The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1906-05-23
SEA LEVEL CANAL
RECOMMENDED BY THE SENATE
CANAL COMMITTEE.
EARTHQUAKES CONSIDERED
Fear Expressed That Locks Would Be
unsafe-Shock at San francisco
Overwhelmingly objec-
tjons 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-level
type is apparent from the fact that
feature of the majority report Is DIS
cussion of the effect such an earth
wave might have on locks and dams
The majority report in favor OF
sea.leyel canal was submitted Thurs
day by Senator Kittredge. On the sub
ject of danger from earthquakes on the
isthmus and the possible effect on the
two types of canal proposed the report
says:
1.-The recent calamity that over
whelmed one of our great cities has
caused many forebodings. The asser-
ton that any particular spot in the
tropics is exempt from all danger from
such commissions of nature as recently
visited California or wrought great
havoc near Charleston, S. C., in 1896, or
changed the face of nature in South
western Missouri, near the beginning
of this century, would not be hazarded
by any wise man. That the lsthmus oil
Panama is not exempt conclusively APP
pears and we can have no guaranty
that the canal zone will in the future
be exempt from such disaster.
The canal structures that would be
most exposed to injury by the passing
of an earth wave or violent move
ment of the earth's surface are Inc
locks proposed by the minority, whose
walls, many hundreds of feet or even
two or three thousand feet long AT
Gatun. would, at least some of them,
be more than IS feet high and entirely
unsupported on one side save for
part of the height by water.
IF these walls should be moved a
all. The natural and probable result
would be in their leaking and so pre-
vent the closing of the Sates-an IN
Jury for which suggestion oil extra
gales on hand would be useless, Tor no
one could guess the extent OF the
movement. But the most likely effect
of such shock would be the fracture oil
these locks, in repairing OF winch
much time-months or years -iniShl
be required. and thus cause Interrupt
tion of traffic or the abandonment OF
the canal.
AN earth dam on an alluvial base
as proposed by the minority, might be
assured if the earthquake passed the
| Locality, and If crack in the dam OF
its 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, foi
| the water could not be held in the
mines and directed on the flames. What
would happen TO the aqueduct, con
Quits. pipes and valves. buried In the
concrete walls, used for filling and
emptying the locks, cannot be WEI
| conjecturcd.
| After reviewing the legislation ana
| the messages of the President on the
subject of the canal. the report says IL
Is due to the executive branch oil the
government that the uncertainties con
fronting the President as TO his powers
in the premises be settled and DIS
| posed of atiirmatively, once and Tor all
bv the only national authority com
petent TO pass upon the question-the
| national Legislature.
The division among experts as 10
the best type of canal Is treated by the
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 De
attended with no more and probably
with less hazard than one with locks
and dams on doubtful foundations !;
that the sea-level canal is safer ana
| more convenient than one with locks :
that il would take but little longer
time to build: that II is the simpler
and the more economical In operation
| and maintenance.