Omaha daily bee., 1908-11-30

NCOhAiiAutu AIoAl. HbN EdANsI
the year 27,52s were admitted for treat
ment; of this number S9 died, LBS were
still undergoing treatment at the close Of
the year, and the balance were discharged.
TIL two hospitals at Ancon and Colon
at present care for most of the sick.
About twenty sick camps along the line
care Ss for tn the slightly sick, and the more
pital train to take them to the terminal
hospitals. The old building at Culebra
was converted into a hospital for peniten-
uary patients, though still used as a sick
camp for that station.
Municipal Engineering.
The work of this division consisted of the
completion Of the waterworks, sewerage
the cost OF which Is to be reimbursed to the
United States through the collection of
water rates in those cities, and of the con-
struction of waterworks and sewerage sys-
TENS, paving and grading and road making
IN the canal zone. The total cost OF the
work done was 1867, 1889.
The project prepared by the minority
members of the board OF consulting en-
glneers for the lock type of canal pro-
vided for a flight of three locks at Gatun,
a flight or two locks at La Boca, and one
at Pedro Miguel. The locks Mt La Boca
were placed on the west side of Sosa hill
and were to overcome the difference of the
level between the ocean and a lake formed
by the Sosa- Corozal and the Sosa-San
Juan dams. Steps we're taken to construct
the former OF these dams in accordance
WIN tHe proposed plan, anu lfeSlleS were
built along the toes from which to dump
material from CulebTa cut. The t~restles
failed after the dumping from them began
and the material everything the rock moved
laterally, carrying the superimposed mass
with It. In places this lateral motion con-
tinued for two weeks after the dumping
had stopped. The ground on either side
of and for some distance from the dump
was forced up, forming mounds OF mud.
the crests of which gradually approached
the level of the dump proper.
lished between the dump and the adj
jacent mounds the hump or wave would
again move out when the track was shifted
settling Of the track Of six TO ten feet when
loaded trains were applied. Dumping from
%trestles of less height secured no better
Foundation for Dam.
When the difficulty developed, investiga-
lions by behring's and test pits were made
to determine the character OF material
everything the rock. II was found to be,
for the greater part, an unctuous blue clay
without grit, possessing very little sup
porting power, instead Of a stiff clay, as
indicated on the profiles. The depth OF the
rock below varied from ten to seventy feet,
and in order to build the dams more money
and time would be required than had been
estimated.
When this became evident, a careful ex-
animation of the canal route from Pedro
Miguel to the Pacific was undertaken, by
wash and diamond drill borlngs and test
pits, to ascertain IL a more suitable place
for the locks and dams could be found.
In making these examinations care was
taken to secure samples of the materials
to be encountered at the various depths,
as well as core OF the rock for depths Of
twenty-five feet below the foundation level
OF the lock walls. ,sea
A study of the data thus obtained led 90
the .conclusion that one clock at Pedro
Miguel and two at Mirafiores offered the
most economical GR61 desirable solution.
The advantages Of this plan over the then
existing project were that dams of lower
comparatively near the surface could be
more easily constructed and could be com
pleted at an earlier date; and finally that
the locks in this location would be pro-
tected against all possibility of distant
bombardment and would be less exposed
to gunboat or torpedo boat attack. AS a
consequence, the commission recommended
a change In the project. which received
the approval OF the president on December
10. 1907.