Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-10

be reduced to low structures comparable
with the illuminating. buoys used to mark
the channel through Limon bay. We
would further recommend for considera-
ton the possibility Of building lighthouses
or some other form of monument at the
first high. solid ground encountered In
entering the canal from the Atlantic. at
the Mindi hills, where the Gatun locks
first attract attention. The chairman or
the isthmian canal commission. who ex-
pressed doubts as to the practicability of
building anything of Importance at the
locations Of beacon lights ! and 2, sug-
gested this point as preferable. The
bend in the canal would throw any pair
of monuments erected on the highest OF
these hills of the axis in approaching
from the sea. This Is unfortunate. but 1t
could perhaps be obviated by erecting
the structures on artificial mounds ex-
actiy at the angle.
Improving Gatun Locks.
Mr.. French then takes up the problem
of improving the appearance OF the Ga
tun locks. First OF all. the art commits
sion recommends that the arches on the
two sides of the present Gatun light
house shall be filled in. The report sets
forth that the tentative plan for grading
the Gatun locks seems good. and the COM
mission suggested to Col. Goethals the
advisability Of planting an avenue OF
trees on either side of the locks.
In regard to lighting the locks at Ga
tun, 1t Is suggested that. instead of max
Ing the fixtures of concrete. as at pres
ent planned, 1t would be better. from an
artistic standpoint. to execute them IN
sheet copper Then Mr.. French considers
the treatment Of the Pacific entrance TO
the canal On that point he says:
ut seems at first to be desirable that
the entrance to the canal from the Pa
cific should be marked In manner some
what similar to that proposed at the At
lantic end. Unfortunately. the conditions
near this entrance, particularly on the
east side will not admit of this treat
ment. The shore at this point Is occu-
pied by docks and coal storage. with
come in conflict. Moreover, there are
points Of interest as one approaches the
canal from the Pacific with which IT
would be unwise to attempt to compete
by any structure built for artistic rea-
sons alone The shore itself. with its
rugged range Of mountains. Is inspiring
and the islands guarding the entrance
are interesting in the extreme.
Islands Occupied by Forts.
1.-THE islands to the south really will
guard the entrance, as three OF them are
to be occupied by forts with heavy guns
The second one. Perico, Is most unusual
and picturesque. Naturally a wooded
mound, rising abruptly out OF the sea, the
top has been flattened for fortress. and
a spiral roadway encircling the island
leads up to 1t from the causeway which
connects this island with it's neighbor.
Macs, and thence with the mainland. In
our opinion. the only place upon which
monument might be erected would be
on the small, round hill at Point Farfan.
which rises directly from the water at
the entrance to the canal. and Is sym
metrical In form It would, however, be
difhcult to erect any structure here that
would not appear to be forced unless IT
were q lighthouse, and the plan for light
houses and beacons does not provide for