Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1910-03-23

Ieot Wltnln perlOQ OF tWcnty-1our
hours, which transforms it into a
rapid, riotous stream, and it many
times overflows it's banks and floods
the surrounding country. The max
imum discharge recorded is con-
siderable more than 100 times as
great as the low-water discharge
during the dry season. Gatun Lake
will curb the floods of the Chagres,
and the severest storm will have no
more effect than to raise it's level
a foot CT two.
3. A third advantage is that
large portion of the silt and gravel
which would be otherwise carried
down into the canal past Gamboa
will be deposited, owing to the
slackening of the current, above
Gamboa, outside of the canal prism.
BY this damming the outlet of the
Chagres, the formation of Gatun
Lake will provide the simplest, most
practicable, and most desirable So
luton of the most perpleXing en-
cheering problem arising in con-
nection with the construction of the
canal
The Atlantic and Pacific entranc-
es of the canal will be fully protect
ed, on the Atlantic side by stone
breakwater miles long in "A feet
of water at the outer end, extend
ing northeaStward from Toro Point
Light House. The entrance channel
will be likewise protected on the
east side by a similar breakwater
about three-quarters of mile in
length. During the winter months
occasional storms from the north
occur, locally termed "northers,"
of such violence that all YES
sells have to leave Colon harbor,
which is at present unprotected.
Such storms, in the absence of
breakwaters, would render entrance
to and egress from the canal un-
safe. The breakwaters will also
provide safe harbor and protect
the channel from shoaling
The Pacific side is never visited
with any storms of sufficient dura-
ton and violence to require any
special protection. The water is
quite shallow for some distance
from the shore, and the set of the
current from the northeast is at
right angles to the entrance channel
and deeply laden with silt; the ten
dency is for large quantities to set
tie in that part of the canal chan
mel, causing rapid deterioration OF
same. To prevent this shoaling, as
we'll as to dispose of large amount
of spoil from the Culebra cut, a
dixie or breakwater is in process of
construction from the mainland of
Balboa to Naos Island, one of
group of small islands about 4 miles
from shore. This dixie east of the
canal is more than half completed,
and the benefits arising from it pre-
venting the shoaling of the canal
channel are very marked, and when
it is entirely completed the shoaling
resulting from these cross currents
will be eliminated
The present roadbed of the Pana-
! ma Railroad will be submerged for
many miles by Gatun Lake. In Or
der to provide communication by
, rail across the Isthmus after the
, completion of the canal, and enable
the railroad company while il ex-
: lists as corporation to comply with
t the requirements of its franchise.
, the railroad is being practically en-
I tirely rebuilt on a new location on
$ higher ground to the east of the
canal. The cities of Colon and
: Panama being both on that side,
2 the railroad will therefore not cross
: the canal. From Gatun the railroad
: makes wide circuit, around Gatin
, Lake, crossing the Chagres River on
/ steel bridge, over quarter of a
( mile in length, at Gamboa, and
T passes through Culebra cut on a
l broad bench or beam 10 feet above
: the level of the lake. The recon-
J struction of the Panama Railroad is
: being paid from a special appropria-
e ton for the purpose. 1t is an unde-
e termined matter how much through
business will fall to the Panama
e Railroad after the completion of the
C canal. The local business between
o the cities of Panama and Colon and
a the intermediate points should be
I sufficient in itself, however, for the
} road to operate without loss. 1t is
: expected in time that it will be op-
Grated by electricity furnished from
\ the hydro-electric plant at Gatun
s spillway.
6 Such a general description of the
b plans recommended by the minority
\ of the Board of Consulting Engi-
/ neers in 1906. and these plans have
o been since followed throughout with
/ tails as have been considered desir-
able to obtain the best results with
r the least expenditure of money.
s Among the changes are the follow
3 ing: The size and capacity of the
canal have been increased in view
T of the large increase in size war
vessels which has recently taken
/ place.
This applies to the change in
/, width and length of locks from %
: by 900 to 10 by 1000 feet; and
! the width of channel from 200 to
, !, 800 feet through a large portion of
! Culebra cut. The location of the
breakwaters on the Atlantic side
! ! has been changed. Likewise, from
considerations of military defense
4 and lessened cost, the Pacific locks
: have been moved inward from Bal
u boa to Mirafores. This latter change
!, was suggested in the report of the
original board as being among those
which should receive consideration.
i Every step in the construction has
1 been carefully watched and studied
j not only by those on the ground
who are responsible for its execu-
S ton, but in addition thereto COM
t mittees of the most distinguished