Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1906-05-17
DEMONSTRATES THAT SHOCKS
ARE NOT FEASIBLE.
Danger OF Seismic Disturbances
Operated Against Nicaragua In
Selection of Site-Wrecked Locks
Would be Serious-Tide Level
Less Dangerous.

DisregardIng the presidents wishes
and rebulting the delays of congress-,
the earthquake has leglslated at Pan
anna. It has decreed that the canal
must be at tide level. Secretary Taft
tells congress that If it fails to act
promptly in deciding on the type OF
canal which II wants, the president
WILL under the authority allowed him
secretary assume is allowed, build a
canal with locks. The earthquake,
which was taking place while the sec
rotary was talking, yetoes the lock
proposition. There are two reasons
why the president favors lock canal
1t can be built for less money than a
sea-leyel canal II can be built quicker
Possibly there is another reason
When the act was passed two years
ago under which the right of way for
the canal was obtained and under
which all the preliminary work has
been done, the lock type was the only
sort Of canal which was considered
practicable and the only kind which
was talked about.
But the feasibility of the tide-level
type OF canal has been revealed since
the Spooner act was passed The
preferability Of that style of canal over
the one with locks has been made 80
plain by n majority Of the engineers
who have looked over the ground that
1t Is desired by the bulk Of the people.
Tho increased expense In money and
time are all the considerations that
can be urged against tho sealevel
canal It would take a year or two
longer TO build than lock canal, and
1t would cost $40 900, 900 or $50 900 600
more money, AS we have the time
and can easily raise the money, these
objections count for nothing. 1t has
been conceded all along that the sea
level canal would cost far less for re4
pairs than the canal with lifts;
that vessels could pass through 1t
quicker, and that 1t could be easier
defended In war. The danger of ser
iouB injury woutd be much less to a
tidollne canal than 1t would be to one
which would need costly machinery to
carry It over the hills. AS we are
building for centuries and not merely
for years or decades, we want the
best sort of n canal which money and
skill can give us.
The earthquake has slenced all con.
troversy as to the type of canal which
will have to be built A dIslocation of
the earth Mt Panama like that which
shook ChlifornIa's coast for the $50
miles from Santa Rosa to Santa Bar
bara would, In a moment, destroy
locks which years would be required
to build, and which months would be
needed to repair, To Il se6-lIne canal
tho wrcnching like that at San Fran.
cisco and the other California towns
would be comparatively harmless One
of the reasons why Panama was pre-
ferred to Nicaragua as a site for the
canal Ia the relative infreQuency of
earthquakes at the former point. But
earthquakes have occurred there
The engineers who have examined the
ground and who have consulted the 10.
cal records tell this. Panama Is In the
Pacific coasts earthquake belt. A
dislocation like that which has just
devastated California may at any mo.
ment hit the Panama isthmus The
mild shakes which have been regis,
tered at Panama In recent years show
that forces are active there such as
have wrecked San Francisco and a
dozen other California towns. Like
all other Americans who realize the
need of an isthman shortcut between
the worlds big oceans. the president
wants results at the earliest possible
moment, But the results that are
needed are results that will stick,
Humiliation as we'll as disaster would
hit us IL. after building lock canal,
an earthquake would strike It. Secre,
tary Taft Is right In warning congress
to act promptly in deciding the type
of canal. The president will urge
decision, so that construction can be.
gin, In reality, nature has taken the
decision out of the hands OF congress
and abolished the lock idea, Congress
work now is to ratlfy the statute
which the earthquake has enacted II
should do this at once.