The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1909-06-12

1t is predicted and hoped in official
circles that the Panama canal will be
completed and doing business by not
later than January Is, 1915. The only
item OF uncertainty as to the canal
being ready for vessels then is the
length Of time it will require to com.
plete the big locks These are to be
1000 feet long, 10 feet wide and built
in duplicate to provide for the passing
of vessels going in opposite direc-
tiOns.
BY this method a series of locks and
huge dams many feet above sea level
have to be constructed, the purpose
being to elevate the largest oceanso
ing vessels a height of 50 feet above
sea level at one end of the canal and
permitting them to drop through the
sections of the canal, protected and
lowered by the locks to sea level at
the opposite end of the canal
The canal as it Is being constructed
has a width at the bottom of 300 feet
for 25 per cent. of its length Fifty
per cent. of the length the width is
500 to 500 feet, and for the remainder.
1000 feet. The locks are practically
the same as those in use in the 500
canal the latter being almost as large
as those being constructed in the
Panama canal. Indeed, the 800"
canal has been constructed to carry
vessels fully as large as any that viii
utilize the Panama canal
The total cost of the Panama canal
when completed, including interest on
moneys as they are being expended;
cost of sanitation and government Of
the zone and $50,00O,00O paid to
France by the United States govern.
ment is estimated at $375,000,1o0
when finally completed. President
Taft believes, and presents facts aud
figures to substantiate his belief that
a sea level canal would have cost ap-
proximately $47700O000 and then
would not have been so safe nor cype,
dtous in the carrying Of vessels as
the lock plan.
One of the greatest difficulties to
have been confronted in the COnstruC-
tion Of a sea level canal. were tho
annual freshets Of the Changres river
and the streams pouring into 1t. 1t is
estimated that even with the most
elaborate and expensive dam facilities
that 1t would have been possible to
construct ri the period Of high water
the canal current would have been at
least three miles an hour. The only
route Of a sea level canal that was
completed and submitted for approval
made the turns and curyatures In the
canal much more frequent than those
in the Sucz canal By the experience
OF vessels I'm the Sucz canal il Is -
timated that In current OF this Te
locity In the Panama canal Of sea
level character, the danger 70 the yce
sells would have been such that com
merce would have been delayed con
siderable portion Of the year In oddi
ton to this would have been the dial
Guilty Of the larger vessels passing
each other while in motion Being M
able to pass without one of them stop
ping and tying up would have been
constant cause OF delay of serious
consequence in the rapid handling of
traffic
Considerable OF the recent criticism
Of the lock canal as It is being pushed
to completion arose as the result Df
the sliding after an excessively heavy
rain fall cf a part Of the ba1E q tHe
Gatun dam The whole mass that IN
IN thts way was not more than -aN
feet across, and nothing more than an
ordinary slide. Similar slices Occur
frequently III the construction o' ra.,
road banks and similar operations
where the banks are not propcrs laI
anced. and d not have the proper
si0ye.