The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1913-01-08

Minaf1ores lakes.
October 5.-First ship to pas
| through.
In 1915.
January Formal dedication 70
San Francisco exposition.
WASHINGTON, JAM 8.-Union of tn
Atlantic and the Pacific ooeans-th
greatest marriage of waters in histor
by means of the Panama canal,
to me the supreme American achieve
ment of 1913. The 'big ditch" is al
most ready.
President Taft is preparing to an
nounce the program for acceptance
of engineering's latest gift, as re
suit of his trip to the Isthmian Cana
zone last month
"Ninety-three per cent completed,
was the report made to the presiden
regarding the progress of the gian
sluiceway by Colonel George w. Goe
thals, the engineering wizard of the
tropics.
Completion of all excavation neces
sary to open the canal by June 1 is the
estimate in the hands of the president
Flooding of Culebra cut, the mos
stupendous task of the canal construc-
ton, is planned on July without cele-
bration During July, August and
September, it is estimated, sufficient
water will flow into the lake reservoirs
at the Gatun and Miraflores locks tc
enable passage of the first vessel-a
Panama railroad ship-through the en-
tire canal on October 5, the 400th ami
versary of the discovery of the Pacific
by Balboa. The canal will not be
thrown open to the commerce Of the
world until after the dedication on
January 1, 1915.
isthmus and his hopes for the future
were given as follows by Colonel Goe-
thals while the presidential party was
at Culebra on Christmas day:
During the year of 1912 the Gatun
dam was virtually completed, and at
the close of the rainy season Gatun
lake had risen to a height of 81 feet,
or within 80 feet of the maximum
which it will be allowed to attain. The
dam held back this volume of water
without leakage
During the year about 100000
cubic yards of material were removed
from the keystone of the canal-Culeb-
"a. OF this 100000 yards were due
to slides in Culebra cut But slides
will cease when the canal is completed
and dynamite blasting is discontin-
led.
There is yet to be excavated
about 24,500,00O cubic yards. But only
6 900, 900 need be excavated before the
canal can be opened. 1t is hoped that
the last steam shovel can be removed
from the cut by July l. Then the
dyke at Bias Obispo, which holds the
water of Gatun lake out of the cut,
can be removed and the water will
aow Remaining excavation necessary
can be accomplished by steam dredges.
Less than eight per cent of the total
excavation and concrete works is I'M
At the present rate both will
,e finished and all gates and machinery
or one set of locks will be installed
)y September. Then, if the water in
1atun lake is high enough, the first
hip can be put through one complete
'et of locks. If one ship can go.
my number can"
President Taft has made it plain
hat sentiment attached to Balboa's
discovery of the Pacific 400 years ago
$ to figure prominently in the opening
# the canal. During his visit to the
one last month, the president unequlv-
cally indicated that he fayors honor
ng Balboa by having the first ship sail
rom ocean to ocean on October 81
xactly 400 years after the Spaniard
lighted the Pacific from what is now
ne terminus of the canal. The prssi- |
ent plans to issue a proclamation
efore March 4, fixing the date for the
vent An ante-climax planned is
i'm the water into Culebra cut. the |
lammoth cash of steam shovels |
trough the miniature mountains in |
le center of the canal district on July
Establishment of civil government
the zone to replace the military
,gime incident to actual construction
ork by the army and navy engineers,
i'll precede the formal and informal
,ening ceremonies.
Cocktails, the master mind of tie
NAL, is the choice of President Taft
r governor of the zone. Go .''.ls
Is indicated that he will accept such
| appointment, to finish the canal IL
thing more, putting the last touches
his titanic achievement.
How near the canal Is to actual use
as strikingly impressed upon the
esident and his party during their in
ection last month. Every foot of the
nal was looked over. A special train
urried from ocean to ocean for three
VS..
Here is what the president found.
All six locks about 70 per cent COM