Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1913-10-28

Guide Walls Pedro Miguel Lock.
form under the constant dumping OF
rock and earth from the Cnlcbra cut
On Nov 20. 1905. toe Of the great
dam slipped where the dam intrrNect-
ed the old French canal channel. 'arry-
ing about 200 feet OF the structure
away. The hostile press and those
who had consistently opposed Il dam
at Gatun Immediately raised a storm
OF criticism against the stability OF the
proposed artiilca! mountain. The old
wound. caused from the battle ot tie
levels. was rropcncd. and so violent was
the outburSt that President Roosevelt
took characteristic step TO quiet the
issue.
He asked President Elect TAFT TO 20
to the isthmus. accompanied by Fred
eric u. Stearus. Arthur L. Davis. Henry
A. Allen. james d. Schuyler. Isham
Randolph, John Il. Freeman and Allen
Hazen. all eminent engineers. 10 make
an investigation The report made on
Feb. Is. 1899. completely yindicated
the plan for dam NJ Gatun with the
statement that II any error had been
made II was on the side Of prccaution.
They found the dam started along
lines so excessively stable that they
recommended that the height be cut
from l35 feet above sea level 10 10
feet. which would still leave the top OF
the dam thirty feet above the level OF
Gatun lake.
The six years from Jan |. 1907. to
Jan. |, 1913. constitute the main con
struction period of the Panama canal
Colonel Cocktails has been chic: "ng-
neer all hut three months Of that time.
Steadily. foot 10y foot. The walls OF the
locks crcpt up AMI the bottom ~ the
Culebra cut went down By October.
1905 the preparatory work. SUb>tan-
TALLY accomplished hy Mr stevens.
passed its highest point. AMI a. "nvr
gies were ccntcrcd on the work of con.
struction Quarters. municipal work.
roadmaking. subsistence ana commits
sary were solved problems. and the
mo Help Wanted" sign WAS displayed.
the labor problem. too. being Substan'
tally worked out
Sixty three steam shoycl> In 1907
were increased to lOO tie mileage IN
the canal zone was Increased from lS
to about 800 miles Tor the Panama rail-
road and commission tracks. the mum
Der of unloadcrS. bank SprcaderS track
shifters and pile drivers WAS ln'reaScd
from third To three times tile mum
ber left toy MIR stevens: twenty
dredges were put In service. besides
much other machinery and equipment
not SO noteworthy Practically all re-
pairs and creative mechanical work
were concentrated In the GOrgonh and
Empire shops. with capacities com
mensurate with the equipment The
date when the equipment reached 4
maximum is fixed 10y Colone! GocthaiS
us July !. 1910. About 35n.oon tons ot
coal and 100000 barrels Of oil nave
been used annually
Dredging had progressed IN the ia.
citc entrance 10 a point where five
miles OF the canal could bc upen"! 10
navigation on Feb |. 1900 tn" New
port and san Jose of the Pacific Mail
feet. OF American register. were the
first ships to 20 through
Columbus had been hnnOrcd 10y nam
Ing Colon and Cristohal for him nc
the Atlantic entrance OF the canal. and
an executive order on April 30. lh9.
honored the liScoverer ot the Pacific
by changing the name of the Pacific
terminal from La Boca 10 Balboa lt
Is ut Balboa that the permanent ma
chine shops. dryd0cks. yards. wharves.
warehouses and general equipment to
cost $40. .0O0.OH will be located.
In 1909 Colonel Goethals seems TO
have had the idea Of making the canal
zone habitable. but since then he
changed his views in favor OF making
the canal zone military reservation.
the part not I'm use to be left 10 the
jungle and only canal employees allow.
ed without special permission In the
ten mile limits
Work on the fortincations was begun
In 1911 on Flamenco island. three miles
out in the bay ut the Pacific entrance.
and on Toro point at the Atlantic en.
trance. The estimate for their cost. as
fixed by .he officers appointed to de
sign them. Is Sl2.415.32S The latest
and largest disappearing filles VIII be
installed after the concrete work Is
finished. The locks at the Pacific end
are nearly ten miles from the fortilca-
tions, which insures them against bonn
bardment by an enemy's ships, and
the Atlantic locks are seven miles from
the Notifications. Some form OF lie
fense from airships must be worked
out