The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1909-05-27
WHY LOCKS ARE FAVORED
FOR THE PANAMA CANAL.


"a United states devoted nms 70 70 the @ snniue srtn" PROCESSION pusto n.rsp,s N at =
IL length the Panama canal situation and tells why. in its opin-
- ion. the lock plan is prV6erabe for the canal rather than the
IdAHHa sealevel idea. The article is written for the general public as
VxNM@J well as for engineers and gives in clear. simple language the
essential facts In the controversy and the main points of the
technical questions involved That the decision in favor o. a lock canal
nree years ago was made in conformity with the weight of the best en-
gneerng opinion Is the assurance given at the opening of the ryhvs
Engineering News asserts that nc American engineer OF high professional
standing has lent his nan o the campaign against the lock plan Of con-
AXES n ~ v one M rruuent against tbe LOCK- twe Of mai For cor.
&10oo00O0 as the minimum excess for cost of a sea level yer the lock
canal" it IT, stated This docs not include carrying o the work by the gov
eminent as sanitation. amounting to perhaps 100000 annually in addt
lon InsIs are other ooiuon cost charges M physical problems CON
nected with the proposed change which amount o a formidable aggregate
Dwelling upon physical problems in the way OF constructing the canal
neck connecting the oceans seems a simple matter to the layman there are
unSved difficulties in the way Of a sealeyei canal The danger Of wash
upon. when considered with relation to a rainfall Of twenty inches o more
In one month. Parts of the old French ditch. 1t Is said. actually filed with
ALT and mud through such causes
Three virtual canals would be necessary. the review says should a sea-
level route be chOsen-One for the canal proper and two Others. ne o either
side. for diversion of the food waters That a sealeve canal is possible
given unlimited money for construction and time is admitted but it Is
argued that such a construction would never be profitable
Concerning the Gatun lake and dam proposition, the review says; I'VE
OF the bOrings and pits that the Gatun dam win be al safe and permanent
In view Of the emphatic approval Of the dam BY the board or engineers
which has visited the isthmus and which Includes the highest authorities
Turning to a consideration of the locks themselves, the Engineering News
writer points out that the ~sealeveI agitation is a fanaey" in assuming that
there Is something Objectionable o. dangerous to a vessel In passing through
a canal lock The delay" it is stated ~of a couple OF hours or o required
delay-in itself a mere tribe in the curse d a voyage lasting itself two
weeks o. more-win be more than made up BY the faster time which ships
compared with the necessarily slow rateof sailing through a sealeveI canal"
As for the danger n a lock canal, the review points out that the Man
chester canal has four locks and the sault ste. Marie canal passes through
the greatest lock in the world the greatest canal traffic known Elaborate
provision has been made in the designs for the Panama locks against acct
dent and the locks indeed viii be in duplicate s. as to make n available
in ase OF damage to the other
quake the Engineering News points to the fact that some pieces OF masonry
s Do but but # is shown TIa also that nat : sbo y severe aesS no as p u somar = t Is IoaH.
a sealevel canal Other arguments are brought forward going to show that
the lock canal win not only pass all the traffic for which it is designed. but
that there win be actual gains in carrying out the lock project