Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-12-17
yiesepra, .5tlaratulItu,u,4 gmua afremher II 1906

,flIsuAvIeatb m5AIeaLd1lct1AkAAAV
the dams, may still occur. The La
Boca dams offer no particular prob
lem, the bottom material being SO good
that there is practical certainty, not
merely as to what can be achieved,
but as to the time of achievement.
The Gatun dam offers the most seri-
GUS problem which we have to solve;
and yet the ablest men on the isthmus
believe that this problem Is certain OF
solution along the lines proposed;
although. of course, It necessitates
great toll, energy and intelligence, and
although equally, of course, there will
be some little risk In connection with
the work The risk arises from the
fact that some of the material near
the bottom is not so good as could be
desired. II the huge earth dam now
contemplated is thrown across from
one foothill to the other we will have
what is practically low. broad, noun
tain ridge, behind which will rise the
inland lake. This artificial mountain
will probably show less Ieepage. that
is, will have greater restraining ca
pacity than the average natural noun
tain range. The exact locality Of the
locks at this dam-as at the other
dams-is now being determined. In
April next Secretary Taft, with three
of the ablest engineers of the country
-Messrs. Noble, Stearns and Ripley
will visit the isthmus, and the three
engineers will make the final and con-
elusive examinations as to the exact
site for each lock. Meanwhile the
work is going ahead without a break.
The Culebra cut does not offer such
great risks; that is, the damage liable
to occur from occasional land slips
will not represent what may be called
major disasters. The work will mere
ly call for intelligence, perseverance,
and executive capacity. 1t is, howev-
er, the work upon which most labor
will have to be spent. The dams will
be composed of the earth taken out OF
the cut and very possibly the building
of the locks and dams will take even
longer than the cutting in Culebra
itself.
In culebra Cut.
The main work is now being done In
the Culebra cut. It was striking and
impressive to see the huge steam
shovels in full play, the dumping
trains carrying away the rock and
earth they dislodged. The implements
Of French excavating machinery, which
often stand a little way from the line
of work, though OF excellent construc-
ton, look like the veriest toys when
compared with these new steam SHOW.
els. just as the French dumping cars
seem like toy cars when compared
with the long trains Of huge cars.
dumped by steam plows, which are
now. in use. This represents the enor-
nous advance that has been made in
machinery during the past quarter Of q
century. No doubt q quarter OF cen
fury hence this new machinery, OF
which we are now so proud. will sim
fairly seem out of date, but 1t Is GER
tainly serving its purpose we'll now.
The old French cars had to be entire
" discarded. We still have in use q
few OF the more modern, but not most
modern, cars, which hold but twelve
yards OF earth. They can be employed
on certain lines with sharp curves.
But the recent cars hold from twenty.
five to thirty yards apiece, and instead
of the old clumsy methods of unload
ing them, a steam plow is drawn from
end to end Of the whole vestibuled
train, thus immensely economizing
labor. In the rainy season the steam
shovels can do but little in dirt, but
they work steadily in rock and in the
harder ground. There were some
twenty-five at work during the time !
wan on the isthmus, and their tremen-
dous power and efficiency were most
impressive.
New Records for Excavation.
As soon as the type Of canal was de-
cided this work began in good earnest.
The rainy season will soon be over
and then there will be an immense in
crease in the amount taken out; but
even during the last three months. In
the rainy season, steady progress is
shown by the figures In August. 242,-
900 cubic yards; in September, 291,-
600 cubic yards, and in October, 1885,
600 cubic yards. In October new
records were established for the out
put Of individual shovels as well as
for the tonnage haul of individual
locomotives. hope to see the growth
Of healthy spirit Of emulation be-
tween the different shovel and loco
motive crews, Just such q spirit as has
grown on our battleships between the
different gun crews in matters of
Workmanship. Passing through the
cut the amount Of new work can be
seen atA glance. IN one place the en-
tire side of a hill had been taken out
recently by twenty-seven tons Of dyna-
mite. which were exploded at one
blast. At another place was given .
presidential salute of thirty-two
charges Of dynamite. On the top
notch Of the Culebra cut the prism is
now as wide as it will be; all told, the
canal bed at this point has been sunk