Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-09-09
ARREST FRESH-WATER LAKE
Satun Lake in Central America
Created by L. s. Engineers.
Almost bridges the Two Gceans-is a
vast Reservoir. Assuring Enough
Water to Always Operate
tue Locks.

While tho soldiers y. Europa arc put
ing the facts ot tho political geography
4 their continent through IL Kaleidoscope
.g, the final adjustments OF "A magnificent
hange In the physical geography in Cen
raj America brought about by United
itates engineers are taking place. The
interesting features connected with this
nan-conductod metamorphosi5 in the
stnmian worlds surface tho creation o;
N inland aea. thc drowning OF tropical
ungle, and the enforced migration Of a
warm Of jungle life from the valley bot
oms to the hills-as depicted by George
Ihiras. 3rd. III n communication to tho
Sntional Geographic socioty--is told in
no following bulletin:
"Gatun like is not only the largest
resh .wato. lake ever created by man
navigable viaduct almost bridging the
wo oceans and reached by terminal ele-
ators IN the form Of locNs--but. In addi-
:on. vnst reservoir for the adjoining
Tater- sheds assuring throughout the
tear n sufficient water supply for the OPP
cation OF tho locks, for electric power.
C- the establishment OF inland fisheries.
nd for potable ana other domestic uses.
Pie lake. much larger than the one that
re French intended 70 construct. also al
owa greater freedom and speed TO the
ressela using the canal. and permits local
,av.gution OF many Of the Jungle val.
eys
when the long cinbo niment Mt the
icr:;: WAS closed. thus stopping the only
zap that nature had left in the rim of
ILLS. the inland waters began covering
r. dS 10 1t.iII IN pI
alleys. drowning tho mighty forests and
he rank tropical tungles. flooding ont
iative villages and destroying scattered
plantations. NARROWING wild creatures like
ne monkey. ooelot, peccary, armadillo,
Ind the sloth on hil-tops Unexpectedly
converted into permanent islands. sub
merging the mudflats of tho heron and
lie ibis, driving the deer, the iaguar, the
apir, iguanas, and monster snakes
through the rising waters 20 less ham
'ered retreats. and opening up a new ami
hrger home for the swamp alligator and
he stream confined fish.
Here all the centuries-long process of
he sinking OF the land and the rising of
he waters was enacted in fascinating
,aturedrama Of a few months. Gatun
AXE, at a surface elevation of 81 feet, is
estimated to cover 1874 square miles, and
extends not merely over the previously
existing swampv ground of the Chagres
valley. but it has risen so far above the
1oor of the lowlands as to extend for
niles between the hills, forming estu-
lries. lagoons. and ponds, turning rapid
1nnavigable streams into deep-slue gish
fvers. and converting hilltops into beau
iful islands, some of them miles In length,
while thousands Of acres of flooded and
ALLEN timber, into which stretch or circle
narrow necks Of land, practically defy
my accurate estimate of the so-called
Ihore-line of the new lake
NO one yet accurately knows the size
ind shape of the new lake. Mach of its
'ar-reaching. irregular surface is yelled
'y whole forests which break through its
waters, dying jungle barrier to a knowl-
idge Of the inland sea. When these OBJ
tructing forests and bushes are at las.
destroyed by the war;. waters of the flood
Ind permanent fringes of bamboo and
ther semi-aQuatic growths mark the line