Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-07-28


thlrty-two miles and at an average
depth in the canal channel Of forty
| Eve feet throughout. Another dam
would prevent the lake so formed from
splitting down the Pacific slope Thus
al but about fifteen miles Of the canal
would be made by an inland. artificial
lake. iG4 square miles In extent
But even In lock type there would
have to be an impressive amount OF
excavation. Not only would the sea
level channels approaching this lake
on either side OF the isthmus have to
be dredged. hut the mountain barrier.
running lengthwise with the .sthmus.
would have to be pierced With chan
mel SO rs to permit the waters Of the
Gatun lake to reach the point on the
Pacific side where the locks would
afford the descent to the ocean.
The area 10 he excavated 10 this lake
channel thirty-two miles long. was
from Gatun to 0hispo. following the
Chagres river I'm general and requiring
only about l2000.000 cubic yards To be
removed In twenty-three miles. Then
the mountains began. forty-fiye feet
above sea level. and reached their
highest point. in the center line Of the
canal. at Gold hill. 312 feet above sea
level. thence sloping toward the Pa
cifc to the proposed lock site Mt Pedro
Miguel. a distance of nine miles The
average depth OF the cut would be TO
feet throughout the nine miles. and the
deepest point of excavation at Gold hill
would require going down 212 feet.
The Culebra cut. as this channel
through the mountains was called. was
to be 200 feet wide. In 1880 the
French bad begun work there. and
they removed lS.646,000 cubic yards
that were useful to the Americans.
Their machinery was used the first
year of our occupation.
At Gatun on. the Atlantic side OF the
proposed lake. there would be- locks to
lift ships to the lake. and at Pedro
Miguel and La Boca. ON the Pacific
side. the locks would lower the ships
to sea level again.
The Americans came to the canal
zone in 1904 with the question of the
Kind of canal TO be built unsettled.
They were to be there more than two
years before the violently discussed Is
sue was to be settled. Meanwhile.
however. ii was recognized that there
was vast amount Of pioneer and
preparatory work to be accomplished
that would absorb the activities OF the
organization pending the solution OF
this problem.
What kind OF country as to tenn
perature, rainfall. vegetable and ami
mai life and heaIthfuIness had we Sc
cured: As to the first characteristic.
Panama is only nine degrees from the
equator. But 1t is far from being as
hot as that proximity might suggest
Throughout the year the temperature
averages about 81 degrees. The high
est recorded temperature In the canal
zone is only % degrees. At night the
atmosphere falls sharply until, usual
y. light covering il required on beds.
and the hot. sweItering nights OF Amer
lean cities In the summer are unknown
The northern mind. too. considerably
has oyerestimated the effects OF the
rainy season at Panama. During
January. February. March aud April
there Is practically no rainfall By
the LIST Of May light showers occur
daily or every few days and through
June. with an occasional gusher
FROM then on to December the rains
become more frequent and heavier and
have way of coming up about the
same time every day. sometimes in
the afternoons. sometimes In the morn
ings. Construction operations have to
be suspended during the violent rains.
On the Atlantic side the rainfall ay-
erages between 100 and 40 inches an
nuaIly. on the Pacific side from 60 to
20 inches. At times 1t rains SO furi-
ously that it appears to be one continu-
Gus sheet Of water falling. Eor one