Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1912-11-18
FIRST VESSEL TO NEGOTIATE
THE PANAMA CANAL WILL MAKE
TRIP SOME TIME NEXT SUMMER

lens have been solved, and lock
machinery constructed of special de-
signs of magnitude never before
heard of. For instance, SO big are
the valves at the side of the locks
that a test showed that it required
a pull of over 10 tons on the stem
to open one of these valves. All
this work is done electrically, and
here again the engineers were con
fronted with new difficulties. Owing
to the peculiar climatic conditions
on the Isthmus, with tropical heat
and extreme humidity, and the dete
riorating effect OF these conditions
on the insulation of electrical ma
chinery, the ordinary insulation prov
ed unreliable, and the engineers
found it necessary to make a great
number of experiments, no less than
16 sample motors being pitted
against one another. 1t was an aw
full test for dynamo and motor build
ers to have their machines required
to operate for a period of 10 days il
building filled with steam at a
temperature of so degrees cent?
grade and having the motor cases
filled with water for five hours al
30 degrees. But finally the Ameri
can motor builders responded anG
suitable apparatus is being install
led.
Thus electric motors under tests
are now swinging the great gates
of the canal, each weighing very
many tons and as tall and broaG
as great sky-scraping building il
the remarkable time of one minute
and 48 seconds. incidentally it ap
pears that to make these gates. tht
iron workers must drive and head
5,750,000 rivets The pivots of these
great locks are being made of
special grade Of steel and bronze,
not only for strength, but to pro
tect them against corrosion, a very
necessary precaution in view of the
fact that they will always be sub
merged in sea water after the canal
is open. To guard against galvanic
action, zinc rings are also placed on
the bronze bushngs.
To supply the power to operate
the gates and sluice valves in the
locks, and furnish current for the
monster electric locomotives which
are to tow the steamships through
the locks, a great hydro-electric sta
tion is being erected adjacent to the
spillway in Gatun dam. There are
three 2250 kilowatt water turbines
and three 1000 kilowatt generators
with suitable exciters and other aux
iliaries There will be enough wa
ter from the storage in Lake Gatun
to warrant the installation of 5000
kilowatts, though in the dry season
it will be necessary to draw upon
the storage. Altogether it is figured
that for this electric work per cent
of the minimum water system of the
canal will be required. part of
the electricity is to be used for
lighting the line of the canal There
will be concrete lamp posts 100 feet
apart throughout the entire length
of each lock wall Altogether 1000
lamps will be installed at the locks
report shows that work has been
going on rapidly in preparing har-
bors for the shelter of ships at each
end of the waterway The work of
| fortification has also been progress
sing well, nearly half million yards
of concrete having been placed in
the mortar pits and gun emplace-
ments during the last year. The
sanitation of the Isthmus also has
been maintained at the high level
set by Colonel William G. Georgas,
the chief sanitary officer, from the
| beginning.
Contrary to the common impres
| sion the sanitary work in the way
of clearing land, does not extend
1ver the entire zone but less than
1900 of the 27S,S48 acres in tho
tract are kept clear for sanitary
purposes and almost the entire zone
is in it's origianl conditions as re-
CARDS brush and jungle.