New-York tribune., 1908-07-24
GREAT CANAL HALF DUG
Rand Progress Made at Panama
Under american Control.
IRON The Tribune Buvau. I

washington. July 23.--Nore than half the excaya.-
.son necessary TO oomplete the famous Culebra
rrr where most Of the digging Panama has to
"a soue has been finished. shown in the graphi-
ral statement OF vardage recently prepared by the
Tsrh-lsan Canal Commission and all the other
po-lz required enable ships 10 pass through the
s,.e-oceanic waterway has made proportionate
--oxress since Americans relieved the French Of
- r-esi project Scarcely less interesting. and
giving most informing picture Of the remarkable
Savelouunen. of canal plans meet modern steam
sbs, p-sctice is the typical cross section Of the
So cut which contrasts the little ditch the
-~s,h were digging with the splendid canal which
a. Americans are making practicable for speedy
nsvisation BY the largest vessels likely 70 be de-
signed in many years
,-he latest copy Of the weekly official Canal Rec
,-s- gives an entertaining and instructive state
-,.,t Of the vigor with which the excavation at
-,iah-a cat is being prosecuted and the remark
shle results achieved The Americans in single
,,ss- have taken out nearly much material from
-hs huge cut removed by the old French
company in the ten years before 1890. as well as
--ueh more than the new French company in the
t,e years following 1885 notwithstanding the fact
,ha- the Americans working in much harder
material requiring blasting. and are compelled to
transport this material much greater distances and
- dunn il systematically where il is permanently
,-sluahle instead OF throwing it Unfortunately
ri5s where much Of II would have 70 be handled
~s,n The statement Of The Record" is, in part.
as follows:
--ofle ~ the Panama Canal was published by
the lsnian z1sa 11Sl 3 fbe Tound in the centre
line Of the canal as proposed by the trench sIlo
Ile IIlSeI Flrc,Sghout the entire length OF the canal
Bv simply looking ST this profile without reaolTg o
ne route Of the canal the najort-~ Of men Woula @
70 % Io complete the canal would 0e t4 DuIo 70 PI+
1oo-s snd dams and finish UP the Culebra Nut but
@ " rsrrow and the greater portion so over
.zn with vegetation Of al kinds that one riding
rceSI5 be Led 70 believe that the French accom-
no1 the intention to criticise unfsvorably the
v1-k done by the French In fact among eng eng
-ntshed and who realize the great difficulties WIN
55ti-S they had 10 contend n their prelnlnalLs 1l
We on The isthrnus deserve great deal OF praise
-fsv have made the work easier for nose VIZ Mtp
are -, - STaT 1sa4 the french with the old
exoaT25G of bout tt7irty-three thousand cubic
ards month about 80 Per cent iess 1hs1 he- =
leans with ne sane Sso8ern o,ipent in track
re ri transportation. all brought Up 70 me IN ~
mum efaoienca YeaF ear 6a1s ar made it possible to
rrsIcrIsre with some degree OF accuracy "liei INC
PaRan4E Es3 9Sn4i ~ SbanRel between Colon and the
Chagres River, near Bas 0olspe; ps.ed aH in width
ron % q goo feet, and i is being WleSI1eo sIrs
- a feet OF water That part OF me cal.s5 -5
ssTss56 s50 7snde 53s Rio at PEDRO Miguel distance q
g. miles known as the Culehrs Cut waS a re french
sss,.r Issa The accompanying diagram oI yar@oase @
\ the = +e narrovSest point shows the amount
II work done by the French the aInounL t % ~ ~ ,a
Sone ~ the Americans and the anounI, yeL &c @ 4
done done About the same comparison will apply 10
work outside Of the Cuebra division. of 7sos 10
.5s o1it how much remained to be taken ouI. =
vas oaSeo "a - si the slope line shown Typical
Cross Section as adopted oy me +boS nos - ~ hand
ing ne ;eIIt i-7Tesbie 70 oonfine the prism 10
s = tines as the steam shoves make almost
vertical c1,t leaving the slopes stepped lIsteau q
~ --airlt line Then too. il is necessary 10 e1
o. . e so inciine tracks leading from the cut az
different points Slides also haTS e I1ssing II
rrsossss4v 70 remove the material until the ansf
q repose is reached wnlcn N oriR4sIlT adopted
much Aarter slope than was F r1s.+erIsf vet
thus the estimate Of the amount o. 9sT IniI1ion
r,bi- ards depending the number OF lhCithes ne
that zil be built and the numoer OF sliueS Ina
n7g g. deEs2T o6t Of material in the slides and the
cuts for incline tracks tnat rnake ~ as in the
canal prism and all that when rs eLGrs +oSe and
strs-sso~ % cEannels: has been and will be classea
accessory work and Is not incrsu @ tslte * from
ne cs7sI 7-ism a great deal Of this necessary
outside work has been done & up 70 bf,e Hf II is prac-
fi-sii- i-rossible 20 estimate exactly the luIIl.
T5leb-s 5t vet with the method Of cross sectlon-
ing adopted when the Americans ans, on T1sT Is com
1is-e5 he amount Of material removed as meas
-lzr determined NiJhlIl a L" Ea -
TFs s-e5rr shovels compelled 70 haIlale Cll
Fi5e-zbIe amount of material Tor NIllCn e.L
NJ credit in r47e cross section measurements SG
se the s7a-isI rha- slides of the cars while being
io-S.5 &c = needing shovel and also the crushed
Ftone used IN bsllasting the running LrachS 5
sTs 1ov- aour tfirty-seven miles Of track inside
ia r--~- IN he Culebra division, ana Ifese
sre freguertv shifted ACCOMMODATE Ine IoaILe
However. least one track tflrolEi-
ouf The C1.T or about nine miles OF track ls kept
6snas-ed for handling the loaded trains This bal
A. amounts 10 about thousand cub1c yarus
r-iis fc- handling which credit is given the
shoveis