The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-01-08
Ho1D Panama Canal
Appears at Present

rqhe following special story on tne
,,.nonoa caual and how 1t appears to-
day was written by the United Press
a,r who accompanied Pres
ident Taft to the zone on his recent
trip.]
,1nion Of the Atlantic and Pacific
oceans-the greatest marriage Of wat
as IN history by means OF the Pan.
ana canal, is to be the supreme
49, ..,ar,can achievement OF 1913. The
,.h;g ditch" is almost ready.
President Taft is preparing to an
no,,nce the program for acceptance
Il engineering's la.est gift, as re-
s,,,t If his trim to the Isthmian canal
zone last month.
aNinety-three per cent completed"
Was the report made to the president
regarding the progress OF the giant
sluiceway BY Colonel George ". Goe-
tbals. the engineering wizard OF the
tropics.
rompletion Of all excavation neces-
eary to open the canal by June Is
tho estimate in the hands OF the pres
;dent. Flooding of Culebra cut, the
ms. stupendous task of the canal
construction, is planned on July /
without celebration. During July.
August and September. it Is estimat-
Cd sut1icient water will flow into the
lake reservoirs at the Gatun and Min
afores locks to enable passage OF the
first yessel-a Panaman railroad ship
through the entire canal on Oct. o,
the s00th anniversary Of the discoy-
erv Of the Pacific by Balboa. The
canal will not be thrown open to the
commerce Of the world until after the
dedication on Jan. !, 1919.
The accomplishments Of 1912 on
the isthmus and his hopes for the
future we're given as follows by Col.
onel Goethals while the presidential
rarity we're at Culebra on Christmas
day:
During the year of 1912 the Gatnn
dam was virtually completed and at
the close of sthe rainy season Gatun
lake had risen to height of 81 feet.
or within thirty feet Of the maximum
which it will be allowed to attain.
The dam held back this volume OF
water without leakage.
During the year about 100000
cubic yards of material were remov-
ed from the keystone OF the canal
Cnlebra. OF this 100000 yards were
due to slides in Culebra cut. But
slides will cease when the canal is
completed and dynamite blasting dis
continued
There remains to be excavated
abou.. 24.500,000 cubic yards. But
only 100000 need be excayated be
fore the canal can be opened 1t is
hoped that the last steam shovel can
be removed from the cut by July i
Then the dixie at Bias Obispo. which
holds the water of Gatun lake out o,
the cut, can be removed and the wat
er will flow. Remaining excavation
necessary can be accomplished By
steam dredges.
Less than per cent of the tota
excavation and concrete works is un
finished. At the present rate both will
pc finished and all gates and machin
cry for one set of locks will be in
sailed by September. Then, If thu
water in Gatun lake is high enough
the first ship can be put through on
complete set of locks. If one shll
can go any number can
President Taft has made is plail
mat sentiment attached to Balboa
discovery OF The Pacific 400 years ag,
10 TO figure in the opening OF TIL,
canal. During his visit to the ION
last month. the president unequiyocal
y indicated that he favors honorin!
lsaiooa by having the first ship sal
from ocean to ocean on Oct. 5-exac,
y 400 years AFTER the Spaniard sigh,
ed the Pacific from what is now tn
terminus OF the canal. The presiden
pans TO issue a proclamation befor
march 4, fixing this date for TIL
event. An anti-climax planned Is t
urn the water into Culebra cut, tn
mammoth cash of steam shovel
through the miniature mountains i
me center of the canal district, O
July /.
establishment of civil government
9 the zone, to replace the militar
SINE incident to actual constructio
sork by the army and navy eng
,'eefs, Will precede the formal an
informal opening ceremonies.
Goethals, the master mind Of Ii
anal is the choice Of President Ia,
~ governor Of the zone. Goethal
80 thoicated that he will accept sue
= appolntment-to finish the canal
wing more, putting the last touche
!. nent. 0snios
now near the canal is to actu;
,se was strikingly impressed upo
~ president and his party duriu
as.f inspection last month. Ever
~ OF the canal was looked over.
peeiai train scurried from ocean ,