Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1906-05-25
FEAR OF EARTHQUAKES CAUSED SENATE
COMMITTEE TO 50 DECLARE.
No Guaranty That the Canal Zone Will In Future
Be Exempt From Such Disasters as Over.
wheImed San Francisco.

Washington, May2l.-That the eartn-
nuake which destroyed San Francisco
was an important afctor in determin-
Ing the vote OF the senate committee
On interoceanic annals In favor Of a sea-
level type is apparent from the fact
that a feature of the majority report Is
q discussion OF the effect such an earth
wave might have on locks and dams.
The majority report in favor Of a
sea-level canal vas 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 re-
port says:
. 1.-THE recent calamity hat overwhelmed
one of our great cities has caused many
torebodings. Ihe assertion that any par
ticular spot in the tropic Is exempt from
all CauScr tom suct, COMMISSIONS OF ma
ture Us recently visited California or
wrought great havoc near Charleston.
s. c.. in 1886, o. changed the face OF
nature In southeastern Missouri. near the
beginning OF the century, would not DE
halaIdJu BY any wise man. Ihat the
lstnmus OF Panama IS not exempt CON
ciusiveiy Appeals, ana we can nave no
guaranty that the canal zone will In the
future be exempt from such disaster.
EEcct of Earthquake.
1.-THE cana. structures that would be
most exposed TO injury by the passing Ut
an eartn wave or violent movement OIL
the earth's surface are the locks pro,
hundreds of i.ct, or even two Or three
thousand tee; long at Gatun would. at
least some OF them. be more than 10 feet
hiph and .,tiv4IN nnGlrnnrfnI m ono
side save for Il part OF the height by
water. II these walls should be moved
at all. the natural and probable result
would be in their leaking and SO pre-
vent the closing of the g~ates-an INJURY
for which a suggestion OF extra gates on
hand would be useless. for no one could
the most likely effect of such shock
would be The fracture Of these locks, in
repairing OF which much time-months
or ~ycars-miGht be required. and thus
cause interruption OF traffic or the aban-
donncnt of the canal.
The minority, suggests that the dam
board. would be as likely to sustain in
jury from such ~coi.vulsion as the struc-
ture above mentioned. This is not the
solid rock, foundation, reinforced with
strong wallis of rock: 1t Is a structure
The least likely to be affected of any
no record is found in any. similar struc-
ture being permanently injured under
similar circumstances. The side slopes
likely to be disturbed than are the nearly
vertical slopes near the divide, that have
never been affected.
"An earth dam on alluvial base, as
proposed by the minority, might he fs-
surcd If tn. earthquake passed the local
ity, ana r. a crack In the dam or its
base, should open. the dam would go, out,
AT San Francisco, where the water
pipes were broken. the disaster was
greatly augmented by this cause. for the
and be directed on the flames. What
would happen to the aqueduct conduits,
pipes and valves buried in the concrete
locks. can not he we'll coniectured."
Must Decide Type.
After reviewing the legislation and
the messages of the president on the
subject of the canal. the report says
1t Is due to TIE executive branch OF
the government that the uncertain
ties fncoronting the president as to
his powers in the premises be settled
and disposed Of afflrmatively, once and
for all. by the only national authority
competent to pass upon the question
the national Legislature.
The division among experts as Il
the best type OF canal is treated BY
the report. which says that the con
clusion has been reached that the fol
lowing propositions are i~rrefutable
That the ideal canal Is one at Sc:
lie, ell; that its construction would b,
attended with more. and probabl,
with less, habard than one with lock-
and dams on doubtful foundations
that the sea-level canal is safer an,
more convenient than n with locks
that 1t would take but little longe
time to ubild; that 1t Is the simple