The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1912-03-14

| Will d great zeal Oh unnecessary
excavation in order to get down
to firmer foundation. The
great massive affair looks more
like a range of hills than a dam
Recently tourist who was be-
ing taken over the work at Ga.
tun asked to have the famous
Gatun Dam pointed out to him.
You can imagine his CONSERVATION
when he was told that he was
standing on top of it. In or
der to protect this great earth
structure from overflow in times
of flood from the Chagres river,
a concrete spillway is being con-
structed midway in the dam.
This concrete structure has
crest 300 feet long and is pro-
vided with IA steel gates locat-
ed on its crest between piers and
so arranged that they can be OPP
Grated by electrical machinery
and raised allowing the water to
flow under them and over the
crest and through a concrete
channel into the old river bed
which flows into the ocean. Over
100000 cubic feet of water can
be discharged per second if nee
essary. A hydro-electric plant is
being constructed in conjunction
with the spillway and all electric
power for operating the locks
and for lighting the canal will
be developed here.
At Gatun are six double locks,
three pair in flights, with a com
bined lift of IS feet. At Pedro
Miguel is Ole flight with a lift
of 81 2-3 feet. Each lock cham
Der is 1000 feet long and ITO #.
wide. The walls and floors are
OF concrete and at each end are
huge steel gates which inter to-
gether in a broad V-shape like
two immense doors. Each gate
is 7 feet thick, IS feet long and
from Al to 80 feet high and
weighs from 300 to 600 tons. The
total amount. Of concrete requir-
ed for all locks is estimated at
100000 cubic yards. By way
OF comparison it is estimated
that this amount of concrete
would build over $4,000 houses,
two stories high, 8 rooms each.
Water will be admitted or drained
from the locks through openings
in the floor which connect with
the main culverts located in the
center and side walls. These
culverts are made very large so
as to facilitate filling and emp
tying the locks as soon as pos
sible. You can perhaps appreci-
ate their size when you realize
that the largest type of locomo-
tive could easily be contained in
one of the culverts. The steel
gates and valves for admitting
water to the locks will be operat.
ed by electric driven machinery.
No boat will be permitted to pass
through the locks under it's own
power. Heavy electrical engines
located on top of the walls will
tow boats through and this elm
mates the possibility of accidents |
to the lock gates such as have |
happened when ships get beyond |
control and destroy the gates.
The entire canal is to be light
ed to allow navigation at night.
On the long tangents two light |
houses or range lights will guide
the ship in its course. Beacons
or buoys will be placed every
half mile and will be lighted
either by electricity or acetylene
gas. On the Atlantic side large
light house and fog signal is be-
ing constructed on the west break
water which is being built to of
Fer shelter for ships in time of
storms. This breakwater is be-
ing constructed of stone and ex-
lends out into the ocean from
roro Point, a distance of over
,wo miles.
1t is impossible to offer a de-
'cription that would in any way
10 justice to the most remarkable
chase, of the Panama canal-the
cut. Tourists who have
some of the seven won
lers of the world pronounce
his great chasm that has been
'xcavated through the backbone
# the Andes Mountains as the
most impressive and wonderful of
Ill. Stand down in the bottom
If the cut and you are over 500
'eet below the top of Gold Hill
where many years ago the ill-fat-
ID French companies with a great /,
leal of pomp and ceremony be-
ror tho f.ycf a~nauo+.ox, d.