The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-11-16
Plaindeaier.
PANAMA CANAL COMMISSION
May Have to Go Eisewhere for stone
for Building Gafun Dam.

Nay Have 10 TO -
for BuiIding Gafun Dam.
Colon Correspondence of New Orleans
Times Democrat.
Mention has heretofore been made
In these columns of the rock quarry
IN Ancon Hill and of the engineering
skill displayed in building q railroad
un the precipitous slopes under great
disadvantages The rock crushers had
,een installed upon the hillside, found
ID upon solid concrete and further
strengthened by steel cables. II was
supposed that the value OF the rock
taken from the hill would eventually
aay for all the costs and expenses
necessary In building the plant. Not
long ago, however, 1t was officiaily
announced that the quality OF rock
was not quite so good as had former
iy been presumed, and 1t was stated
that perhaps the quarry might be
abandoned Why this was not ais
covered before the expensive plant
as built was not disclosed TO the
wondering public few days ago
/ was discovered that the whole out
ut was In imminent danger OF being
carried to the foot OF the hill by a
'andslide and steps were at once tax
en- to prevent such a disaster
Unfortunately the discovery was
made too late. Although the work
was pushed with frantic energy 1t was
81 no avail. The tremendous pressure
sxerted by the moving earth on the
steep side Of the hill, which has an
altitude OF over 500 feet, was too
xreat. and two or three days after
the preventive measuress Were begun
a large part of the hill gravitated 70
the bottom, carrying destruction in Its
wake. The railroad was practically
destroyed and the immense crusher
plant. with Its concrete foundation.
would have gone to the bottom had IL
not been for the support of the steel
cables. The loss has been estimated
In various amounts. one local paper
placing it as s2.ooo,ooo. This. how
ever Is entirely too much, eonserV-
alive estimate being In the neighbor-
hood Of $500, ZOO. 1t Is stated that the
nroper precautions were not taken
from the beginning and that as re-
suit there will be wholesale clean
ing out of that department OF engi-
neering which had the work in charge
This. of course, has not yet been Of
ficially announced, but now that Col
onel Goethals has returned to the Ca
nal Zone. accompanied by lage
party of congressman, it is not
thought that such announcement VIII
be long delayed.
According to reports from the
states. Governor Blackburn. in an in
terview. stated that the work on Lne
canal was progressing satisfactorily
and that about four million yards
were being taken out every month. II
the Governor made such statement
and there Is no reason to doubt the
newspapers, Il is wondered here upon
what he based his figures. So Tar
there has never been taken from the
canal a yardage so large as tna'
claimed by Mr.. Blackburn. In the
month of March of this year, the high
est record ever made in the canal
work, the dirt removed was about s.
500. 900 yards From that point II
dwfndled down until September the
latest month so far reported. when q
TT1,245 yards were removed. While
the difference between this latter
amount and 1000, 900 is only 100000
Yards, the percentage Of difference Is
about As. In other words, 1t VIII
take nearly half as much more time
to finish the work Of excavation. bas-
ed upon the actual progress. than thai
which would be required II the larger
yardage as announced py the 0ofei-
nor were correct.
The Canal Commission, IL is reliably
stated. is seriously considering the
use of sand from Chame for the Gatun
dam in place of that from Nombre de
Dios, which is now being used. 1t Is
claimed that the sand from the latter
place is so largely mixed with mud
and clay that IL is entirely unsatisfae-
tory for the work in building dam
intended to withstand the pressure Oh
eighty-five feet Of water. 1t comes
from an estate belonging 10 several
different Americans at Nonbre de
Dios. as we'll as from another belong
ing to couple of Panamanians. Az
soon as It was discovered that there
was sand at This place In great guam
titles which could be easily hauled tc
Gatun the commission made prepare
lions to get it out. II was sort OF
bonanza for the commission, inasmuch
as IT had at first been thought ina,
all sand would have TO be Transported
from Chame on the Paeiric size at al
exceedingly higher cost.
At this juncture the owners OF ths
land stepped In and gently intimatec
that they would like compensation foi
the damage to their property whicl
would be caused by the removal o.
the several millions yards OF sahu
The coast around Nombre de Dios II
famous for it's production OF cocoanuti
which grow best along the SANDY
beaches. One firm had large groves
of cocoanuts in this neignporhooo
some of which had been planted Whh'
others grew wild. but all producing {
good income. II the dredges removed
the sand from the beach, and con
tinued TO eat their way toward TN
interior, the groves would have to b
destroyed The commission did no
take kindly to the idea OF paying To-
the sand. The land titles OF the own
ers were attacked, but stood the test
The claim was brought forward ina
these Americans had bought the ian'
for speculative purposes ana 70 hol'
up the commission. but THIS was 1ls
proved when thew showed that the!
had owned the land for years befor'
IL was ever dreamed that 1t would b.
valuable for it's sand. Despite all thi
the commission insisted that II woui,
| take sand and not pay for IT, althonsi
the land was on Panamanian territof.