Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-04-02

kind of food to which they are accustomed
and to their liking and all in the most
sanitary way. Mr. stone assured us that
cleanliness was not spasmotic or for per
iods long or short, but every day and all
the time the most careful attention was
constantly observed in every detail He
also expressed great admiration for the
ability of the French engineers, and for
the machinery used by them in their work
on the canal The same route in the main
laid out by them is followed, and their
plans were excellent.
NJ de Lesseps, who built the Suez canal
and was also the chief engineer for the
French on the Panama canal deserves
high place I'm the memory of the world as
a man Of the highest order of ability.
In reply to what probable effect earth
quakes might have on the canal, Mr.. stone
replied the earthquake that would destroy
the canal would also destroy the occasion
for it, viz, the isthmus.
DifficnItIes Encountered.
speaking OF the encounters in the con-
struction OF the canal Mr. Stone men
toned two, the Chagres river, which
seemed a very tame affair as we saw IT.
The river is subject to great and sudden
floods In the rainy season, rising at
times forty-two feet in forty-eight hours
This river seemed the most uncompromis-
ing and uncomfortable enemy Of the
French. but Uncle Sam is making 1t
friend by furnishing water to form and
maintain the large lake which plays such
an important part in operating the canal,
The other Is the slides In the earth walls
OF the Culebra cut. He says the slides
that have taken place are insignificant
and have been much exaggerated by sen
sational reports OF them, but after a level
OF eighty feet has been reached and the
walls moistened by the rains above and
the water in the canal below the result
will be a problem TO which no living man
can give an intelligent estimate and
against which Il may be difficult 10 con-
tend He then spoke Of his great faith in
Colonel Cocktails and expressed the belief
that he, with the men in charge Of the
canal had overcome every other difficulty
encountered and expressed the belief that
satisfactory solution of this would come
through the men who have overcome other
and greater difficulties in the past
AS we passed over the railroad which
nearly parallels the canal our train was
switched off the main line on tracks used
for construction purposes, so that we could
better view and examine the work already
done and the operation now in progress,
Mr.. Stone at such times went more into
detail. describing each separately as we
reached them
/ Dimensions of the Canal.
/ The entire length OF the canal from deep
water in the Atlantic to deep water In the
/ Pacific is about 5Cls miles. It's length on
/ land is about 40h miles
/ In passing through It from the Atlantic
/ 10 the Pacific. a vessel will enter a channel
with a bottom width Of 500 feet IN Limon
/ bay, follow this for about seven miles
| 20 Gatun. where It will enter series OF
/ three locks In flight and be fled s. feet
70 the level OF Gatun lake. IL will san al
I full ocean speed through this lake in a
channel varying from 1000 70 500 feet In
width, for a distance OF about "a miles,
/ 20 Bas Obseo. where Il viii enter the
| Culebra cut Il win ssn through the cut,
distance OF about miles. In a channel
with a bottom width OF 800 feet. 20 Pedro
Miguel There Il viii enter a lock and
be lowered sea feet TO a small lake at an
] elevation Of 54as feet above sea level an ]
will sail through this for about IA miles