The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-01-13

ize its immensely until he comes closs
to it, but then it is very impressive.
There is a good-sized island right
in front Of the dam. and in going
from the spillway to the locks on the
opposite side we sail between the
island and the dam. The dam has
a wide approach or channe between
concrete walls and the ships go from
this right into the locks.
During my stay at Gatun some OF
the locks were empty and some were
filed. so that l had an excellent OPP
portunity to see how they looked
They are enormous watts which rise
in three great steps from n level
of the Atlantic to above the eighty
five foot level Of Lake Gatun.
Everything connected with the lock
is OF the most massive description
and still the machinery Is so delicate
that a child could operate them The
great gates, which are in fact mighty
double doors of iron, swing like the
folding doors Of an Old-fashionet
country barn. They move as smooth
Nv as though they were as light as
feathers or SO many sheets OF news
| paper. Nevertheless, n of the doors
| or leaves Of the larger gates is seven
| Ceo( lllCh dXlA ~ ca NAAAN
take 1900 horses to haul 1t II II
| were broken up and put on
| wagons.
When these gates are shut they do
| not require to be locked are fastened
in any way to keep out the water
| They just come together. and that SO
tightly that a piece of metal thinner
than the silky hair Of your baby girl
or one Of less than n four-thous-
>~lkh~ 80 a Foot fhtok nnlJ6 moi hQ
wedged in between them. There IS
not a drop Of water that ooZes
through. There are ninety-two doors
or leaves Of this kind in the locks.
and they weigh altogether about
sixty thousand tons, which would Do
a good-sized load for 10000 horses.
or enough to load a WACO
train thirty-eight miles in length.
The most characteristic feature OF
the canal locks to be seen as one
locks and in the center they. form an
many columns of concrete ending in
gigantic arms which hold the electric
lights, making the workings as bright
by night as by day. These pillars OF
light run along on both sides Of the
locks mad in the center they form an
to any park or to any city upon earth.
There is some talk of planting palms
between the lights, but this is doubt
full, as their shade might obscure the
lights.
The electricity which supplies these
lights, and also those for the whole
canal, comes from the hydro-electric
plant now building. This will be op
Grated In connection with the fall OF
the water from the level Of Gatur
lake to the spillway floor, a height
, about that Of a seven-story house
The generation is by great turbines
: and enough Of a current will be pro,
. duced to not only light the canal and
: work the locks at both ends, but tt
furnish force and power for IL
: mighty machine shops, docks and
: other equipment at the terminals
7 The transmission line which will carry
!, this current from one side OF tn,
: canal to the other is now in tn.
. course OF erection. The wires viii
be hung to posts Of structural stee
resting On concrete bases and runin,
across the railroad track, high abov,
> the cars. There will be enough cleo
! tricity generated to move the train.
: Of the Panama railroad, and if neces
sary this line can be used for tina
purpose with but slight additional ex
: pense.