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

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The Chagres river has risen twenty,
ave feet IN twenty-four hours During
every season the records left BY the
French and kept by the Americans
since their occupation show that this
river discharges enough water TO fiI
the proposed Gatun lake one and one
bali times II Is not expected that any
lack OF water for the lock type canal
ever will be experienced
Except for the beaten paths and
cleared spaces constantly maintained
the jungle Is king In Panama. One
seasons growth will cover an aban-
doned clearing with the mxuriane
tropical vegetation. When the Ameri
cans entered the canal zone most OF
the French machinery and even whole
towns were covered by the jungle.
There are the usual tropical fruits,
bananas. cocoanuts. alligator pears.
papayas. mangoes and other less well
known varieties. The vegetation In
cludes the royal polnciana, palm and
other stately trees. The rare orchid
Is at home on the isthmus. about sew
enty.ive varieties being found. dozen
OF which are OF the most beautiful
kinds. A dry season Of four months
does not parch the growth. but the
rainy season gives II the most brilliant
green coloring.
None OF the big animal life OF Africa
Is found anywhere in South America.
and Panama has even less dangerous
species than the mainland The ta-
rantnla. coral snake. tiger cats. deer
and other larger though not 30 dan
gerous animals are found. and alliga-
tors abound In the rivers and hays ~
well as sharks. The insect life Is won
derfully varied. the birds are in Infinite
variety and most beautiful. while Wild
flowers Of dazzling colors are In pro-
fusion. The canal zone. where oecu-
pied in the canal operations, long since
was freed Of dangerous animal life.
Distinct but inconsequential earth
quake shocks have been felt In Pana-
ma for centuries. The San Francisco
earthquake I'm 1906 was not recorded
on the canal zone seismograph. In the
seventeenth century a violent shock oc-
Cured, but none In the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries. nor has any been
recorded In the twentieth century. al
though in Costa Rica. the republic ad-
Joining Panama, severe shock In
1910 caused considerable loss Of life
and property. So far as past perform
ances can indicated the canal should
not suffer from earthquakes.
The Atlantic and Pacific oceans are
on the same level. but the tide on the
Pacific side has maximum lift OF
twenty-one feet. while on the Atlantic
side the maximum lift il only two and
one half feet. Allowance for this va
riation was made by providing a deep
er channel for the canal ON the Pacific
side. so that The passage Of ships viii
not be affected By the tides. The shape
Of the bay Of Panama causes the high
tide on the Pacific side.
As there Is not favorable geographi-
cal arrangement at either end Of the
canal In the way Of harbors the de-
fects have been supplied by brenkwa-
tiers. At the Atlantic entrance break
water more than two miles long runs
from Toro point to shield ships lying
IN the entrance from the violent north
ers that occasionally sweep the coast.
Another breakwater a half mile long
running out from the Colon water front
will protect shipping In that harbor
from storms on the east. At the Pa
ciic entrance storms are not danger
Gus. but the currents deposited silt in
the channel In such quantities as TO
make a breakwater advisable. and this
one runs from the mainland to Naos
island, three miles out IN the bay. and
connects with the Notifications. It
was built from material excavated in
the Culebra cut. whereas the Atlantic
breakwaters were built largely Of rock
quarried at Porto BelIo.
Panama and Colon are cities Of great
interest to the tourist. The former has
about 10000 population and the latter
10000 Panama Is the capital OF the
republic and has handsome national
theater and institute. street car sys-
TEN. and number Of old catbedrals
are interesting sights. The canal EN-
ployees travel for half fare on the
railroad and are often In evidence In
the quaint little victoria carriages that
handle the street traffic at 10 cents q
ride in the two cities.
Ito be Continued