The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1909-01-20
JUDGE CONNER
REPORTS ON CANAL
THE BIG UNDERTAKING WILL CERTAINLY BE
A SUCCESS.
CHIEF DIFFICULTIES EXPLAINED
Mesquite Pest Abated by Using Crude Oil on
Stagnant Waller The Judge Better
Of His Grippe.

/ Congressman Conner has returned
to Washington after his visit to the
4 Panama canal. His friends here will
be glad to learn he is safely back.
Some of the congressman came near
being shipwrecked, but Judge Con-
ner' 5 party never felt in danger. We
see in Washington dispatches in cor
1 respondence from john Snure the fol-
4 lowing Interview with Judge Conner.
which we print. 1t is probable he
will send a special letter to the Re-
view giving further details as to his
trip. He said to the Washington
correspondent
1.-THE force engaged in the con-
struce!oa of the canal is the most
perfect machine ever organized for
undss taking a great work. The engi-
neers IN charge of the work, in fact.
all the people connected with the
management. seem to be perfectly
confident, not only of the plan adopt
ed for the canal which of course is
lock canal. but also iii heir ability
to construct 1T by Jan. /, 1915.
There are two. and two only.
difficult propositions involved in the
construction of the canal. One is
what is known as the Culebra cut.
/ toward the Pacific end of the canal.
the other is the Gatun dam, towards
the southern. or Atlantic, end The
Culebra cut difficulty has hardly
I been solved, and it remains only to
make The excavation of sufficient
depth to answer the purpose.
Ga!un Dam Safe.
81 do not believe that the objec-
lions made by the critics recently to
the foundation Of the Gatun dam are
worthy of serious consideration.
The trouble seems to have come from
slide which occurred in filling no,
the dam, but one of the approaches OF
the dam. This slide was anticipated
by the engineers and further slides
: are anticipated before the dam is com
: pleted. But there is no apprehen
sion that any slides will occur afte,
: the dam Is finished. The reason TO
!. the slide which occurred is easily ex
planned. The enbankment was con
structed over earth which had logde
n in the bottom of the Chagres river
but the full length Of the river be-
where the dam proper is to be locate
k has been carefully dredged.a all o
: the washed material has been take
n out and the dam proper will be 1.20
$ feet in width, and will rest upon tn
: solid earth. The locks of the canal a
, Gatun will be constructed through
l. natural hill and will rest upon
: foundation of stone, and this is ais
e true of the spillway. SO that there i
; little to be found in the criticism
v that the foundation is liable to caus
J. trouble. -
4 Judge Conner declared that Colone
Il Gorgas and his aides had worked GU
> the greatest sanitary results he ha
a ever seen. 1t had been done largel
: by driving out the mosquitoes by tn
e use of crude oil On stagnant waters
~ Judge Corners views coincide wit
a those of Colonel Hepburn and of tn
If entire party. In fact, unanimity Q
,e opinion that the canal project is &c
ID irg ahead successfully ON part {
70 those that visit the zone is remark
3 able.
= Judge Conner was nearly sick fro
" grip when he went to Panama. but
I'd in fine health now.