Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-07-16
GATuM LAKE NOW ON ITS FINAL
RISE TO OPERATING
LEVEL.
SUCCESS OF ENTERPRISE
DEPENDS ON DAMS STRENGTH
IF Gigantic Structure Can Stand
Pressure Of Water at Operating Stage
Work ls Successful-Blundsr at This
Stage Will Delay Formal opsnins-
Lake and Dam Present Problem.
speciai CorTeesspcndence-1

Washington, July 16.-Reports OF the
isthmian canal commission recently
show that the real test OF the canal
structure has just been begun. Inc
1eports of the commission do not IN
terms say this but that is what Is
meant in the announcement that Gatun
lake is on it's final rise to operating
level.
The last gate Of the three skis fees
sluices thru the edge of the Gatun spill
way dam was closed some days ago
with the surface OF the lake at AZ feet
above sea level. The intention Is no'
TO open the gates again and the 1ahe
is supposed to be on the rise 10 liie
level which it viii be needtul lot IL "
maintain when the canal is na'iea'eo'
Under average conditions the AaAe
should reach So feet about Dec. !.
should rise TO II feet about OCT. anu
al that height would afford q 1901
channel. which would be deep enough
for most Steamship
Rlunder May Delay Opening.
II is in this connection that the real
res, of the canal will come accoroine
10 experts. In other Worcs' II '.e
warers of Gatun lake can rise 10 Oh
fee. and the Gatun dam can stand the
strain. there will be practlcahy ~
nuestion of the success OF the canai'
should there be failure IN the etioi'
m force the waters Of Gatun lake 10
S. feet. should 1t be disclosed the con
s1ruction of Gatun dam in any OF i's
essential parts is faulty and weak, 'ns.
the canal will be failure until the
mistake can be rectifed. A oiunoef d.
this point might delay the opening "a
the canal indefinitely.
Much has been heard Of the slides al
the Culebra cut and they are troupie.
some enough. But as a matter OF .ao.
thew can be met simply by persistent
excavation. They do not present as
serious a side Of the canal problem az
the 9aeun lake and dam. Dinerences
~ oninion have arisen among the en-
e,neers as to how the dam and its paIts
shop,d be constructed. Colonel ooetn-
aI.' way was not the plan favored ~
.or,a ~ his subordinates. It remains
~ he seen whether the GoethAls plan ID
.uccess More or less talk mas oeen
heard that the engineers VINO nay
MO tched the successive rises OF inc
water. in Gatun lake were oouo'iu. u
IN. ability OF the dam to meet the STU
alton. .a.n
Lake creafed In 1910.
The latest official report says Gatun
lake came into existence April 20. wv
when the west diversion at Gatun ga"
was closed and the flow from the
chasres and Trinidad rivers was forceo
thru the spillway channel the neao
Of the spillway was 10 feet above seq
level which caused the water to rise 70
normal surface Of II feet above 'ns
sea. In times Of flood. the surface rose
n about Is feet. inundating parts OF
the Panama railroad thru tho BACK
swamp. Early IN 1912. the sluice gates
were closed and the lake was s1io"ea 70
rise. It attained q maximum elevauon
Of SO feet Nov. 80. 1912. At this nslens.
the water poured over q gap. AZ ao zee.
above sea level. in the uncompleteo
age. and, in order to allow the com
pletion Of the dam in the dry season.
the sluice gates were opened IN De-
cember. Jan. !, 1913. the surface OF
the lake was 4s.3 above sea level.
around which it has been maintained