Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-05-06

Dickinson, N. D., May 4-To the
Editor: One cannot read the reports
on Panama canal work without feeling
the trend of evolution in the work,
back of which has been the courage
Gus and dominant force of Roosevelt
and Taft.
Elimination Of Earring factions in
the Isthmain Canal commission Is
very evident by the concentrate ion hof
authority in the chief engineer, who
is also chairman of the commission.
I Prior to this concentration the de-
partment Of construction and sengh-
eering consisted OF three departments
and twelve divisions; each had Einde-
pendent organizations reporting to
separate heads working without prop
ef coordination, undertaking work un-
der separate heads in the same ter
ritory. Under Col. Goethals all con-
struction work in any given district
irrespective of its character, has been
placed under one head, resulting in
reduction of cost Of administration, a
uniform wage scale, definite fixing
of responsibility, and things like that.
Instead of three departments and
twelve divisions the new organization
consists of three parts, each Of which
is division under division engin-
eer. reporting to the chief engineer.
This kind of evolution could not
evolve will a chief engineer looking
out of seventeenth story window
in New York Or behind q mahogany
desk at Washington. Goethals lives
on the job, and is evidently not run
ming the work by typewriter
If the reader can derive half the
pleasure from the brief facts here sub
mitted that the writer has gained by
delving in the able and intelligent re-
ports made by the engineers on the
work, the time will be profitably
spent. ...
For the year ending June 80, 1908,
IL ;O65, 1873 cubic yards of earth was
removed by tifty-nine steam shovels
from Culebra division, which extends
90 miles from Chagres river at Gam
boa, to Pedro Miguel lock. This is.
the mountain pass through the Cor
dilleras. iss@
The mere digging of canal chan
mel seems the lesser part of the great
work. Diversion channels for the
Comancho river and for the Ohispo
river, and othef streams-with dams
and tunnels. For instance in the
Obispo division 1851 cubic yards Of
material were moved during the year
while 100000 remained for excavation
before completion. & !
/ From the" .ut' at Bias Obispo 300
cubic yards of rock had been deposit.
ed daily at Gatun dam from March
, 20, 1905. ~&'# ~ II 4
/ Another source of a. tivity and in
dustry4 for engineers and u workmen
comes from the slides. After digging
down two hundred feet more Or less,
into the mountain pass, with the
slopes towering on each side, the
earth on the slides does not remain
stationary. From percolation~ of wat.
er and excessive weight or slippery
material the side, Of the; slope win
move like slow scheduled avalanche.
On Oct. 4, 1907, one of these slides
which had caused trouble since 1884
on the Culebra division, started to
move toward the east edge OF the
canal at rate at first of fourteen
feet in twenty-four hours, decreasing
toward the close of the month to four
feet in twenty.four hours. This slide
blocked transportation through the
cut. s.@.e ;. u
The area of the slide was 34,44s
square yards and material in motion
was 100000 cubic yards. S
BY working day and night with. the
steam shovels and improved hydrau-
lie means, by the end Of the month
lover three weeks the passage thru
| the cut was opened. ~ ,.
Another slide occurred at Porais0,
Culebra division, In April following
having an area Of ] 916,7O0 squares