The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-12-06

ed States from time to time giving ac-
counts of slides of earth of very large
yardage in the Culebra cut and else
where along the line, from which it
might be inferred that the work has
been much retarded and that the time
of completion has been necessarily
postponed
The report of DR.. Hayes of the geo.
logical survey, whom l sent within the
last month to the isthmus to make an
investigation, shows that this section
of the canal zone Is composed of sedi-
mentary rocks of rather weak structure
and subject to almost immediate disin-
tegration when exposed to the air. Sub
sequent to the deposition of these sedi-
ments igneous rocks, harder and more
durable, have been thrust into them
and, being cold at the time of their in
trusion, united but indifferently with
the sedimentary rock at the contacts.
The result of these conditions is that
as the cut is deepened, causing unbal-
anced pressures. slides from the sides
of the cut have occurred. These are in
part due to the flowing of surface soil
and decomposed sedimentary rocks
upon inclined surfaces of the underly-
ing undecomposed rock and In part by
the crushing of structurally weak beds
under excessive pressure.
These slides occur on one side or the
| other of the cut through a distance of
four or five miles, and now that their
character is understood allowance has
been made in the calculations of yard
age for the amount of slides which will
have to be removed and the greater
slope that will have to be given to the
bank in many places in order to pre-
vent their recurrence. Such allow
ance does not exceed 100000 yards.
Considering that the number of yards
removed from this cut on an average
| Of each month through the year is
100000 and that the total remaining
to be excavated, including slides, is
| about 100000 yards, it is seen that
| this addition to the excavation does
not offer any great reason for delay.
While this feature of the material to
be excavated in the cut will not seri-
ously delay or obstruct the construc-
ton of canal of the lock type, the
| increase of excavation due to such
| slides in the cut made eighty-1ve feet
deeper for a sea level canal would GER
tainly have been so great as to delay
its completion to time beyond the pa
tience of the American people.
Among questions arising for present
solution is the decision whether the
canal shall be fortified. have already
stated to the congress that / strongly
| favor fertilization, and I now reiterate
this opinion and ask your considera
ton of the subject in the light of the
report already before you made by q
| competent board.
If in our discretion we believe mod
ern Notifications to be necessary tc
the adequate protection and policing
of the canal, then it is our duty tC
construct them. We have built the ca
nal. 1t is our property. By conven
ton we have indicated our desire fol
and indeed undertaken its universe
and equal USE 1t is also well known
that one of the chief objects In the
construction of the canal has been t.
increase the military effectiveness OF
our navy. -
Failure to fortify the canal would
leave the attainment of both these
aims in the position of rights and OBJ
legations which we should be power
less. to enforce and which could never
in any other way be absolutely safe
guarded against a desperate and IRE
sponsible enemy.
Canal Tolls.
Another question which arises fol
consideration and possible Legislation
| fS hn Of ko1I tn kho
This question is necessarily affected BY
the probable tonnage which will e
through the canal. 1t is all a matter
of estimate, but one of the government
commission in 1900 investigated tn,
question and made report.
He concluded that the total tonnag,
of the vessels employed in commerce,
that could use the isthmian canal il
1914 would amount to 6,843,SO ton.
net register and that this traffic would
increase 25.1 per cent per decade, tina
it was not probable that all the com
merce included in the totals would a
once abandon the routes at present fol
lowed and make use of the new cana
and that it might take some time, per
haps two years, to readjust trade will
reference to the new conditions whicl
the canal would establish.
He did not include moreover, the ton
mage of war vessels, although it is t.
be inferred that such vessels would
make considerable use Of the canal. II
the matter of tolls he reached the con
clusion that dollar net ton woult
not drive business away from the ca
nal, but that higher rate would do so
In determining what the tolls shoult
be we certainly ought not to insis
that for a good many years to COM
they should amount to enough to pa!
the interest on the investment of $500,
600 600 which the United States ha