Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-27
GOIN6 BACK TO THE STHMUS
ENGINEER-IN-CHI OF CANAL
LEAVES WASHINGTON.
Col. Goethals Makes Statement in
Support of the Lock Plan.
Gives Details.

More then ever convinced OF the ad-
vantages of lock canal over a sea-levcl
waterway at Panama, Col. George w.
Goethals. chairman and enginccr-in-chief
of the isthman canal commission. left
here for New York last night to sail for
Panama today.
Unless there is some unforeseen Dim
Guilty. such AS labor trouble or an cpl
demic of some kind. feel confident that
the canal will be opened by January I.
1915 said Col. Goethais. II vas migi-
| nally an advocate Of a sea-lcvcl cana; at
Panama. but that was at time when
l formed my judgment upon what seem
ed TO be the demand of commerce. and
| from general information concerning
conditions that would be encountered
Going to the isthmus about two years
ago, observation and careful study OF
conditions convinced me that the con-
| struction of a sea-level canal would in
Volve expense SO great as to make IL I'M
practicable. and at the same time would
| result less satisfactorily because OF diff
culties connected with its maintenance.
Believes in Lock Canal.
'Since that time everything that has
| come to my attention has strengthened
| my belief in the advantages Of LOCK-
canal. In the matter Of drainage alon.
| the sea-level project involves such Sc
| rious difficulty as to make necessary
| plans entirely different from any tina,
have ever been formulated. Projects ir
| the past have taken into consideration
the control of the Chagres river and
other large streams. but practically
| ignored many small waterways that one
| can step over at times, but which
| have seen swell within a couple of hours
to torrents fifteen or sixteen feet deep.
| roi,, Fol CT y,A,,
makes each one Of these waterways OF
the utmost Importance If they should
| be allowed to flow into the canal currents
| would be created making navigation I'M
| material would be washed into the cana
| prism. creating bars that would fire.
Quently have to be drcdged out. This
matter of drainage is so great that
| am convinced that the only practicable
| plan for the construction of sea-level
| project would involve the building Of a
canal on each side Of the main water
| way, these additional waterways to serve
| to carry off excessive floods.
Would Involve Great Expense.
This plan would involve expense so
great that 1 feel sure the American peo-
pie would not stand for 1T. Yet, in my
judgment, anything less would prove
worthless so far as its feasibility after
it's construction is concerned.
THE lock project on the other hand,
includes provision for an enormous lake
into which all the surplus water can
flow without endangering the canal it
self. This will avoid the torrential flows
which could not fail to prove disastrous
if not conir rolled in this way"
Col. Goethals declared that reports of
engineering difficulties that would be
met in the construction of a lock canal
have frequently been greatly exagger-
ated.
There is not single thing in con-
nection with the lock canal" he said.
that can be called unusual beyond the
question Of magnitude Engineers have
performed similar work elsewhere. There
are no doubtful problems. and no ex-
detrimental projects to be handled on the
isthmus. The nature Of the soil presents
no unusual condition. Up to this time
nothing has occurred to give rise to any
question about the stability Of founda-
lions for the locks and dams. If knew
of anything that might jeopardize the
stability of this work after its compile
ton or make doubtful its successful
construction I would promptly make a
report on IT. but there is nothing Of that
kind"