Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1913-01-08

the waters Of the Atlantic almost lap
ping the edges of the Gatun locks, q
lake l3 miles long-entirely artificial
to the Culebra cut; then staggering
dizzy abyss Of the "cut," another loci,
at Pedro Miguel, another lake mile
long, two more docks, a muddy chan
mel teeming with dredges and steam
shovels, and then four miles of COM
pleted canal filled with the emerald
blue water of the Pacific. That Is the
canal as it is today, from Atlantic 10
Pacific.
Seventy-fve feet below the Gatln
locks three steam dredges are sucking
out mud from the last brief barrier Of
earth to the Atlantic ocean, Flanking
this last cut is the old French canal,
almost filled in with vegetation by the
magic hand of nature in the tropics.
The dixie of dirt between the locks
and the channel leading to the ATTAIN
tic is barely quarter Of a mile long.
beyond the dredges, the canal is COM
pleted for its entire distance of about
three miles to Cristobal.
A network Of overhead tramways,
transporting mountains of rock and
concrete, are the guardians Of the Ca
tun locks. These locks-three pairs
and a double-are reerly completed.
Long inclined concrete runways for
electric engines To mount the extreme
pinnacle Of the locks, in towing
vessels are nearly finished. A small
barbor, with abGtment walls, to nestle
the merchant fleets of nations before
entering, are Almost completed. A
mammoth concrete wall, 100 feet in
height and 1000 feet in length Is be-
ing finished to divide the entrances to
the double row Of locks. Installation
Of steel buffers, operated with spring
Of high tension, to protect the delicate
sides of vessels, cnly remains to be
done.
Interior work OF the locks, each
1000 feet in length and 140 feet wide
and each elevated like giant steps ol
mighty marine ladder, is practically
finished The steel gates, like the
sides Of skyscrarer are all installed
Electrical machinery, hidden beneath
the concrete aburtments at the sides
Is in cparation. President Taft saw
them slowly swing open and shut
al. In three minutes. Only the buffers
remain to be installed, and the bottom
Of the locks, where men view from the
crest, appear like pygmies is to be
cleaned of debris.
Above the three lairs Of locks, ieal-
ously guarding their mighty but deli.
cate mechanism, is another harbor
and abuttment wall of 1000 feet, Iiyld.
ing the upper entrance. Range lights
have beer erected at night to guide
canal m2rtners 10 the mouth of the
Atlantic side.
Like a mammoth steel bridge, SHIN.
mering rcd in the tropic sun above the
locks, Is the emergency dam, almost
completed. This cam is in two sec
tons, Ike a drawbridge, to swlns It's
mighty bulk before the upper mouth
Of the 'ocks In case the machinery of
the locks should bo broken and the
locks LETT open. The emergency dam
is intended TO be swung out and drop
ped-a powerful shield Of steel plates
100 feet high and 200 feet in width.
Ranking only next to Culebra cut
at the west side Of the locks Is the Ca.
tun dam. This great mountain has
teen built to harness the turbulent
Chagres river anl form q great lake
OF 1854 acres. For contrary to general
btlief, the water in the canal Is In be
entirely fresh. Hardly a drop Of salt
water viii enter its portals. The en-.
tire canal is S5 feet above sea level
This height is maintained throughout
most It's entire length, except where
the dips to the ocean level are made
by means Of the locks.
As thore are three locks at Gaum
lalsing vessels s5 feet 80 are there
three locks at the Pacific end on,
al Pedro Migueland two at Minanores
to lower the vessels S5 feet. All oil
the water to noa. vessels will be OBJ.
'alned from the artificial lakes, one al
Gatun and the ether at Minanures
Put the Gatun lake, manufactured Il.
orally by man, IL the result Of the
Gatun dam. The dam is one in name
only. Today It appears to be the cre4r
of the small mountain, reaching IRON
TIE western range Of mountains ntc
the valley where the Gatun locks ne
It was built almost entirely with ear i
extracted from Culebra It is entirely
Ct dirt except rock rlprapplng at III,
base. II Is nearly two mites in Length
and ono-hnlf mile wide, extending
from the heights CT Gatun city acros,
the valley TO the mountains. Behnt