Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-24
CANAL M|SHAP TR|FLE
Yet There's No Way to Stop
Settlement of Gatun Dam.
EXCESSIVE RAIN DOES 1T
Engineer Goethals Declares Trouble
Is of No Great Importance.
TWENTY DAYS OF DOWNPOUR
Locks Flooded, Pumping Station
Submerged and Railroad Tracks
Under Water.
TWENTY DAYS OF DOWNPOUR

| PANAMA, November 24.-Owing to the
| exceptionally heavy rainfalls of the las
three weeks the earth on, the crest OF
places.
The Gatun dam, designed to hold ir
check the waters of the Chagres was
| in the beginning fifty feet wide. 1t has
| now been extended to length of 30t
| feet.
In view of the existing conditions the
settlement of the dam was expected. The
| reason is the heavy weight of the en-
bankment.
There is nothing to do to prevent this
falling in. 1t will have to continue.
There have been other settlements ir
the vicinity of the dam at Gatun. Rains
have resulted. Furthermore, in several
landslides in the Culebra cut.
The railroad track is inundated on botl
| sides for a distance of several miles
Transit has not been impeded.
Mishap Not Serious.
Sensational reports are in circulation
here to the effect that what is known
as the South Toe of the dam has sunk
Some time ago rumor had It an under
ground lake had been found there at a
depth of 216 feet. The dam at Gatur
already has been built about forty feet
above sea level.
Lieut. Col. GOethals, chief engineer of
the Panama canal commission. telephoned
the Associated Press that slide had
occurred at Gatun. but that it was of nc
great importance, being similar to others
that have taken place during the rainy
| season at several points along the canal
For the past twenty days it has been
70 int HIM yhny1
public. The Chagres river is flooded and
all the railroad tracks at Gatun are under
water.
The floor of the pumping station is sub
merged to a depth Of more than FIVE feet
Lock sites also are flooded. The pumping
station was used to keep the lock sites
clear from water.
No Report in Washington.
If there has been any serious accident
resulting in the destruction Of the work
at the proposed Gatun dam on the 18TH
| milan canal caused by the recent heavy
| rains, as published by a Panama news
paper and reproduced In this country, nc
mention of that fact has been made by
Col. Goethals chairman of the commits
sion and engineer-in-chief, in charge OF
construction. Daily reports are received
from the commission at the Office here.
1t was pointed out at the commission
| offices today that the work of construct
ing the dam itself at Gatun has not &C
tual1y begun. the engineers having been
at work mainly in laying what are known
as the two "rock-toes," which are retain
ting walls for the dredged material which
will form the dam. Between these two
toes, distance Of LOO feet. the hydraulic
| fill will be made. or in other words the
dam proper will be located.
The silt underneath the rocks from
which the toes are made was not removed.
as will be the case with the bottom of
the dam proper. 1t may be that what has
| sunk from the heavy rains are these
rocks. This sinking, if such be the case.
might be expected. At the commission's
should occur now rather than later on.
after the work of construction on the dam
proper has begun.
If the sinking has taken place, 1t is de-
clared, 1T is not Of material consequence.
River Bed to Supply Fill.
In last years report Of the is -hmian
canal commission it was said that the
geological facts show that as a founda-
ton for an earth dam the alluvium fill
ing the valley of the Chagres river at
Gatun would be satisfactory.
According to late reports received from
the isthmus the unwatering Of the old
bed Of the Chagres between the toe at the
south and that at the north end of the
dam is about completed. 1t was reported
that it would soon be possible to begin
the work of scraping the silt from the
bottom. The whole dam site is to be
cleared of loose earth before the hydraulic
fill between the two toes, a distance of
LOO feet, in reality the dam proper, will
be made