New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-13
PANAMA CANAL IS
PRACTICALLY COMPLETED
Only Finishing Touches and
Supplemental Draining Re-
main To Be Done.
FILLED BY DECEMBER |
Rains May Bring Water Up to
Final Height of Eighty
five Feet Even Before
That Date.
From Tho Tribune Bureau. !

TT rom inc IrlOune huI'du
Washington. July 12.-Apart from the
finishing touches and some supplement
airy dredging. the Panama Canal Is
practically completed. according 70
The Canal Record" the official organ
OF the Canal Commission. On June q
the spillway Of Gatun Lake was finally
closed. and all that remains is for suffi-
cient rains TO fall 20 bring Gatun Lake
and the water throughout the greater
length of the canal up 20 it's final height
Of eighty-five feet above sea level. The
water, now at approximately a forty
eight-foot level. is expected 10 attain
the eighty-fve foot level not later than
December I. while any rainfall above
the normal would effect that end even
sooner.
Anticipating the schedule, the last
gate Of the three eight by eighteen-foot
sluices through the ogee Of the Gatun
spillway dam was closed at 1910 a. m.
on J-ne %. with the surface Of the
lake 1925 feet above sea level II is
not expected TO open the gates again,
and the lake may be considered TO be
on it's final rise 10 operating level
IS Feet of Water by December.
Under conditions Of normal runoff. as
determined by measurements recorded
over the watershed for the past TWEEN
ty-three years. the lake should reach
eighty-fve feet about December ] next;
II should rise TO seventy-one feet, the
elevation of the railroad at Gorgona,
about the first Of October. At that
height IL would afford a twenty-one
foot channel. The top Of the dixie at
Gamboa. protecting Culebra cut from
flooding through its north end, is 80
feet above sea level, but IL Is ex-
pected that the water Will be let into
the cut before the lake has reached that
elevation, which il may do about No
vember l.
The channel between Gatun and
Gamboa has been completed since July,
1912. with the exception Of about
100000 cubic yards Of gravel washed
into il by the Chagres River. which
is about 10 be removed by dredses
From Gatun 10 Bohio no excavation
was required except a small quantity
at Pena Blanca; the surface Of the
ground was less than forty feet above
sea level. and the full lake will afford
depth enough for the ships. The chan
mel needed only 20 he cleared Of vege-
tation and marked with lights and
buoys.
Small Excavations in Gatun Lake.
From Pena Blanca 10 Tabernilla the
excavation was mostly in cutting on
the tops Of peninsmas formed by the
tortuous course Of the Chagres. The
heavy work was from san Pablo TO
Gamboa. Total excavations in the
Chagres district TO date have amounted
to 1884, 30 cubic yards. Including
what remains 20 be done. the total ex-
cavation for the channel through Gatun
Lake is less than the excavation ac-
compHshed in Culebra cut every year
since 1907.
Gatun Lake came into existence on
April %, 1910, when the west diversion
at Gatun dam was closed and the flow
from the Oh, ~-ns and Trinidad rivers
forced through the spillway chan
mel. The head Of the spillway was ten
feet above sea level, which caused the
water 20 rise 10 a normal surface Of
fourteen feet above the sea. In times
Of food the surface rose to about eigh-
teen feet, inundatine parts OF the Pan
ANA Railroad through the Black
Swamp.
Old Railway Removed.
on February H. 1912. the relocated
line Of the railroad between Gatun and
Gamboa was placed in use and immedi-
ately afterward the removal Of the old
line was begun. About the same time
the sluice gates were closed and the
lake was allowed 10 rise II attained
a maximum elevation OF JG3 feet On
November 30. 1912. At this height the
water poured over at gap at fifty feet
.g hove coo level an the unCOTn Met I'D