The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-09-01

water to keep them full and still ac-
conmodate all the traffic that viii pass
through the canal. Tho engineevs SAY
that IL cam Ihc Gatun lake Is now
ming and when the canal is com
pleted we will have 1854 square miles
OF water held back by the dam ana
THIS in addition to the regular low OF
tho ChaSrcs. We shall also have some p
! thing like two square miles OF water
in tho Miranores lake.
Engineer Rousseau says that the
water supply viii amount TO more than
50, 100000 tons per annum. and Colonel
Goethhls SAYS that there viii be plenty
10 accommodate nifty eight vessels a
day. going through the canal. and that
this would toe more than could pass
through in the space OF twcnty-four
Z hours. 1t is doubtful whether such a
frame VIII ever arise. Even forty yes
sells day ON the average FOR 3O0 days
OF the year would mean 1000 vessels.
and this IS about three times the NUM-
Der which is now going through the
Sucz canal. The number there amounts
to something Ike 1900. and the ton
mage is in tho ncighborhood OF 9O.00l.-
o00 per annum. which is just about
half the gross tonnage passing through
our canal at Sault ste. Marie
Uncle sans New Like.
And just hero ! would like to cay
something about Uncle Sans new lake
which is now rising out of the jungle.
The Ciatun dam viii soon he finished
u -
forming ono or the most beautiful
| sheets of water on earth. Tho steam =
ers VIII enter II from the vcrdure- clad
mountains at Cuicbra cut or from the
massive locks at Gatun. and Will move
| for twenty-Odd miles through scenery
as beautiful as that Of tho inland Sea
| OF Japan. or Of the Thousand Islands
| OF the st. Lawrence. The canal chan
mel runs in and out among islands Gov
cred with tropical plants and trees
! which Will then be- tho homo of mon
keys. birds. deer and other wild game,
{ for the Idea is to drive man from the
game preserve. These Islands are well
I lifted for that as far as aquatic crea =
lures are concerned. - Id ducks are
already beginning to come and we
shall have parrots ard paroquets and
possibly the sorgeously plumed macaw
| Of the Amazon
The Gatrn lake Will drain a basin
bigger than Rhode Island. 1t Will
have an area equal to 500 quarter sec
ton farms. ana over this the water is
fast rising. Much Of the he'd IS still
covered with vegetation and with for
ests half sunken in tho waters
Uncle sam Playing Noah
One OF tho interesting features OF
/ making this lake is Uncle Sans at
/ tempt to play Noah lie has warned
/ the inhabitants of the basin to com,
out. and has asked them to get on his
/ ark, by which he means the Highlands
outside The natives however. refuse
| to believe In the deluge They say
; that the French threatened them with
| the same fate. and that nothing came
some OF them have STAYED ia theI
! homes until the steam shovcls have
lifted their front door steps and others
until the water has covered Their
( doors Now they all have boats tied
to their houses. and there will be nc
| loss of life as the food comes
The government has already torn
down and carried away all the heavy
/ canal structures out OF tho lake bed
/ \ number Of the towns have disap-
! peared. and masses of ruins lie alone
| what was once tho main railroad track
old Bohio has bean swallowed and the
/ same is true of other towns In tear
ms down tho houses one was found
which was built Of solid mahogany
Tho lumber or this has been saved and
! remadc into furniturc
Copyright 1912 by Frank G. Car
pentcr.)