The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1909-05-05

! Vuht &EOfN WHICH 10 dump bHN trA@k~Ai-
al The trestles failed after dumping
began and the material under the tres
ties moved sideways carrying the
weighty dump with It. This lateral
movement continued for two weeks
after the dumping had stopped. The
ground on either side was forced up
forming mounds Of mud to height
OF the level OF the dump. When the
mounds and dumps balanced the
weight OF trains would then carry the
track and trestle down six to ten feet.
| All this was caused by underlying
blue clay that would slip and slide
and would not remain stationary.
There is a strata OF rock underlying
this blue clay, but military expediency
required that the locks be located
further inland where the hills AFFORD
ample protection from bombardment,
the expense OF conquering the blue
clay was avoided and the locks moved
to Miraf1ores.
have quoted from Colonel Goeth-
ais report Of Aug. %, 1903 of which
I borrowed a copy OF a good friend.
i This publication OF 35s pages embrac-
ing various maps and illustrations was
4
and congressman, Paragraphs occur
like this: The old village of Gatum
has been torn down and moved to a
new site on the hills to the east
"In order to afford additional fire
protection to Ancon. Panama and La
Boca million gallon reserve storage
reservoir is being constructed on An
con hill"
The cost Of water works, paving
and sewerage in Panama and Colon
is to be reimbursed to the United
States through the collection OF water
rates. The rate is 80 cents per 1000
gallons at Panama with 5 per cent off
for cash, while at Colen the rate is
so cents per 1000 gallons with 10 per
cent of for cash.
/ "Ninety-ei per cent of all quar-
| ters constructed by the commission
are connected with the sewerage sys-
tenn"
The total cost of municipal inn
provements in the canal zone has been
for waterworks and sewers $2,35S,s40
and for roads, etc. $1,174,TTs."
by executive order the Chinese ex-
clusion law of the government OF
Panama was extended to the canal
zone"
Total expenditures so far for canal
purposes amounts to $S4,572,99s.
| The subject of a sea level canal is
an attractive one. At best such a
canal would have to have a twenty
two foot lock at Mtrafiores near the
Pacific to equalize the tides. but as
Goethals says, il one could dig hills
instead of mountains the matter would
be simplified.
Eighty-five feet deeper exdhvation
with widening slopes-and widening
slides-would take time and money in
abundance, involving cost of $685.
100000 as against $s75,2o1 900.
A sea level canal would leave chag-
res river fifty feet above the water
surface of the canal. This in itself
would involve a dam of masonry 4,50O
feet long with sluice gates for dis
charging its waters into the canal.
Other streams would be damned or
diverted but not less than twenty
two would flow directly into the canal
with no provision TO control-s -stise cur-
i rents or check the deposits of materi-
al carried during the food stages
/ Those OF you who want to go TO
heaven sprout wings, and sing with
i the angels. go along. Those of you
who want to join the croakers and
ing displayed in Panama canal con-
struction should sprout horns and puv
on the DEVILS tail.
For my part, 1 forego both 1uxuries
and dream OF time when can take
a vacation and go down on the zone
and talk with the canal employees. sir
on the edge somewhere and watch
the construction of the Gatum dam.
Watch the hurrying mud trains and
their dump cars and the American
locomotives go TO and fro. See how
the mountain has been split for pas
sageway. The great lake being Great
ed: harbors made SAFE for the ship
ping OF the world.
/ / want to drape with the American
flag steam shovel No. 226 that in
eight hours took out $50 cubic yards
or earth. steam shovel No. 21s which
In twenty-four working days took out
/ 53.04S cubic yards of rock. and steam
shovel No. 222 which in 295 working
days took out 3sT.1ss cubic yards OF
rock and 14.s4s cubic yards of earth
a total of 402.00s cubic yards.
Goethals must be simply chief OF
many OF his kind with an aggregate
OF American intelligence making
good -consummating great peaceful
conquest over nature for the good OF
mankind. Doing things more glorious
than were ever achieved in war. Dig
ging for the erection OF q monument
that the present and future genera
tions of our people may look upon
with pride and satisfaction and say:
This is work of my countrymen
built with unseIfish dollars contribut-
ed by the nation J. z. Phelan.