Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-11-14
GREAT WORK DONE ON THE
PANAMA CANAL.
Report of the Commission for the
Year One of Interest and
Importance.

| washington. Nov. -13--Thc great
mechanical problems connected with
the construction Of the Panama
Canal, which is to be opened by the
government in January, 1915, pass
in review in the annual report OF the
fsthmian Canal Commission just
made public. The record OF the
years achievements in the gigantic
task that is being worked out by the
washington government under Con-
gressional appropriations that SO far
aggregate s293,561, 1856, includes.
Completion Of almost three-quar-
ters of Culebra Cut. Total eXcaVa-
tion Of material from Culebra during
wear, 16,221,672. cubic yards at an
average cost of SIS cents per yard.
Big plans laid for canal terminals,
including storage of fuel, fresh water,
and other supplies, repair facilities,
etc. Pacific terminal to have dry
lock, storehouse and coaling stations
Practical completion Of plans OF all
locks.
Elaborate scheme for lighting the
canal.
Safeguarding of the canal against
pig landslides.
The report treats the physical as
| poets of the big waterway with min
ate detail. Questions Of tolls, form CT
government and character and eX-
-ent Of population to be permitted IN
the canal zone have been reported
upon in advance sheets Of the report
already made public.
The locks have been a great prob
lem. Designs for the approach walls,
1t all locks, except enc, have been
prepared. Contracts in force at the
beginning Of the fiscal year were prac-
ically completed and new contracts
entered into for a vast amount OF
frames, valves, gates and other para
lhernalia needed TO put the canal
INTO operation. More than 954 tons
f castings were made on the 18th
nus. Building Of the great lock
gates-each leaf Of which IS "a feet
; inches high-was expedited. AT
each lock entrance strong fender
hains attached to powerful springs
will he installed to prevent ships
rom battering down the locks.
A floating caisson gate is being in
sailed for use in closing lock so as
enable workmen to repair the per-
nanent locks and the bottom sluices.
Light the Canal.
Canal Illumination will be provided
" range lights for establishing the
direction of vessels on the longer
,angents, and by side lights mile
part, marking each side Of the chan
ael. Buoys and lighted bcacons,
Quilt of REINFORCED concrete, will
abound.
Famous Culebra Cut is ten miles
ong and deep enough to receive the
United States Capitol, dome and all.
Trom this cut, despite the enormous
excavation during the year on July III
asst there remained 23,929. l40 GU
bic yards to be removed. Estimates
# excavation necessary in this cut
lave been largely increased to allow
or the great earth slides. Last year
.hese slides that had to be removed
rom the canal cutting after 1t had
,een practically complete was 4,S79,-i
SIS yards or over thirty per cent. OF
III the material removed from the
cut.
These slides have occurred where
The material excavated was left on
dope sleeper than the permanent in
cline, will be and the trouble is ex-
pected to cease when the natural
slope OF the canal banks Is restored.
Breaks have occurred on both
sides of the cut where the underlying
rock is of poor quality and is broken
I'D and squeezed upward by the pres
sure from beneath and from the
sides, interrupting the drainage and
covering up the railroad tracks. TO
meet this condition, intermediate
benches have been cut along the
slope to distribute the top weight
and reduce the amount Of material 10
be removed. 1t is declared that when
the bottom grade Of the canal IS
reached no further trouble need De
anticipated as greater stability VIII
be given by the water. with both
slides and breaks" the Commission
says. "the question is one of ultimate
excavation, and whatever the feeling
elsewhere, there is no apprehension
on the Isthmus as to the final out
come among those acquainted with
the facts. The commission thus ans
| wers predictions that the canal would