Mountain advocate. (Barbourville, Ky.) 1904-1935, 1913-10-03

Inc nndt voyage through the canal ii
scheduled for some time during this
month. Within another month 1t is
expected, the waters in Gatun lake
will have risen high enough to bring
the waters in the entire canal. up to
the deepswater level required for the
passage Of the largest ships
1t is said that as long ago as the
early part Of August, assurances were
given Washington officials that II the
emeFgesscy should arise. the entire
Atlantic battleship feet could be put
through the canal into Pacific waters
within 60 days from that date. The
work has been hurried with that end
In view. it is said, as no emergency
has existed, but this assurance is an
indication of the belief Of the engi-
neers that their work is now practical
ly finished.
.culebra Cut Caused Trouble.
The excavation of the Culebra cut,
into which the water has just been
turned. has been one OF the engineer
ing feats connected with the building
OF the canal, and has caused the en-
gineers more trouble than any 9TH
er portion of the big ditch To
Col. d. d. GailIard, the engineer of
the central division, Is given the
credit for carrying this portion of the
work through to successful termina-
ton
The disastrous slides in the cut
we're discouraging to the engineers.
multiplying in few hours the work of
many. weeks, but Col. Gaillard and his
assistants have kept untiringly at
their work. and at last have conquer
ed the treacherous banks Of the deep
cut. The engineers believe that the
danger Of slides will be eliminated
now that the water has been turned
into the cut.
A little more than month ago the
giant steam, shovels finished their
work in the Culebra cut. Since that
time the, workmen have been busy
REMOVING the shovels, the railroad
tracks and pther machinery used in
the excavation work. There is still
some dirt to, be removed from the cut
before the, channel is finished, but
this work will be done by suction
dredges floating on the waters of the
canal, and will not interfere with nav
igation Of the waterway by such boats
as may be allowed to pass through.
Immense Artificial Lake Created: +:
Gatun lake, the waters OF whichsare
now flowing into the Culebra cut lis
the pivotal point about which the en-
tire canal system revoives. and the
creation OF this lake. together with, the.
construction OF Gatun dam, .copsti-
tuted another great engineering feat
In the construction OF the canal Cat
un lake is an artificiaf body Of water
covert aOout 1874 square miles of
territory and was created by The
building OF the immense GatuR dam
and the impdundiig OF the Wild wa
tiers OF ChAgfes river Beneath the
waters of Gatun lake lies what = few
months ago was tho valley Of the
Chagres. dotted with native vlllages
and plantations. The channel OF the
canal passes through this lake Tor
distance OF "a miIes with width tary-
ing from 500 to 1000 feet. - 4
At thesnoftherh end OF the shake
is the GAtdh dam, which lssin Eeifity
an artificial ridge more than 0Gmlle
and half long. Figures aloBeiGlve
an adequate idea, Of the magnitude OF
I eks' dam, NEARLY half.a mile wide at
its base. about 400 feet wide az, the
water surface. and 400 feet wide at
the top. the dixie which many en-
siReers predicted would, never With.
stand the, rush Of the chasres's wa
tors. IL admitted now 20 ba 80 strong
that nothing short OF an earthquake
such a. has never been. known In the
coRtral AmerioaRi Fegion can harm
" The 1atu9 dam, 0atun lake and
the culehra cut, 20 aigantic ara the
OF each. dwarf the other
engineering works OF the canal that
Ia thoppplvea have challenged the ad-
ulrntlon Of The world
Nerd olives ooelhalg Credit.
2 Col. George Ooethall chairman
. iash-.'- hlpaion.
on end