Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-07-15
PROGRESS ON THE IsTHMus.
Panama Canal Construction Advanc
ing Rapidly-Great Docks. Planned.

ing RapidIy-Great Docks Planned.
The Isthmian Canal Commission an
| nounees that the project of a perma :
nent bridge over the Panama Canal
has been abandoned. 1t was found
that some steamships would require
a clear height of PIP feet for the fixed
wireless masts.
In order To give the people living
west of the canal suitable means Of
communication after rail connection
over the canal is interrupted the
board favors the operation by the
Panama Railroad of an independent
shuttle train service on the ives; bank
between point approximately oppo-
site Pedro Miguel and as far north
as the waters of Gatun Lake viii per
NIT, the transfer of passengers and
freight across the canal to be pro-
viaed For by barge or ferryboat. The
board also favOrs the construction of
inclines to the 95-feot beams on each
side of the canal at one or more in
termediate points for convenient ae-
cess by foot passengers, horses, carts.
etc, so that the transfer at such in
termediate points can be made, ii nee
essarX. at any. time by small boat or
barge. s.wsMl
a project for terminal facilities at
the Atlantic entrance of the canal has
| been approved. 1t consists of d series
of five reinforced concrete docks at
which ten 10O0-foot vessels or twenty
vessels of the type now in the 18TH
milan trade. may tie UP at one time and
take on and discharge cargo After
consultation with representatives of
the navy Cristobal Point was deter
mined upon as the site, and berings
are now being made to determine the
nature Of the material underlying tile
water at this place. a preliminary
estimate, based on preliminary sur
vev. places the cost of the series of
docks at $751;. $50. divided as follows:
Breakwater and back filing, $95s 100,
permanent extension, Dock II tPier l5)
and Pier Is s479,22 Pier II. S696,SS9;
Piers is, 10. % and p. S2,lS5,5o6;
dredging 955S000 cubic yards. $2,S6I.
400: construction plant, $25 900; total,
81. S11 $50.
The plan for docks and anchorage
basin in their relation To Cristobal,
Colon and the canal entrance pro-
vides for an anchorage basin cast of
ing from Cristobal Point, and docks
between this mole and the anchorage
basin. and the construction of docks
around Cristobal Point 1t provides
for complete shelter of vessels with
out the construction of the east break
water, and will enable them to- dis
charge and take on cargo without en-
tering the canal. an advantage over
Il f.,,- If
having an interior anchorage basin
Immediately north of Gatun
Pending the result of Investigations
now in progress the nature of the
construction has not been determined
Behring'S so far made. however. indi-
cate good bottom. and the desirable
ity Of concrete bulkhead construction
and the preliminary estimate quoted
above is based on this method. 1t
contemplates the sinking of steel
cylinders. ~ feet in diameter, spaced
90 feet from centre. te centre, To bed
rock. These cylinders. and 2 24-inch
1-beam cncased in connected by a sol
id hulkhead of reinforced concrete
sheet piles II by % inches driven to
point l. feet below the lowest
dredging Of the channel A steel grid
| err cncased in concrete, lolnln% tHe
tons of these cylinders, and 24-inch
I-heam encased in concrete and To-
| Gated T. feet helcw the water line, take
the thrust of the pilins The cylin-
ders win be tied together in pairs di-
rectiv across the width of each nier,
| The area with the bulkheads will then
be filed to floor level which will be
10 feet above mean tide and covered
with a floor of surface hardened con-
crete. 1t is estin.ated that the break
| water and approaches to the docks
will require 100000 cubic yards OF
filling. and the piers themselves 91S.-
! 0oO cubic wards. There win also be re-
ouired 675 steel cylinders. 152.565 Gu
bic yards of concrete. 100000 linear
| feet of reinforced concrete sheet pill
] ing. 1.49N56O pounds of steel girder
| and S04. 000 pounds Of steel 1-heam.-
Daily Consular Trade Reports.
A story is told of an American who.