Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1913-07-26
GATUN LAKE SOON
READY FOR SHIPS
With Last Gate Shut, Should
Be- 65 Feet Deep by Dec. |.
MOVE THE RAILROAD LINE.


Creation Of the Lake. Which Should
Be Seventy one Feet Deep Before
Oct I, the Elevation Of the Railroad
at GorgonA, Forces Abandonment Of
Tracks Through the Black Swamp.
The canal Record, the Official nuhli-
cation Of the isthmian canal commits.
sion, IN late issue contains this nc
count of the closing Of the last Of the
great Gatun gates. which viii bring
Gatun lake TO the operating level:
anticipating the schedule, the last
gate Of The three s by IS foot sluices
through the ogco of the t:atun spill
way dam was closed at 1910 A. m.
on june IT, with the surface Of the
lake ISIS feet above sea level. II IL
not expected 10 open the gates again,
and the lake may ~ considered TO be
on IT. Email rise 10 operating level, TN
der conditions of normal runoff, as de
termlned by measurements recorded
over the watershed for the past TWEEN
ty-three years. the lake should reach
eighty five feet about Dec !, 1919, II
should rise 60 seventysone feet. the ele-
Walton OF the rnilroad at norgona,
about Oct. I. AZ that height II would
afford twensy.une foot channel The
top Of tho dixie at Gamboa, protecting
| Culebra cut from flooding through its
north end. Il Ts2 feet above sea level,
but il Is anticipated thai the wnter
will be let into the cut before the lake
has reached that elevation, which Il
may do about Noy. /.
Dredging camboa Channel.
1.-THE channel between Gatun and
Gamhoa has been completed since
July, 1912, with the exception of about
100000 cubic yards Of gravel, washed
into il by the G agrees river which Is
70 lie removed by dredges From Ca
tun to Iohio no excavation was requlr-
ell, except small quantity ut Penn
Blanea The surface OF the ground
was less than forty feet above sen
level, and the full lake viii afford
depth enough for the ships. The chan
mel needed only to bc cleared Of yege-
tation and marked With lights and
buoys. From Penn Bauca 10 Tahernil-
Ia the excavation WIS mostly IN cut
ting or the tops Of peninsulas formed
by the toriuous course Of the Chagrrs,
"1'he heavy work was from san Pa
bio to CANTON. Total excavations In
tile chagres district 10 date have
amounted 70 l2.ashGi5 cuiic yards
Including what remains 60 he done,
the total excavation for HE channel
through Gatin lake IL less tban the
excavation ACCOMPLISHED III Culcbra
cut every year since 1907
Birth OF catun Lake.
"Gafm lake came into existence on
April %. 1910 when the west diversion
Mt Gatrn dam was closed aud the ilow
from the Ciagres aud Trinidad rivers
was forced through The spillway chan
mel. The head of the spillway was ten
feet above sen level, which caused tho
water TO rise 70 q normal surface OF
fourteen feet above The sen. IN times
OF flood the surface rose to about
eighteen feet, inundatlng parts Of the
Panama railroad through the Black
swamp.
"On Feb -, 1912, the relocated line
OF the railroad. between Gaiun and
Gamboa, was placed IN use and I'm
mealately aftcrward tile removal OF
the old line WAS begun About the
same time the sluice gates were closed
and the lake was allowed to rise. III
attained maximum elevation Of 563
feet or Nov. 30, 1912. At this height
the water poured over a gap at nfty
feet above sea level. IN the uncon
pletcd cgee. and. IN order to allow the
completion Of the dam during the dry
season the sln'ee gates were opened IN
December on Jan ]. 1913. tlie sur
face OF the lake waa Is3 feet above
sea level, around Wilkes 1t has been
maintained since. thougli shc couple
ton of the ogee to It's elefntion Of
sixty nine feet was accomplished In