The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1914-04-30
Continued from last week
Striking Features Of the Canal

The two striking features Of the
Canal are the Gatun Dam and Locks
and Culebra Cut. The dam is about
six miles from the Atlantic side and
iimpounds the waters Of the Chagrss
River and its tributaries. It is shaped
like the arc Of circle and is con-
structed Of earth. It is nothing very
wonderful as IN engineering feat, ex-
|cepting its size. In . way, it is dis
appointing as it is so immense and fits
into the topography Of the country 30
naturally that it seems = part Of the
landscape. In extreme length It Is
one and three-fourths miles long.
nearly 1000 feet wide on the bottom
and nearly four hundred feet wide at
the water level. Its total height is 115
feet, and stands 80 feet above the level
Of the lake. Practically all the slope
is on the water side, so that the pres
sure Of the water is very largely down,
instead Of outward, and there can be
no question Of its stability. The dam
was constructed by building immense
outside walls Of earth and stone, TECH
nically called "toes," and making .
skeleton or forms to hold the great
bulk Of material which was pumped
In the form Of thin mud and poured
into the forms by dredges. This mud,
when dried and settled, unites in one
sohd, impenetrable mass, very super
ior to loose or dry dirt.
The Spillway.
Near the center Of the dam is an
enormous spillway, constructed in mas
sive form Of concrete. It is 800 feet
wide, with fourteen movable gates op-
Grated by IN electric power plant near
Ut hand. The concrete apron over
which the water falls when the spill
ways are open slopes gradually down
IN the form Of . quadrant Of . circ'e.
the concrete floor extends several hum
dred feet on the level, away from
the spillway, to avoid washing away
of the soil. From the spiltway the
waste water enters the ditch, most Of
which was dug by the French people
to be used rs the canal proper, and
through this ditch empties into the
Atlantic Ocean.
Gatun Locks.
Near one end Of the dam are the
famous Gatun Locks, where by three
lifts or stages vessels are elevated
from the level Of the Pacific to the
high water line Of the canal, 4 total
Of S6 feet; and, Of course, going the
other way are lowered the same dis
tance. Vessels enter the salt water of
the Pacific and when they are through
are in the fresh water Of the Gatun
Lake, or vice versa. The locks are
strung out, one above the other, like
stair steps, each lock making about
one-third Of the IS foot lift. They are
each 10 feet wide in the clear, and
1000 feet long. making total length,
with the approaches, Of about three
fourths Of mile. They are the lare-
est in the world; Of massive, concrete
construction. being practically one
solid block, formed and shaped to meet
the requirements. They rest on bed
rock, which gives them a depth of
nearly 100 feet. They are constructed
in pairs along side Of each other, with
side and center walls from 40 to so
feet thick Of concrete, rs said before,
resting on bed rock.
The gates are enormous steel struc-
lures, hung by invisible hinges to the
heavy concrete walls of the locks, and
swing like IN ordinary gate, and are
operated by heavy steel arms, one for
each gate, which are worked by elec-
tricity from vaults or rooms below
the surface. These massive structures
move noiselessly and smoothly. When
not in use they are swung back flush
into the places provided for them in
the walls Of the locks. Each gate
weighs from 300 to GOO tons. They are
sixty feet long, seven feet thick.
and from forty to eighty feet high.
To close lock, the two companion
gates, one on each side, are swung out
by their arms until they meet in the
center, where they fit perfectly. When
they meet they do not stand 1T right
angles or straight across the locks.
but meet several feet before reaching
that position, presenting to the water
pressure what might be called the con-
!vex side Of an arc, thus the more pres
sure there is against the gates the
tighter they fit. This scheme adds