The Holt County sentinel. (Oregon, Mo.) 1883-1980, 1913-03-21
Panama Canal Wonders.

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There has recently come to our table
one Of the 5000 copies of the official
handbook Of the Panama canal print.
ed for the officers and men OF the At.
lantic fleet during their recent visit
to the isthmus. 1t Is a mine of In.
formation concerning the work Of ex.
cavation, operation Of the lock gates,
system Of range light beacons by
which the canal will be navigated and
all other phases of the big Ditch. ="
One OF the most interesting features
Of the book Is the part showing how
ships will be taken through the locks
by electric locomotives.
No vessel will he allowed to 20
through the locks with its own power.
The locomotives will run on tracks
laid on the lock walls. The rate Of
towing will be two miles an hour.
The number of locomotives will vary
with the size Of the ship. The usual
number required will be four--two
ahead lone on each wallD, imparting
motion forward 20 the ship, and two
astern lone on each walD, to aid In
keeping the vessel In a central posi-
tion and to bring It to rest when en-.
tirely within the lock chamber.
These locomotives will he equipped
with slip drum, towing windlass
and hawser, which will permit the
towing line to be taken In and paid
out without actual motion Of the 10.
comotive on the track. There will be
two systems Of tracks, one for towing
and the other for the return of the
locomotives when not towing. The
towing tracks will have center racks
or cogs throughout, and the locomo.
lives will always operate on this rack
when towing.
EHectual precautions are taken to
prevent the running Of lock gates by
ships. Fender chains, each weighing
twenty tons, will be placed on the up.
stream side Of the guard gates, inter.
mediate and safety gates Of the up.
per locks and In front OF the guard
gates at the lower end of each flight
Of locks. Even should ship attempt
to pass through q lock under its own
steam, or should II escape from the
towing locomotives, IL would he
stopped by these huge chains. which
will be stretched across the lock
chamber from the top Of the opposing
walls. u a ship exerting a greater
pressure than 80 pounds TO the square
inch should run into the fender the
chain will be- paid out gradually by an
automatic release until the vessel
comes to u stop. A lO,0OO-ton ship
would thus he brought to stop with.
In seventy.three feet after striking
the fender.
An army Of operativesY Not At all.
simplicity In operating the gates,
valves and fender chains of the locks
Is made possible by the use OF cleo.
tricity, which will be remotely con.
trolled from central point. An
these operations, except that of tow
ing, VIII De controlled ny one man n
u switchboard.
The latcs, word from the isthmus
IL that the water will he turned int
the canal bed on or about Oct. | =,
for by tina, time the water viii have
risen In Scventy-four feet above sea
level In Gatun lake. Any additional
excavation In Culebra Cut made nee.
essary by earth slides will he removed
by dredges.
In the meantime Gatun lake Is TAX.
Ing form and showing that 1t will be-
one OF the wonders Of the world--a
fresh.water lake OF approximately 100
square miles suspended eIghty.iive
feet above sea level on the backbone
Of the continent.