The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-10-11

when the Gamboa dixie was destroy
e1 and the water Of Gatun lake
we're allowed to flow into Culebra
cU1, as lake and cut are, at the nor
nal surface OF the water. eighty-fiye
feet above the level of the sea.
The destruction OF the Gamboa
dixie. however, removes the last OBJ
structiOn to the navigation OF the
greater part of the canal by light
draft vessels and opens up direct
connection between the great Gatun
lake, which already is practically
ready to discharge vessels into the
Atlantic through Gatun locks and
the Pacific division.
The waters Of the lake, rushing
through the broken dixie at Gam
boa, swept through Culebra cut until
they reached the great locks at Pc
dro Miguel, which mark the begin
ming OF the descent from the top
level of the canal TO the Pacific.
The first craft to enter will be the
great steam dredges whose work is
10 clear and deepen the channel. The
presence OF small craft in portions
Yet mean Ocean-tO-Ocean navigation.
This will be first possible when each
link in the canal has sufficient
depth Of water and all the locks are
working.
in the intermediate stage naviga-
;ion may be effected in local lengths
OF the canal and to some degree may
be extended length to length along
the whole waterway.
Yesterdays events served TO indi-
cate the nearness of the completion
OF the canal 1t also formally
brought to a close the work Of the
central division in the cut for dredg-
ing operations which are to succeed
the steam shovel work will be under
a different organization.
G;.mboa dixie was built in 1908 to
hold the Chagres river in check dur
ing its turbulent periods and to pre-
vent its waters from entering the
nine-mile stretch OF Culebra cut ana
delaying the work of the steam shov-
els.
Il was important solely from its
location. Twenty-four miles to the
north The mighty Batun dam, which
Ito the uninitiated appears to be
nothing more than a low mountain
range stretched across a valley,
keeps the waters Of Gatun lake from
escaping TO the sea.
These two barriers, one Of the
greatest man-made dams in history
and the other. a low ridge of earth
ana rock which would ordinarily
pass unnOticed, have kept in check
lhe rising waters of Gatun lake.
Today there is only one, and the
waters OF the lake now extend from
Pedro Miguel lock on the south tC
Gatun locks on the north. a distance
OF about thirty-three miles. approx,
mately tWo-thirds Of the canals
| length.
200 Holes Charged with Dynamite
! Drills We're at work on the dixie
nearly the whole month of Septem
! ber and it was mined with over
/ 200 holes charged with dynamite
/ The barrier contained about 10000
cubic yards OF material or the same
number OF twO-hOrse wagon loads.
! Only once since it was built haG
/ the dixie failed in its purpose. Thi
VAS during the big freshet in the
! ChaGres river. when the water came
so close to the top then, at seventy
was deemed advisable to open TIL
siuice gates to avoid the danger o
heavy washing.
This was done. and for severa
days all work was suspended ant
only the tops of steamshovels wer
all that was sticking out of the wa
ter Since that time the overtop
ping of the dixie was never serious
| " threatened. When Gatun lax,
rose to a height OF fifty feet abov
sea level. the flood was held b.
dumping clay on the side toward tn
cut and raised the dixie to seventy
Ieight feet above sea level.
/ Odd Fellows meet Tuesday night