the volume of traffic ANA size Of ships
that use it. The additional cost of a
SEA ICvel canal over that of a canal
with locks. with Il summit level of CO
feet above mean tida. is S52.4f200o. or
s1!1i2 900 NOR" than the estimated cost
of the lock canal with q summit level
OF VI feet above mean tide. proposed
by the former iSthnliHn canal commits
sion. after all owing 81 $40 000 for the
Colon brcakWatei and direct entrance
not previously estimated. Thi; commit
lee considers this additional eXrendi-
turr fuIly justified ~ III" advantages
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