The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1906-05-25

Washington. May2i.-That the earth
quake which destroyed San Francisco
was an important afctor in determin-
Ing the vote OF the senate committee
on i%nteroceanic .anals In favor Of a sea
level type Is apparent from the fact
that a feature OF the majority report is
a discussion OF the effect such an earth
wave might have on locks and dams.
The majority report in favor OF a
sea-level canal was submitted Thurs
LAY by Senator Kittredge. On the sub
lect Of danger from earthquakes on the
isthmus and the possible effect on the
two types OF canal proposed. the re-
port says:
This recent calamity that o~verwhelmsd
one OF our great cities has caused many
f-Oreoouings. Inc assertion that any par
ucular spot in The trOpic Is exempt from
al e4usrr nom sucl, COMMISSIONS OF ma
tUrv as recently visited JAnIurnla. Or
wrought srtlt havoc near charleston,
>. g.. a. $50. Or change the face VI
nature IA southeastern Missouri, near the
beginning % the century, MCuid not o.
ha@a4NSu u any wise man. mat ms
istum4s OF Panama - not exempt con-
cluslNvly appears. and We can nave no
guaranty that the canal zone Viii Ia The
t4tu.s be exempt from sucn disaster.
Enect OF Earthquake.
The cana. structures that would be
most exposed to injury 10y the passing u
al .artn wave OF violent movement Of
the earth surface are the locks pro-
,yseu bA the m4nJilty. whose walls. many
hLHurSus OF Iyet. o. even Two or three
thousaAd feet long at Gatun would, at
least some OF them, De more than - feet
HNuh AMI 4nHnW.lN- o. EnFtVarF.MI gL. AnA
side save for a part OF the height by
water. IL these walls should be moved
al all the natural and probable result
would be Ia their leaking and so pre-
vent the closing ~ The gates-an injury
for which a suggestion OF extra gates Oh
hand would be useless. for no one could
guess the extent OF the movement But
the most likely effect or such shock
would lie the fracture OF these locks. IN
repairing OF when mucn months
u ycar-micnt be required. anu mus
cause interruption o. traffic or the aDaA-
COnn.cnt OF the canal.
The minority suggests that the dam
at Gamh0a irglCdt IN tn. plan OF the
board. would be as likely 10 sustain in
jury from such Coas-4s.un as the struc-
ture above mentioned THIS Il NOT the
fact The .aHboa dam Is haht ON a
solid rock foundation. reinforced with
strong walls Of rock; II is a structure
the least likely 10 be affected of any
superimpoScd on the earth's surface. and
no record Is found in any ImilAr struc-
ture being permanently injured under
EltNANAf AN4 tlAAENAHAN1r AME -AAf EN ENH
or the Culebra cut would be no more
likely 70 be disturbed than are the nearly
vertical slopes near the divide. that have
never been affected.
IAN earth lam On ~aliuvial base. as
proposed by the minority, might be rs
surci ~ IN earthquake passed the local
base should open. the dam would 20 out.
the lock drain. and the canal BE- ruined.
AT San Francisco. where the water
pipes were broken. the disaster was
greatly augmented by this cause for the
water could not be held IN the pipes
and be directed on the flames What
pipes and valves buried in the concrete
walls used for films and emptinE the
locks. can not be well coniectured."
Must Decide Type.
After reviewing the legislation and
the messages OF the president on the
subject OF the canal. the report says
II is due TO the executive branch OF
the government that the uncertain
ties f%ncoronting the president as 10
his powers in the premises be settled
and disposed OF afirmatively. once and
for all. by the only national authority
competent to pass upon the question
the national legislature.
The division among experts as to
lHe jest Aspt vi Odhdi u Altdttu "
the report. which says that the con
clusion has been reached that the fol.
lowing propositions are irrefutable:
That the ideal canal is one at sea
level; that its construction would be
attended with more. and probably
with less. habard than one with locks
and dams on doubtful foundations:
that the sea-level canal is safer and
more convenient than one with locks:
that e would take but little longer
time to ubild. that it is the simpler