The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1913-11-26

Col. Cocktails
the lock. and reduces tho disturb
anca In the chamber when the lat.
ter IL being filled or emriied.
Tho middle. or separating wall.
contains a single culvert OF the same
AREA as the culverts In tho side
walls. which feeds both directions
through iaterais. controlled by
valves designed TO operate against
head from either direction.
This arrangement permits com.
municntion between tho chambers
OF twin locks 80 that water may
be- passed from one lock 20 tho
other OF the pair. cffecsing saving
OF water.
The entire lock can be filled or
cmptied. using one culvcrt, In 10
mlnutea and ~ seconds. and In 7
minutes and 81 seconds when both
enivrr,s are used
The lock gates are Of the mitrring
type. double leaf. straight gates.
varying In height from tb feet 7
inches TO 70 feet: the length OF each
leaf IL about CO feet.
I, has been accepted M n funda.
mental feature Of the design that
Mt each flight OF locks there must
always BE- two barriers separating
the high level from the level ncrt
/ below.
To carry this out. two sets Of
mitcring gates are placed at the
upper and tao nj the lower end os
each OF the uppcrmost locks In each
\ flight.
In addition. q chain device In used
90 guard the barrier gn,ea against
accident. and 20 controlled ns 90 be
capable Of checking a ship Of 10000
tons. moving at the rate Of five
miles an hour.
More than s5 pcr cent OF the vcs
sells navigating tho high seas arc
less than 600 fect In length. and this
has been taken M the determining
fncfor for the location Of intermc
date gates. which are introduced In
the dcsign 10 save both time and
water.
| For tho protection OF tho inisrme
date gates against vessels using a
smaller length Of chamber. q chain
barrier II 90 DO Installed.
Guide piers are provided both up
stream and down. to which vessels
will n. before entering the locks.
Electric towing machines will b
used for towing vessels into and
controlling their passage through
t1e locks by means 81 lines OF
cables attached 20 what may Ia
considered the four corners OF the
shlp.
Even with all these precautions
accidents may happen. and emer
gency dams are provided nj the
head Of each flight OF locks. consist
ing OF swing bridges. which can b.
thrown across the locks In case oil
an accident which makes n conncc
ton between the top level and tbs
|, level below: wicket Orders are lei
down from these swing bridges. sup
ported by a ALL a, the bottom and
the horizontal truss work OF tbs
bridge az tho top.
These wicket girders act ms run
ways for gates. which are lowered
and gradually stop the flow.
In the Pacific division tho wor,
consisted OF the construction OF du
pilcate locks Mt Pedro Miguel. over
coming n s0.foot difference OF level
with the necessary dams. two lock
In flight. also In duplicate. at Mira
flores. connected with the adjacen
hills by one earth and one concrct,
dam. cxcayating the channels be
tween the locks 20 the require,
depths. and the excavation OF IN,
channel TO proper width to deel
I. water In the Pacific.
! The Mlrailorcs locks are two II
flight. overcoming the difference II
!. level between Miraflores lake an,
, the sea level section.
The maximum lift for these lock
r In about 81 feet.
= The relocated Panama Railway 4
!. pushed forward 40 as to keep pac
a with canal construction work.
: Under the Spooner act the pros
dent was authorized 20 construct
: canal through n commission consis;
ing Of seven members.
In January. 1905. the secretary O
| war. In letter to the presiden,
! called attention TO this faulty orgar
I Izatlon
i In 1907 the president simpllfie
matters by combining the duties @
chairman and chief engineer in on
person, and later the secretary G
war vested the powers OF the 20,
ernor of the canal zone In the sam
party. thus eliminating the frictIo
that had previously existed betwee
these three functionaries
Authority was still further col
centrated by an executive order 1
! January. 1908. and out OF which IN
\ final organization resulted
The chief engineers office wa
divided into three divisions.
Il The first had charge OF designs {
{ masonry and lock structures. inclu,
o. Ing valves. lock gates and prote
n tive devices. operating machiner
v movable dams and spillway.
n The second had charge OF tie a
v signs and construction OF drydocl
n and coaling stations. OF all question