Rocky Ford enterprise., 1906-05-25
SEA Level CANAL
RgcoMMENoEo sY THE SENATE
CANAL COMMITTEE.
EARTHQUAKES CONSIDERED
Fear Expressed That Locks Would Be
unsafe-6hoek at San Francisco
cisevssed-hainority obIes-
tions Answered.


washington.-That the earthquake
which destroyed San Francisco Was an
important factor In determining the
vote Of the Senate Committee ON Inter,
Oceanic Canals in favor Of sea'ieSei
type is apparent from the fact that
feature Of the majority report Is dis
eussion OF the eject such an earth
wave might have on locks and dams.
The majority report in favor OF a
sea,ieyel canal Was submitted Thurs
| day by Senator Kittr.dse. on the sub
ieet Of danger from earthquakes On the
isthmus and the possible effect on tho
two types Of canal proposed the report
says:
"The recent calamity that over
whelmed one OF our great cities has
caused many forcbodingS. The asScE'
tion that any particular spot In tho
tropics Is exempt from all danger from
such conyulsions of nature as recently
visited California or wrought great
havoc near Charleston. s. C.. In 1886. or
changed the fac. OF nature In South
Western Missouri. near the beginning
Of this century. would not be hazaTdcd
by any wise man. That the is,hmnS OF
Panama Is not exempt eoneiusivciy np'
pears and VIC can have no guaranty
that tn. canal zone will In the future
be exempt from such disaster.
Tho canal structures that would DO
most exposed to injury BY the passing
| of an earth wave or violent move
ment OF the carth's sufiae. arc tho
locks proposed by the minority. who's"
walls. many hundreds Of feet. ar even
| two or three thousand feet long at
| Gaiun, would. nt least some Of them.
bs moro ihnn IS feet high and entirely
unsupported on one side hns. Tor
| part Of tho height by water.
IF these walls should be moved nj
ali. tho natural aud probable result
| would DO In their leaking and va pre-
vent tho closing OF the .a;cs-an In
| Jury for which suggestion Of extra
| snt~x on hand would be usclcar. Tor no
ono could guess tho extent OF the
| movement. Hut tho mos; likely effect
| Of such shock would be the fracture os
these locks. In repairing OF which
much timc-months or ycars-misht
be required. and thus cause Interrupt.
tion Of uafic or tho abandonment oi
| tho canal.
"An earth dam on an aiiuvini base
| ms proposed by the minority. might be
insured IL the earthquake passed tho
locality. and II n crack In the dam OF
It's base should open. the dam would
70. out. tho lock. drain. apd the canal
he ruined. y
AT San Francisco. where the water
pipes were broken. the disaster was
.grcntly augmented by this cause. Tor
tho water could not bo held In tho
pipes and directed on the flames. What
would happen to the alueduct. con
.duils, pipes and valves. buried In tho
concrete walls. used for nllins and
cmptying tho locks. cannot be wei!
conjccturcd."
After reviewing the legislation and
the messages OF the President on tho
subject OF the canal. the report says II
| Is duo to the executive branch OF tho
| government that the uncertainties con
| fronting the President as to his powers
| in the premises be settled and dis
posed OF ufilrmatively. once and for all
by tho only national authority com
| petent to pass upon the questioa-tho
national legislature.
Tho division among experts Ms to
| the best typo OF canal is treated by tho
report, which says that the conclusion
has been reached that the following
| PROPOSITIONS are irrefutable:
"That the ideal canal Is one at sea
| level; that its construction would be
| attended with no more and probably
with less hazard than one with locks
and dams on doubtful foundations;
that the sca.level canal is safer and
more convenient than one with locks
that It would take but little longer
| time to build; that It Is the simpler
and the more economical in operation
| and maintenance"