Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1908-11-30
GREAT PROGRESS MADE
IN EXCAVATION 'OF
BIG CANAL Y
Annual Report of lsthmian
Canal Commission Shows
Satisfactory
Conditions.
| MORE THAN EIGHTY
MILLIONS Spent
Work Is Proceeding at Great Rdtt
and the Canal Zone Is Now
(, In Best Shape Possible.
Says Colonel
Cocthals.

Washington. Nov. so.--The annual
report of the Isthmian canal commits
sion by Colonel Geo. w. Goethals.
chairman and chief engineer. which
was made public here today. shows
that the United States has spent so
far In acquiring and building the
canal and In renovating the canal
zone, total of ss4.672.sss.56. leav-
ing a balance available July 4, 1908.
for the prosecution of the work Of
sSs. .ss1. .470.0s.
| Colonel Goethals In his report. goes
into the work in detail and tells of
what has been accomplished in the
big project. He says In part;
! In order to concentrate authority.
to expedite the transaction of busi-
ness TO secure proper coordination,
TO fix definitely the responsibility In
any particular case. and to reduce the
cost of administration, a complete re-
organization was undertaken toward
tho close Of the fiscal year. to be ef-
fected gradually. beginning July !.
by which all construction work, In
any given district. irrespective Of Its
character would be placed under one
head, the necessary authority having
been received from the secretary OF
s-at or the transfer OF duties as be-
tween departments. required by ex-
ecutive order OF January 8, 1908.
To accomplish the object sought,
the zone was divided into three parts.
each of which Is to constitute q di-
vision under the department of con-
struction and engineering, the d.
vision engineers reporting direct to
the chief engineer. The first is to in
ciude all territory north Of Taberp-
lila, to be designated the Atlantic di-
vision; the second 10 to extend from
Tabernilia to Pedro Miguel, TO be
named the central division. and the
third. extending from Pedro Miguel
to deep dater in the Pacific, will con-
} stitute the Pacific division. AS the
reorganization is not complete at this
time, its details must be left for the
next annual report
! Excavation and Dredging.
Culebra Division-This division ex-
tended from the Chagres river In the
vicinity OF Gamboa to include the
Pedro Miguel lock, q distance of 90
|
excavated in the Culebra division dur
ing the year was 12.065.13s cubic
yards, place measurement, OF which
l1.6s5.253 cubic yards were from
the canal prism and the balance for
accessory works.
Chagres Divlsion-This division
covered a distance of about twenty
three miles and extended from Gatun
, to q point where the canal crosses
the Chagres river at Gamboa. The
river crosses the canal line twenty
three times within the limits OF this
division, so that during construction
a considerable portion OF the prism
is subject TO overflow by floods, and
to such an extent that progress OF
work is liable to be slow during the
rainy seasons.
During the fiscal year excavation
was begun on four different sections.
At San Pablo work was commenced
In August and 634 S32 cuDic yards
were removed during the balance OF
the year; there remains to complete
this section 744.s07 cubic yards. Work
was begun at Caimito on October 1;
the estimated amount OF material to
; be removed from this section is D.
079,4s3 cubic yards, OF which 655,-
346 cubic yards were excavated dur
ing the year. In the vicinity OF Mata-
chin 1852 600 cubic yards are to be
removed, and 434,151 cubic yards
were taken out since December 80,
when work was commenced. Al
Santa Cruz. between Matachin and
the Chagres river. the removal OF
l 277.S00 cubic yards is necessary TO
secure the prism, and OF this amount
1913 Sss cubic yards were exeavated
since February %.
The total amount OF material ex-
cavated was 1.774,124 cubic yards
place measurement all from the
canal prism.
Colon Dredging Divisiou-A total
OF 5,OS7623 cubic yards OF material
was removed, OF which 4,s47.33O Gu
bic yards were from the canal prism
and the remainder from accessory
works.
La Boca Dredging Division-Thert
have been used on this stretch OF the
canal the seagoing suction dredge
Culebra, which went into commission
on January /. and four French lad
der dredges. The dipper dredge was
taken out OF commission on January
In, 1903. as not suitable for handling
THE soft material and win be util'