The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-02-20

ages and disadvantages of the canal
at sea-level and the canal with locks
is to be approached then without pref
udice in favor of either as a means of
transit
The plan recommended by the ma
jority of the board is a canal at the
sea-level, following essentially the line
heretofore adopted by congress, ex-
cept near the terminals, the depth to
be 40 feet, and the width at bottom to
be $50 feet where the sides slopes are
gentle, and 200 feet where the side
slopes are nearly vertical, as in rock.
The least area of cross section is S,276
square feet. At the Panama end is a
tide lock, having usuable length 1000
feet, width 100 feet, and depth over the
inter stills 40 feet. In Panama bay
the channel is to be IS feet deep at
extreme low water of spring tides,
which will give the full 40 feet provid-
ed elsewhere in the canal, eXcept upon
rare occasions.
To control the Charges river, a dam
OF masonry, or of earth and masonry,
is proposed at Gamboa, just off the line
OF the canal, built to a height $50 feet
above the sea, forming reservoir
called Gamboa lake, of which the max
imum flow line is to be at elevation
ITO, into which the flood waters are to
be received, but no design therefor is
submitted.
This dam is to be fitted with con-
trolling sluices by which a maximum
discharge of $4,000 cubic feet per Sec
ond is to be admitted to the canal
prism, all in excess of that amount
being temporarily stored until the sub
sistence of the flood. OF the tributaries
entering the Charges below Gamboa,
the most important are diverted en-
tlrely from the canal and conducted
by separate channels to the sea. There
Will still remain a number of tribu-
taries and other streams to be taken
into the canal. Their volume is as
sumed by the board to be such that.
added to the $4,000 cubic feet to be
admitted through the sluices, they
Will create currents of which the
highest mean velocity is computed by
majority to be 2.6 miles per hour.
Ordinarily the velocity will not exceed
/ mile per hour.
Extensive harbor improvements are
proposed at Colon.
The cost of the canal under this plan
is estimated by the majority at s247.-
100000. From the nature of the case
this estimate cannot be made with.
great precision. The quantity of each
class OF work to be done can, as a
rule, be accurately measured, but the
unit price for each class must be
largely a matter of judgment. 1t is
the opinion of this commission that
the unit prices adopted by the board
are, upon the whole, judicious, except
in the case of rock excavation under
water, which seems to us low, but is
accepted here for purposes of COMPARE
son; and that otherwise the estimates
are as near an approximation to the
truth as now can be reached, in all ex-
cept two items. These items are the
excavation in Culebra Cut below ele-
walton 10, given on page 81 as $20,242,-
S77.5O; and the completion of river
diversions, regulation of rivers flowing
into the canal, etc., given on page IS
as $3,500,0O
The first item covers 1914 1902 cubic
yards of excavation. of which 11,439.-
612 cubic yards Is below and the re-
mainder above the level of the sea.
The majority of the board has adopted
q uniform unit price of $1.25 per cubic
yard for the whole This price seems
fair for the portion above the level of
the sea. For the portion below, It
seems to the commission that the price
OF rock excavation under water, $3.50
per cubic yard, should be applied here
40 1t 10 In the adjacent sections of the
Fanal BY the board. II that be done,
he cost Of this Item will be increased
S14.as9515. adding the usual 20 per
cent for contingencies. the estimate
Will b increased 917,169,418. y
The Estimate. n, 800 900. Of the cost
Of completing the river diversions, for