Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-05-18
Probable Effect Of Earthquakes q Determin.
ing Factor.
COST OF OPERATION IS ANOTHER
Report Says Type Of Waterway Should be
Determined Soon.
MINORITY FAvoRs SYSTEM OF LOCKS
II AAya That Properly Constructed
Dams would Not be Liable
to Injury be seispic
shoekH.

WASHINGTON. May 1s.-That the
earthquake which destroyed san Francisco
was an important factor in determining
the vote Of the senate committee on in
terooeanic canals In favor Of a sea-level
type is apparent from the fact that
feature Of the majority report is dis
cusston Of the effect such an earth wave
might have on locks and dams The ma
3ority report in favor of a sea-level canal
was submitted today by Senator KIT
redge. On the subject of danger from
earthquakes on the isthmus and the pos
stble effect on the two types of canal
proposed the report says:
The recent calamity that overwhelmed
enc OF the great cities has caused many
fprebodings. The assertion that any par
ucular spot in the tropics is exempt from
all danger from such convulsions OF ma
ture as recently visited California or
wrought great havoc near Charleston, s.
C., IN 1885, or changed the face of nature
In southeastern Missouri, near the be
hazsrded by any wise man. That the
isthmus Of Panama is not exempt, conclu-
siyely appears and we can have no guar guar.
be exempt from such disaster.
The canal structures that would he most
exposed TO injury by the passing of an
earth wave or violent movement Of the
earth's surface are the locks proposed by
the minority, whose walls, many hundreds
OF feet or even 1000 or 1000 feet long
At Sutan would, at least some of them,
be more than seventy-fve feet high and
entirely unsupported on one side save for
8 part of the helghth by water.
Probably EJECT of TrembIer.
II these walls should he moved at all
the natural and probable result would
be in their leaking and so prevent the
chasing of tho in tury for uhich n
a 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 he the
fracture of these locks, in repairing of
which much time-monthR or years
might be required. and thus cause inter-
ruption of trafic or the abandonment of
the canal.
The minority suggests that the dam at
! Gamboa included in the plan OF the board
would be as likely TO sustain injury from
such convuiston as the structure above
mentioned. This is not the fact. The Gam
boa dam is built on a solid rock foundation.
reinforced with strong walls and but
tressed at either end with walls of rock
1t is a structure the least likely to be af-
fected OF any supsrimposed on the earth'1
surface and no record is found OF any SINH.
lar structure being permanently injured
under similar circumstances. The side
slopes of the Culebra cut would be no more
likely 10 be disturbed than are the nearly
vertical slopes near the divide, that have
never been affected. An earth dam on ar
alluvial basis, as proposed by the minority
might be assured IL the earthquake passed
the locality, and II crack in the dam OF
its base should open the dam would go out
the lock drain and the canal be ruined.
San FranciscO's Experience.
"At San Francisco. where the water pipel
were broken, the disaster was greatly aug
mented by this cause. for the water ooult
not be held in the pipes and directed or
the names What would happen to tn,
Saueduct cOnduits pipes and valves burieC
in the concrete walls used for filling and
Smptying the locks cannot be well conjec
tured-"
After reviewing the legislation and IN,
messages of the president on the suhjec
of the canal the report says it Is due t
the executive branch that the uncertainties
confronting the president as 10 his power
in the premises be settled and disposed o
anirmatively. once and for all. by the onl!
national authority competent TO pass upoI
the questionable national legislature.
The division among experts as 10 the bes
type Of canal is treated by the report
reached that the following propositions ar
irrefutable: That the ideal canal is one a
sea level; that its construction would b
attended with no more and probably witt
less hazard than one with locks and dam
on doubtful foundations; that the sea leve
canal is safer and more convenient thai
one with locks; that 1t would take bu
little longer time to build. that Il is sim
pier and more economic in operation an
maintenance.
Locks and Dams DanEerous.
A chapter of the report is devoted TO tn
locks and dams proposed by the minorit
report OF the consulting engineers an
these are asserted TO be an element o
danger. The various accidents TO Whic
such mechanism might be subject are re
counted and the report asserts that thes
hazards can be avoided by the small sacri
nee OF time necessary to the constructor
OF the sea level canal. The claim is mad
by the report that ships OF all classes coul
be passed through the sea level canal 4
eight hours and that half that time wouI
be consumed in passing ships through lock
alone,
The cost OF annual maintenance is est
mated AZ S,SaO.Ooo for sea level and Sc, so o.
for the lock type
Discussing the advantage OF the sea-lsv,
canal 20 the country controlling it in tim
OF war, abe report says:
IF free from ali obstacles 10 quick trans
100 Narships OF average size moving
one direction. route clear, could be passe
from ocean 10 ocean in less than a day
"Al naval commanders and commerce.
masters OF the great national and privat
vessels Of the world are almost to a ma
opposed unalterabIy 10 the Introduction ,
any lock 20 lift vessels over the low SUNNI
thar nature has left us 10 remove"
The majority argues that an enemy coul
destroy a lock canal much easier than
sea-levsl canal with explosives
AZ 60 Expense.
The ultimate hnal cost OF the sea-lev,
canal. as estimated by the majority.
tst0OO0O00, while the cost OF the lock tyI
4 regarded uncertain. The minority ,
the board OF consulting engineers estimate
the cost az tss.TlB.2OO and To this n
majority says should be added the intare,
continusd on Second PAEsJ