Gilpin observer., 1906-05-24
SEA Level CANAL
RECOMMENDED BY THE SENATE
CANAL COMMITTEE.
EARTHQUAKES CONSIDERED
Fear Expressed That Locks Would Be
Unsafe-Shock at San Francisco
niscussed-Minority objee-
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 a sea-level
type is apparent from the fact that a
feature of the majority report is a dis
cussion 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
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 Isthmus OF
Panama is not exempt conclusively ap-
pears and we can have no guaranty
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 the
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 rs feet high and entirely
unsupported on one side save for a
part of the height by water.
"If 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 gates-an in
jury for which suggestion of extra
gates on hand would be useless, for no
one could guess the extent of the
movement But the most likely effect
of such shock would be the fracture OF
these locks, in repairing of which
much time-months or years-might
| be required, and thus cause Interrupt
ton Of traffic or the abandonment OF
| the canal.
"An earth dam on an alluvial base
as proposed by the minority, might be
| fissured if the earthquake passed the
| LOCALITY, and If a crack in the dam or
it's base should open, the dam would
go 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 directed on the flames. What
would happen to the aqueduct, con-
duits, pipes and valves, buried in the
concrete walls. used for filling and
emptying the locks, cannot be wei.
conjectured."
After reviewing the legislation and
the messages of the President on the
subject of the canal, the report says it
is due to the executive branch of the
government that the uncertainties con-
fronting the President as to his powers
in the premises be settled and dis
posed Of affirmatively, once and for all.
by the only national authority COM
petent to pass upon the question-the
national legislature.
The division among experts as to
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 be
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 and
more convenient than one with locks |;
that it would take but little longer
time to build; that 1t is the simpler
and the more economical in operation
and maintenance"