The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-07-23

Panama July 22 Th. men who
WORK a, Ga'ua. aud the people who
soc thr dam and the lock p., every
day do not realize what progress
is being made there because they
are 20 familiar with b. ALL But 20
one who visits the place once
month. or Jess frequently and there
are thousands OF such people on the
canal zone. the whole aspect OF the
valley seems changed with each
visit +
There is a noticeable change not
only every month but every week,
for one who stands on the yerauda
of the office building and looks across
the Chagris Valley sees some new
development In the great work. Just
at present water is in large ma
jority. for the floods OF the rainy
season have covered the flats or Ia,
bas south OF the dam. and a minla.
ture Of Gatun Lake stretches across
the valley Within the limits of the
dam itself between the north and
south toes. there is more water. an.
other small lake, but this is delibei.
atcly pumped I'm and is part OF the
process Of making the great hydraul.
lc I'm.
Even 10 people on the canal zone
the method OF building the dam Is
not well understood. and few pcvp.,
In the states. outside Interested mem
bcrs OF the engineering profession
have any idea Of the project. Not
long ago. for instance. a member or
congress. and very intelligent one
az that, visited the canal zone ana
freely admitted that he had alway,
thought the Gatuu Dam was to be
Il MASSIVE piece of masonry Another
as frankly admitted that he thought
the congress had decided on sea
level canal. and that the lock at
Gatun was intended only To keep
the tide In the Atlantic Ocean from
rushing through the narrow chan.
mel
Now the purpose Of the dam Is TO
hold the water of the lChagris River
in "a basin 100 miles square at an
elevation eightyfiyc feet above sea
level In this basin. known as Gatun
Lake, vessels will sail through y
broad channel and the Culcbra Cut
90 point on the Pacific side OF the
is'hmus, where smaller dams will let
the ships down 10 the sea level chan.
mel. The Gatun Dam will be low,
broad ridge of earth extending across
the Chagr Valley from Gaun to
the hills opposite. a distance OF one
and half miles Its dimensions
are roughly a mile and a half long.
a third OF a mile broad a. the base
and ono-fifticth Of mile high. Just
think over the reat on OF the height
10 the base, and then imagine a
structure like that ever failing.
In building this dam, two ridge,
of rock 200 feet apart at the near.
est point. have been piled up half
way across the valley 10 "A hill 10.
Gated In the center Cf the dam site
Into the space dredgcs are pumping
sandy clay. material selected be
cause ot its impormcability 10 water
These dredges are working day and
night, each one vomiting $50, 900 cubic
yards OF earth n month into the dam
site. II the figures expressed In cubic
yards do not mean much 20 YOU. then
imagine n mass Of earth 800 feet
long 200 feet wide and fifteen feet
high, and YOU will have an idea Of
what an immense amount of material
is being pumped into the dam by
each OF these drcdgcs Divide the
monthly total into 20 million yards
and you will know approximately
how long Il will take 20 complete tu,
dam The ridges Of earth referred 80
above are being extended clear across
the valley, and I'm time the drcGg =,
will begin TO I'm the space between
them on the other half ~ the dam
Through the Hill, referred 70 a.
half way across the valley and In ,hn
dam site a spillway is being buit.
AS means OF keeping the heavy
floods OF the Chagris Valley from eve"