Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-08
TELLS HOW T0STOP
SLIDES At CANAL
One Miller Asserts GaiIIard
Cut Banks Should Be Re-
Iieved of Weight.

That the Panama canal was far from
"completed' when water was turned
into it, and that the slides in Gaillard
cut-formerly known as Culebra cut
will continue for many years unless
overcome by removing the weight of
earth and rock from the tops of the
banks, is the opinion expressed by
Ora Miller. employed on the canal work
since it's beginning, who is in Wash
ington on business connected with the
work.
Already in Gov. Cocktails Program.
Substantiating the opinion expressed
by Mr.. Miller. dispatches from Panama
today say that the course advocated by
him has been determined upon by Gov.
Goethals. and that blasting operations
to remove the tops Of Gold hill and Con-
tractors hill are to be undertaken at
once. The material blasted from the
tops of the two hills is to be thrown
down into Gaillard cut and then re-
moved by dredging, according to the
dispatches. which say that steam SHOW
ell work Will not be resumed in at
lacking the tops of the two hills,
which. in places, are 300 feet above the
bottom of the canal.
The dispatches further say that the
canal is to remain closed at least until
November !, no effort being made to
maintain an open temporary ship chan
nei through Gaillard cut. 1t is stated
that ninety-five ships which have been
tied up for several weeks by the last
slide have departed on the voyage
ar ,und Cape Horn.
''The fact is that the canal was far
from completed when water was turned
into Gaillard cut" said Mr.. Miller. "A
letter from well known steam-shovel
man in charge of part of the steam
shovel work in the cut and on the canal
since 1904, shows this. In his letter
he says that between Gaillard cut and
Contractors hill the slides had been
coming in and the bottom of the canal
heaving up for several months prior to
turning the water in.
Heaves Up From Bank to Bank.
Opposite Reservoir hill. he said. the
bottom of the canal was often heaved
up from bank to bank to height of
from three to twelve feet. such up
heavals frequently occurring over
night. The Hagan slide. opposite
Culebra Y. he said, had been active
for nine months preceding the opening
of the canal the activity continuing
up to and after the time the steam
shovels were taken out. The shovels.
he said, were taken out against the
judgment of practically every employe
on the work, from the division en-
gineer down to the water boy. This
employe, l might say. loaded the last
train that hauled dirt out of the cut
before the water was turned in"
Suggests a Remedy.
IF, instead of using dredges only, to
remove the material which slides into
the canal or which bulges up from the
bottom-in ether case closing the canal
to traffic-the slides had been obviated
by removing the weight from the tops
of the banks, the canal would be ready
and safe for continuous operation to-
day 1t is safe to estimate-indeed.
Gen. Goethals himself has said-that it
may require several years to remove
this material and overcome the danger
of further slides by dredging opera
tions alone. Competent engineers have
estimated that not more than years
work would be necessary to lower the
banks at either side of Gaillard cut to
such an extent as to obviate practically
all danger of slides or upheavals block
ing the canal"