El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-09-28

b W 7 ASHINGTON, D. c., Sept. 81
NJ The most important feature of
the Isthmian canal is an arti-
fetal lake, which viii extend two
thirds Of the distance from ocean TO
ocean. Which means, Of course that
two-thirds of the voyage made by
ships through the canal viii be over the
surface OF this lake. The latter, to be
known as Gatun lake, viii be by far
the largest artificial body of water
ever known in the world
Through the middle of the great Ca
tun dam Is cut a gap 1000 feet WIDE
lined with concrete and called a spill
way" Across it IS placed a barrier Of
concrete, in which there are huge steel
gates that may be raised or lowered.
BY raising these gates at periods of
high water (when the Chagres river is
IN freshet), the water can be allowed TO
escape without flowing over the dam.
II is easily understood that by this
means the level of the water IN the
lake can at all times be controlled.
One should clearly understand that
the aforementioned basin in the hills
was originally dry land-though a good
deal of Ii was subject to frequent in
undation by freshets Of the Chagres-
Thus the diggers of the Panama canal
have incidentally accomplished very
remarkable change in the geography of
the region. Now that the lake is filled
up, il viii never be possible to empty
II again, Col Goethals says, because no
means have been provided whereby
such thing could be done but II viii
be practicable to lower its surface level
as much as is feet, If desired
Greater Than Lake MOeris.
One OF she Pharaohs of the 18th
Egyptian dynasty constructed a reser-
TOir. known to this day as Lake NOeris
10 regulate the overflow of the Nile. It
1t covered IS square miles, and was
80 q
the world But Gstun lake, when it is
fun, viii cover about three times that
area lle1 square miles,, its object be-
ing a similar one-namely, to take care
of the flood waters of the Chagres and
prevent them from doing mischief. It
viii hold lS5,000,0Oe,000 cubic feet Of
water
The canal zone is a strip exactly 10
miles wide, extending across the
Isthmus of Panama. But the lake. when
Il IS full, viii extend far beyond the
limits of the strip on both sides. In
TACT no less than q square miles OF it
VIII occupy territory hitherto belong
ing te the Republic of Panama. But
provision for this matter was made
Panamanian government, and in March
1917, proclamation was issued by the
president of Panama, declaring that the
little republic thenceforth would relin-
quish TO the United states all authority
over the area covered by the lake and
extending beyond the limiting lines Of
the zone.
The basin, being surrounded on all
sides by lofty hills, man spurs of the
latter. still submerged, will extend out
into the lake, forming peninsulas- And
in the same way viii be formed numer-
Gus islands There will be about 80 of
these Islands west Of the canal, and
20 more east of il, outside the strip.
Over all Of them the government of the
United States has absolute and eXclu-
siVe Jurisdiction.
VIII Have 1000 Miles Of shores.
Naturally under the circumstances.
the outline Of this immense artificial
body OF water will be exceedingly ir-
regular, stretching in a multitude of
arms far up into the land. Its shores in
total length VIII measure over 1000
miles. There viii be plenty Of room on
It's surface for all the naVies of the
likely that in time of war our own
fighting ships might seek refuge there
TO refit One effect of the fresh water
of the canal, by the way, viii be 10
XIII garnacles. Col. .GOethals says that /
barnacles dropping from the ships that
pass through the ditch viii accumulate
10 such an extent in a few years on the :
bottom of the canal that they will
have to be dredged out.
Water from the lake, passing through !
the spillway, viii be used to operate an
enormously powerful hydrO-electrie
plant, which viii furnish electricity 10
operate the machinery of the locks. TO |
furnish power for great machine shops,
TO illuminate the canal and the locks, /
and, later on, to run the trains of the
Panama railroad To insure uninter-
rupted service, all Of the equipment