The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-27

Canal has cost the United States just
SsS7.43s.ois g. including funds on hand
for work under way, according to the
annual report Of Major-Gen. George W.
0oethais. OF this amount S14.ess.s7s.ao
has been devoted to fo%rtifcations.
Some idea Of the extent Of the many
slides that a hampered the "a is
conveyed by the figures for the Gaillard
cut. where 6,s7l.1sS cubic yards Of earth
and rock were removed after the canal
opened, ND until June 80. 1916. The
largest slide Of all. which took place
after the report WIS complied. is not
touched upon.
Congress had appropriated for the ca
nal q total Of $3s4,3s 1900 to June 80.
1915. says Gen. Goethals. OF this
amount $l4.6s9,S73.30 were for fortifca-
lions. $750.000 cover three annua pay
ments OF 3250,0 900 each to the Republic
Of Panama, $4,000 Is for the expense of
presenting the steam launch Louise to
the French Government. $6.440.0o0 were
appropriated for the operation, main
tenance and civil government Of the ca.
nal and the Canal Zone for the fiscal
year 1915. while S4.2ss.15s were used
for operating and maintaining the
canal to the end OF the fiscal
year 1915. and 81 .2es,0o0 ID the mount
Of stock on hand paid from construction
funds hat will be required for the MAIN
tenance OF the canal and properly
~chargsable against operation and main
tenance This leaves 1855, 9~99,ll6.72
which has been appropriated for the con-
otruction OF the m its ~adtuncts.
Many Items In Bill.
Up to June 80. 1915. Ss.5s3,os7.ss were
returned to tho Treasury as miscella.
neous receipts other than collections o
account Of tolls. This amount deducted
from the available appropriations. name
1y. $363, 500. 1l6.72. caves $35 ,436, O4s.si
as the amount expended for the canal,
including the amount available for work
still in progress. This total cost of the
n and its adjuncts will be reduced
oy receipts from the sale OF construction
material and equipment. payments by
the Republic Of Panama for the amount
expended In the cities Of Panama and
Colon on account of waterworks. sewers
and pavements, n by the value OF
buildings and other public works, and
equipment and plant transferred to the
Army and Alaskan Railway Commission
without any actual payments therefor.
All dredging that was one i'm any
part OF the canal necessary 10 complete
the channel to its full width and depth
was charged against construct. on funds.
In the frst district. between deep water
in Panama Bay and the Pacific entrance.
there were excavated a total of sac, OF .
cubic yards. In Mirafores Lake 49.492
cubic yards were removed. A total of
S.6ll.lS3 cubic yards was emoved from
Gaillard cut and 591 .5Oi cubic yards
from Pedro Miguel locks.
Opened August 10, 1914.
The operations In the vicinity Of
Cucaracha slide warranted the opening
OF the canal TO commerce on August Is.
1914. Work at the slide had progressed
% as to secure nearly the full width Of
h prism. when on the night Of October
~, 1914. a break occurred at East Guile
bra which completely closed the channel.
The entire east bank for a distance Of
about f.10o feet. extending back for a
distance of about 1000 feet from the
centre line of the canal: settled vertically,
and the lower strata squeezed into the
cut 30 that at some points there were
only nine inches Of water where prior to
tho movement there were forty-fve feet.
The canal was closed from October II TO
October 20. when a channel was dredged
TO sufficient capacity for the passage of
shipping. but the movement continued
and the canal was again closed from
October 81 10 November 4. 1914, and
from MarchS to March 10. 1915. The
work. was delayed because OF the daily
necessity of clearing up n channel to pass
shipping. This instance is typical.
As noted in the annual report for 1914
dry excavation was continued on the
upper banks on both the east and west
side OF the cut In the vicinity of Culebra,
as cracks had developed on some of the
benches during the preceding dry season.
The shovels were withdrawn after the
last vestige Of cracks on the benches
had been removed. and II was anticipated
that NJ further difficulty would be ex-
p%erienced. An examination Of the west
bank made subsequent to the break of
October II, 1914. developed the existence
Of cracks on both banks. and the ques-
tion OF resuming steam shovel operations
on both banks was considered seriously,
but abandoned because the amount OF
work that could be accomplished by the
shovels would be relatively small n the
cost excessive. The breaking up OF the
banks has proceeded so rapidly hat this
conclusion has been fully justified.
slides busy Again.
Cucaracha slide was very active from
July to October, 1914, quiet during the
dry season and active again with the
beginning OF the rainy season In April
On the west side at Culebra the slid.
showed little activity through the greater
part of the year, but in June. 1915, the
general movement of the bank from
stations 177l to 1895 was noticeable, and
y was estimated that 5000, 900 cubiC
yards Of material were in motion or
June 30. 1915, on the west side. tho
estimates being based on a uniform slope
20 the canal prism from the farthes'
crack. 1t is estimated that about 5000
900 cubic yards will ave to be removed
from the east side.
Shortly after this date occurred thu
big avalanche that closed the waterway
With the exception of n case o.
smallpox brought in by the steamship
Panama and one practically recovered
case brought in on the steamship New
port the General reports that no case
OF quarantinable diseases originated oI
or were brought to the Isthmus durlnt
the year. General health condition
were very good, he says. TIL total ad
mission rate Of employees To hospitals
and quarters was 1877. FL, as compared
with 473.l5 in 1914; to hospital alon'
2O4.lS, as compared with 299.62 70
1914, and for diseases alone 1861, a
compared with $50 60 for 1914.
THE total death rate" the report con
tinues. was 5.72. as against 1892 70
1914. and the death rate alone 1851. a
compared with 517 for 1914. Thi
means that had the death rate for dis
ease for 1915 remained the same a
for 1914 we would rave had SO death
OF employees more than We did have.
with regard to malaria, which is on
principal cause of disability, the hos
pital admission rate was reduced .
per cent. and the death rate more tina
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