The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-03
Problem at Gold nm.


Gold Hin is mountain on the other
side nearly opposite II had been ac-
counted safe by the biologists. 1t had
been drilled for faults" and none were
:ouud, yet it was there that tire latest
and very big slide developed last fall.
The cause would seem to have lain in the
action of the water on the soil.
II was a question before the water
was le. in what its effect would be on
the sides Of the excavation. The bal
ance of engineering opinion was that II
would have a sustaining effect that
il would have the effect OF a push
against the walls. While not knowing
enough TO gaiusay that. | considered
that the dissolving effect OF the water
on the walls and the bottom was the
factor most to he reckOned with.
col. Goethals did not deny that pos
sihility. but looked on IL only as
remote possibility. lie IL 10 alarmist
but he can see whore complete safety
is attainable My proposition that along
the whole Culebra the cutting down OF
the banks giving them a much wider
Hare than they have now, was desirable
and ultimately should be done even at
a cost of some millions of dollars elected
the response
Yes, but the practical difficulty at
l'AfFfuA Nbulu NC NutIt u DtBllls
Col. GocthnIs's Task.
1t was admitted that along the line
Ot the Panama railroad there were cuts
whose walls were almost perpendicular.
and which had not crumhled apprecia-
bly, in the fifty years since It's con-
struction. In the same way 1t was rea-
ionable to conclude that the banks OF
the canal would stand unless an earth
quake or other violence disturbed their
equilibrium or where they proved per-
'iuus 10 water as at Gold Hill. There's
the rub"
The task in hand is. however, the
work for Col. Goethals. and he sails for
the Isthmus tomorrow to carry IL out
and present a cleaned Up canal by June
when the President is to make holiday
for the purpose
Col Goethals talked freely and easily.
rarely needing the urge of question.
and said in effect;
The old Cucurracha slide enormous as
Il was, has been taken care of by re-
moving earth and pressure from the hill
above and dredging the channel there
100 feet wider. forming a sort OF bay
which will take up any further glissade ,
should II occur. without endangeiing the |
canal prism itself
and II was there that | discovered the
fault or crack in the earth last October
"A longitudinal crack IN the side of the
hill about 1000 feet long. 1t was not
slow in developing. The crack wldcned
and the earth on the canal side OF IL
began sliding into the cut. The whole
surface of the sliding earth began sink
ing and the canal prism filled up rapidly.
On account Of the softness of the sur
face OF this moving. sinking mass IL was
.mpractlcable to establish "A steam shovel |
on il or lay "A track that would sustain
a locomotive and a train of cars There
was nothing to do but dredge IL as II
came down.
The mass OF Gold HIM back OF the |
fault showed, and has since shown. no |
movement or tendency to move. so that
as things look now II would be i'm |
polite to attempt any treatment OF
hat part of the hill.
AT the, point of fracture OF the mass
L stood $50 feet above the water. and
the character of the earth movement
may best be understood by saying that
the top Of the sliding soil is now 100 ;
feet lower than the upper portion of the
hill from which II separated.
Nowhere else on the whole line OF