The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1916-03-16

both tho ointment and liquid 70 "Hect
q cure. AT all drug stores. Trial
size. soc. Recommcnded and guar
anteed by WeIls-HaymRk"r Co.-hd-
vcrtisGmcnt.
! relatively inexpensive measures which
tend To arrest the present active slides.
or which promise To reduce tho charge
against maintenance Of The canal in
the future are therefore fully warrant
led.
The composition OF the rocks. their
structural weakness and earthquakes
ARC all instrumental in producing the
slides. arc beyond the control or man.
hut Il partial control OF ground and
ruin water and the relief Uf pressure
Ihy unloading certain areas are feus-
,ihle. and the committee confines its
remedial suggestions 10 these meas
lures.
"rhc slides in the canal zone are
Essentially like many in other parts
IOi the world; they are due IO the in
liability OF the earth or rock To support
the weight OF everything material. Slow
processes OF natural erosion. rapid
cutting by flooded streams and GX-
icayations by man frequently lead IN
landsIIdGs. Much Of the canal Is cut
Through weak rocks; and in tho Gull
Nobra district the prism Is exceptionally
deep.
1.-THE rocks of Culebra district are OF
1.-TWO kinds--stratifiGd and massive. The
chief material involved in the slides
lis the stratifIed ClcaraCha formation.
III is composed OF slippery minerals
which are only weakly consolidated
The CucaraCha beds are limited, AlonE
the line Of tho canal, 10 tho Culebra
district but they have thickness in
places OF over 400 feet Tho soft slip
ipory= nature of its materials and their
loose, unconsolidntcd condition. make
1T unusually weak and unable to sus-
tain any considerable load.
Title strength OF tho ClIcaracha
clays Is greatly decreased by the pres
ence OF water, and the heavy tropical
rains keep them nearly saturated the
creator part OF the year; for the
broken and irregular surface of the
slides and the open cracks around
their borders greedily drink In the
water that falls upon them.
ain the Culebra district the average
rainfall since 1874 has been 1888
inches per aunum. OF which about
eighty inches falls in the rainy season
OF about eight months. Where nearly
seven feet OF water fall upon the sur
face of the country within eight
months of the year, It Is not surprising
that there is difficulty in controlling
the underground seepage. Indeed dur
ing these months the ground water
table is practically at the surface. ex-
cept possibly on the sleeper slopes;
and the movement OF the underground
water is so slow that even in the dry
season the water table Is not far from
the surface in tho level country.
"A consideration OF the earthquakes
felt in the canal zone and a careful
OF the instrumental re-
cords kept near the Pacific end OF the
canal since the end Of 1903 dispGl fear
LOT serious damage to the canal or It's
accessories by earthquakes. There is
no evidence that any Of the slides have
been started or increased by earth
Quakes.
In addition to the danger Of the
slides. is there danger that the canal
may be blocked by the fall OF the hills
ot Culehra district? These hills are
composed OF intrusive bodies OF basalt
or Of masses OF hard Obispo TUT COM
monty associated with basalt in this
district. So far as can be judged from
present exposures. they do not rest on
the soft Cucaracha formation. but ex-
tend far into the earth. and are self
supporting. Rock may slough of from
them. but there is no evidence thai
they will collapse.
"The excavation OF the canal. ant
horings In its bottom show that mar
row belt between the two hills Ia com,
posed of the Aoft Cucaracha beds: ye
TO the present time there has been NJ
upheaval of the bottom OF this part Of
the canal. nor any other sign to In
dictate that the hills have settled. 1t ]:
believed, therefore that the grea
masses of gold and contractors hill!
are self-supporting and will remain
SO. There Is no occasion to raz'
them"
The committee believes that ever!
available and practicable device shoulc
he used to turn the water falling n
rain from ground that Is sliding ant
prevent its entering adjacent ground
and It suggests the following meas
ures:
1. Covering Slopes with Vegetation
Whether vegetation increases or de
crcases the amount Of rainfall enter
ling the ground is still moot question
THE committee believes, however. tina
Threatening ground bordering iii
slides, uuiescent slides. and. go far q
j. practicable. active slides themselves
, should he sufficiently covered wit
vegetation TO prevent surface wash.
.. Closing peripheral Cracks. Be
fore extensive movements OF tn
ground occur. warning ia frequentl
given by the appearance OF cracks per
lpheral TO the coming slide. In som
instances cracks exist for long tim
before the important movements TAX
place. As soon az they are forne
they should be filled up. in order tina
they may not intercept surface waite
and lend 1t into the slide.
2. Drainage OF Undisturbed an
Threatened Areas. Undisturbed an