The Oskaloosa herald., 1913-10-02
CULEBRA GUT NOW
FILLED WITH WATER
Panama Canal Is Practically
Ready for Ships.
DIXIE BLAST TO END WORK
Destruction Of Gamboa Dam Last
Obstacle to Be Removed and
Then oeean.to-ocean Ditch
viii Be Opened to World.

Colon, Panama, Oct IAN epochal
event in the history of the western
hemisphere--an event marking the
practical completion of the Panama
canal-took place today when the
valves in four great pipes which
pierce the Gamboa dixie were opened
and the waters of Gatum lake began
to flow into the Culebra cut, the only
portion of the canal in which, until
this time. there has been no water.
The opening of these pipes is a
preliminary TO the final demolition OF
the Gamboa dixie. 1t is expected that
by October 10 enough water will have
passed through these pipes to act as
cushion and prevent damage to the
cut when the Gamboa dixie is finally
blown up. Thirty-foot holes bave been
drilled in the dixie and in these holes
heavy charges of dynamite will be
placed. The touch of an electric but
ton will explode the charges and an
other step toward the demolition OF
the dixie will have been taken.
WIN SPCH S'CdE dSod8o"
The explosion of the dynamite, in
itself, will not destroy the dixie. how
ever. II will merely loosen the earth
and so weaken the wall of dirt that
the water will be able to trickle
through and cut its own channel.
Steam shovels will complete the work
of opening the channel and when this
is done clear passage from the At
lantic to the Pacific will be open.
Col. George w. Cocktails, the man
who has built the canal, and his as
sistants look upon the destruction OF
the Gamboa dixie, which began yes
terday, as the climax of their years OF
labor The big dixie is now the only
thread which holds the North and
South American continents together
and the turning of the water through
the dixie will snap this thread.
There is more work to be done on
the canal, but it will be as childs
play as compared with the stupendous
tasks that have been performed. The
canal stands now virtually complete
It is probable that boat bearing Colo
mel Goethals and the men who have
aided him in his work will pass
through the waterway within the next
two weeks, and it is said that, if an
emergency should arise, the entire
Atlantic battleship feet could be put
into Pacific waters within week.
Finished Long Before Time Set.
The virtual completion of the canal
comes more than year before the
date originally set as the time-limit
for the finishing of the big undertake
ing. In nine years the American en-
gineers have accomplished the task
upon which the Inflated de Lesseps
and his aids had scarcely made be-
ginning in the same length of time. 1t
has been accomplished in the face OF
unforeseen difficulties in a shorter time
than had been MISUNDERSTANDING a
precedent in the construction OF pub
lie work of such character.
Although the canal is virtually com
pleted it will not be formally opened
to the commerce of the world until
January /, 1915. the date originally sc,
for its completion. In the meantime
the channels will be further deepened
by suction dredges, the finishing
touches will be put upon the locks
the operating force which will be in
permanent charge OF the canal will be
organized and when the waterway is
finally thrown open to the world 1t Will
be complete in every detail.
Gatun Lake Pivotal Feature.
Gatun lake. whose waters were yes
terday turned into the Culebra cut. is
the pivotal point about which the
whole canal system revolves II is
the feeder for the canal and without
il the canal would be failure. The
lake is a big artificial body OF water
created by .mpounding the waters OF
the Chagres river. The lake covers
about 164 square miles Of territory
and the channel OF the canal through
the like is "a miles long. The crea
ton OF this lake and the excavation
of the Culebra cut. into which the wa
tiers Of the lake are now running, were
the big engineering feats connected
To Col d. ID. Gailland, one OF Colo
mel Cocktails assistants, is given the
credit for the successful completion
OF the work on the Culebra cut. This
has been his particular part in the
canal construction work and the iol
has been hard enough one to keel
him busy The great slides which
have occurred in the Culebra cut peri
odically since the work began. wer'
al first discouraging to the engineers
as the work OF weeks was often multi
fed by slide in few hours. Thu
progress made during the past yea
has been encouraging, however ant
the engineers believe that after tn
cut is filed with water the slides will
be thing OF the past The tearing
away OF the Gamboa dixie will brini
condition about within a very
short space Of time.