New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-05-30
FAVORS LOCK CANAL.
Minority of Senate Committee Sub
mitS It's Report.

Washington. May 29.-In recommendation Of
the construction OF a lock canal across the
Isthmus Of Panama the minority Of the Senate
Committee on Interoceanic Canals has drafted
exhaustive report. which submitted TO
the Senate to-day by Chairman Willard One
OF the chief arguments made in favor OF the
lock canal is that the Spooner act shows that
Congress intended that should be the type. al
though the authority to decide conferred
upon the President The minority says:
The President. having taken the advice OF
competent engineers and of the Canal Com
mission has recommended that IL IS advisable
TO construct lock canal
The minority declares that the only question
presented is whether Congress shall annul the
action of the President shall simply hold It's
hand and allow the President to exercise the
power which has heretofore been conferred on
him.
After telling the advantages Of the lock type.
and giving the estimated cost S140OOO,OO0.
the report takes up objection made 10 II
In answer TO objections 70 the scheme of hav-
ing locks placed IN flight. the minority says.
They are placed Immediately together so that
a vessel can move from the water at the highest
level In one lock Immediately into the low level
OF the next lock Locks thus arranged in flights,
or in steps, so to speak are well known devices
in lock construction. and are more OF an ex-
pertinent than a single lock" It is argued that
the 500 Canal demonstrates that it is entirely
possible TO install q system OF lock machinery
which will work with the utmost smoothness.
and that the liability OF accident Is practically
excluded.
Transformation OF q. lock system into sea
level one the report says. could be effected with
out interfering with the traffic in the lock canal
The cost OF such transformation IS estimated
az 5000 GOoO0O. The cost of maintenance OF the
lock canal Is estimated at S20OOUOO year
A large part Of the report IS devoted TO OBJ
jections TO the level canal, cher or which,
II says, is the problem OF controlling the waters
OF the Chagres River. Objection is also made
to the number and sharpness or curves tfdl
would be necessary IN sea level canal
Concerning the danger 70 the lock cana from
malicious mischief and attempted destruction IN
time OF war. the minority says there is no rsa-
son for supposing that neutrality viii not be
accepted by all the nations OF the earth. and
that this would not be the most effective way OF
preventing injury to the canal 1t is argued
that the sea level canal, with it's tidal lock al
Sosa and its narrow gorge through Culeora-
would offer excellent opportunity for destruction
by explosives
The danger from earthquake is not treated as
a serious one. the report quoting testimony 70
show that earthquakes are not frequent az
the isthnus, and that violent earthquakes have
never happened there. Incorporated in the re-
port is a statement by Charles Derleth, jr., pro-
fessor Of structural engineering in the University
OF California, on the subject OF earthquake dam
age in California recently. The report says il
was shown that the reservoir dams and the
buildings constructed properly OF masonry were
uninjured; that the many dams about San Fran
cisco have been examined. with the result that
Mr. Stearns declares that fears expressed for
the canal works at Panama are fanciful in the
extreme.
Estimates made by the majority as 10 the cost
OF the sea level canal disputed by the minor
ity which declares that the total cost will be
about 1912 100000 instead of S24TO00O0o