The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-01-28
Ils Been TlslProgress d
P,l,nd tss,l
About ssvsI;Elghths o.
Excavation E Completed

Colon, e. a., JAM T-The grand to-
tai Of the Panama canal excavation to
Jan. 1 was 1ss, ,3SO.312 cubic yards,
leaving to be excavated 24.223, ,s26 GU
bic yards, or q little more than one
eighth Of the entire amount necessary
for the completed canal. The total ex.
cavation for the month of December
was 2.S15,si6 cubic yards.
The dry excavation amounted to l..
454,72S cubic yards, and was entirely
by steamshovels.. The dredges and
monitors removed l.3si.O cubic
yards. OF this 1857 consisted Of dry
excavation at Gatun locks. The total
excavation in the central division was
1,074.51o cubic yards. which. includes
29,SS2 cubic yards in the Culebra cut.
In the Pacific division, the total exca-
walton was 905.256 cubic yards. 303,5
cubic yards Of which consisted Of dry
excavation.
Each Of the emergency dams will
contain about 1850 tons of steel. All
of the material for the east dam at Ca
tun locks is assembled, all that for the
west dam Is on the ground, and erec.
tion has been begun; $40 tons for the
east dam at Pedro Miguel lock has
been delivered and 1870 tons for the
west dam.
ka aot do - nas,
cent of the $4,000 rivets have been
driven. Completion will depend upon
the rapidity with which the counter
weight of concerto and pig iron, 1000
tons In all. can be placed upon the
short arm of the cantilever, and the
operators house can he erected upon
the counterweight. The building OF
the counterweight has been begun.
Erection work is In progress on the
west dam at Gatun. The center pivot
upon which the dam, swings and the
rack and track segments have been
embedded in the concrete. About two
thirds Of the vertical trusses and the
intermediate sway frames have been
assembled. Only few rivets have
been driven. The amount OF material
erected at present IL about 700 tons. or
a little less than one third of the to.
tai.
At Pedro Miguel $40 tons OF mater
ial have been received for the west
dam, and 1870 tons for the east dam.
Erection will not be at its height until
the middle of February, when it is ex-
pected that all of the heavy material
In the west dam at .Gatun will have
been placed, and the crane. now in use
there can be moved to Pedro Miguel.
Excavation in Culebra cut will be
carried on during the dry season with
the object of having all the work done
by the beginning of the next rainy sea
son, except that in the two and one
half miles between Empire and Curu-
racha.
A special effort will be made to dig
out the slide on the west bank OF the
canal at Culebra. Two shovels are
at work on 1t. and the train service
will lie idle the least possible time,
even though shovels elsewhere may
be Disseminated against in conse'
quence. Q
A new slide was developed on the
east bank of the canal opposite Guile
bra within the past month. The bank
has broken fro 1000 feet along the
face. and II all of the material within
the break slides into the canal, 1t will
| probably aggregate 100000 cubic
yards. Two steam shovels are exca'
waiting from the bottom OF the slide.
| Two steam shovels have been set at
work completing the excavation In the
anchorage basin at the north end oi
Pedro Miguel lock, and in the cut near
by. 1t is expected that all the work be
| tween the locks and Cucuracha slide
will be finished by March l.
The break In the east bank OF the
cut at Empire near the ofiice OF the
division engineer showed further de
velopment ON Jan. 3. when about 12b,
900 cubic yards of material fell into
fFe canal. One shovel is at wOrE