The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1914-05-07

behind one on the shore, thus giving
the pilot more exact range to steer
BY.
1t would seem that this lake in time
would become . great resort for pleas
ufe craft. It is to be hoped that the
shores can be cleared up and beauti-
ned, but this may be too great m un-
dertaking and entail an unwarranted
expense. The government will soon
have IN excellent wagon road across
the Isthmus, following close to the
line Of the Panama Road.
Culebra Cut
Reaching the southeast end of the
lake, we enter the famous Culebra Cut,
which extends for nine miles across
the mussed up backbone Of the conti-
nent. Here let me say that the water
in Culebra Cut is supplied from Gatun
Lake, in fact, the canal through the
cut is part Of the lake. The deepest
place in the cut, I am informed, is
about 375 feet. Its bottom width is
800 feet. Much Of the material that
was removed was rock, but not very
hard. The only activity in the cut was
that Of three or four dredges at work
clearing away the remains Of the great
slide. 1t was q peaceful scene COM
pared to the time when on terrace
above terrace, train after train was be-
ing 'oaded with dirt and rock by nearly
one hundred steam shovels, and hun
dreds Of rock drills were pounding
away, with blast after blast reverber-
ating almost from ocean to ocean.
Now the sides Of the cuts are weather
worn and washed and fast assuming
the color d the adjacent hills and val
leyh .Soon little will be left to izdi-
este that the work is artificial. Even
now, rs one looks he feils to re,lize
the gigantic struggle it took to cut
such m immense cash across the face
Of nature, which changed the very &C.
ography Of the western hemisphere.
Even ct this early date it looks as
though He who sprink'ed the irregu-
lar hills over the surface, swept His
mighty hand across them and made
this great valley, which looks so nat
ural and SO much part Of the land
scape.
Standing on the banks of the cut
and looking down upon the Canal
proper, it looks like small silver
stream not more than fifty or one hum
dred feet wide, where it is, in fact, one
thousand feet. We did not undertake
to go through the canal in a boat, much
as We would liked to have done SO.
Some time we hope to go through the
entire length when it is all perfected.
Standing near the Culebra Cut, and in
sight from the railroad, is Balboa Hill,
on which Balboa stood in 1913, and
from this point Of vantage he could
view the Atlantic Ocean on one side
and the Pacific Ocean on the other,
and ut that early date no doubt he
dreamed Of q canal across the isthmus.
1t will give you some idea Of the
enormity Of the task when you know
that 1000 freight cars, 275 locomo-
tives, 18 enormous dredges, and 40
barges were in actual use during the
construction Of the canal. All Of these
in addition to the regular railroad
equipment.
Pedro Miguel and Mira Flores Locks
Passing on through Culebra Cut,
toward the Pacific Ocean, we come to
the Pedro Miguel Locks. These are
two in number, built in pairs, and in
every respect identical in size and con-
struction with the Gatun Locks. In
leaving Culebra Cut and going toward
the Pacific, the ships are lowered by
the Pedro Miguel Locks about two
thirds Of the distance from the high
water level into small lake made by
small dams 1T Mira Flores, about one
and one-third miles distant from Pedro
Miguel. There is only one lift to the
Mira Flores locks. In construction and
size they are like the other locks. BY
means Of these locks vessels are low
cred to the level of the Pacific Ocean
and once more into salt water.
From Mira Flores Locks the canal
becomes . plain ditch, Of course, over
level country, winding more or less be.
tween hills, and is subje to the tides
Of the Pacific. The difference between
high and low tide at Panama is some.
thing like 20 feet.