The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1912-09-17
GA7UN dam
Of The Canal Is Nca! Ing
Completion
Fourteen Gates To Be Raised
And Lowered

Panama, Sept. 13-The inner sides
of the north and south toes of the west
wing of Gatun dam were brought to-
gether at the junction of that wing of
the dam with the concrete spillway ap-
proach channel on Aug. "a. In the
process OF dumping on the two sides
Of the hydraulic core the toes have
been brought closer together, while
the surface of the hydraulic fill has
been rising; and, as the latter was on
the point of flowing over the top of
the wall of the spillway approach
channel, dry filling on the toes was
concentrated near the wall for two
weeks. in order to form an enbank-
ment to retain the hydraulic fill at lev.
els higher than the top of the channel
wall. The top of the wall is at eleva.
tion plus 50 feet, and the suface OF
the hydraulic fiji In the west wing of
the dam is now at 80 feet above sea.
level. Hydraulic filling is practically
completed, and the dam will be finish
ed with dry FIJI. which will be carried
on all aong the upper sides of the
north and south toes, which are now,
on an average, about 100 feet apart.
At the spillway concrete is being
placed from the trestle built out to the
Ogee from the east side of the spillway
channel, across the intake of the PEN
stocks for the hydroelectric station.
The work at present Is on the abut-
ment at the east end of the ogee. It
will be built to 115 feet above sea lev.
ell, and will take the place Of pier in
the support of the regulating gate at
the east end of the ogee. Wooden
forms are being erected for the build
ing of several of the piers which
will be placed 40 feet apart along the
top of the dam. The IA gates which
will be raised and lowered between
piers to regulate the surface of the
lake when 1t is higher than so feet
above sea level have been assembled.
All of them have been erected to full
height. the work yet to be done on
them consisting of sheathing, riveting
and caulking.
Another break occurred in the west
bank of the canal at Culebra. near
where the observation platform form
erly stood. about midnight. Monday,
Aug. &c. The section of the bank that
gave way consisted of a projecting
mass, which settled. and. following the
usual course. heaved up in the bottom
of the cut. The material overfOwed
one of the construction tracks and part.
lybulied a steam shovel, but when the
machine was freed It was found to be
only slightly damaged. The amount Of
material involved in this break, which
in reality forms part of the main
break on the west bank at Culebra, is
estimated at about 100000 cubic yards.
The situation In the cut north of En-
pire. where break occurred In the
Obispo diversion on Aug. 20, Is we'll
under control, and construction trains
began operating out Of the north end
on Wednesday, Aug. 2S. A temporary
dixie has been built across the bottom
of the cut, and the trains will use 1t
in passing around the toe of the slide.
The dixie serves the additional pur-
pose of keeping the water that escapes
from the diversion channel, while 1t Is
being relocated, from finding its way
through the cut southwark. One pump,
mounted on fiat car, operated by
steam supplied by locomotives, has
been kept in operation continuously
since the day of the slide, and has un.
watered a greater portion Of the inun-
dated section, emptying the water into
the drainage ditch on the north side of
the dixie. A steamshovel has been
working day and night excavating a
new channel for the diversion. The
slope of the hill back of the former
channel is very abrupt, and In making
the new one, the excavation is wholly
in the side of this hill. the material
removed being dumped on the opposite
side to form retaining wall for the
relocated diversion. A cross-section
measurement of the break shows that
about 100000 cubic yards Of material
will have to be taken out at this point.
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