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

Threatened areas near the slides should
be thoroughly drained both BY surface
and by tile drainage. TO keep as much
water out OF them as possible for they
may become unstable ard they may
supply water 10 the slides. Expert
lmenls with tile drainage on 4 small
scale would soon show whether ii is
defective enough to justify It's cxten-
sion. Tho surfaces of the ground cast
luf the East Clllebra slide and in places
west OF the West Culehra slide, slope
AWAY from the adjoining slides. ana
the water can be READILY removed. But
n considerable area above the Cuca-
iracha slide drains naturally into it;
some Of the drainage can be diverted
ITO the east, but the rest should, SD far
ms possible. be collected by surface
tund tile drains, and be carried to the
canal through Il large concrcte-lined
drain.
4. Drainage of the Great Slides.
A complete system OF opon drains
should bo established on the great
slides and the water carried away as
directly as possible. The main drains
should be made imperyious on the
iGuGaracha, and, so Tar as practicable
on the two Culebra slides
8. Drainage by Tunnels. Drainage
by means Of tunnels might be adapted
Ito few special cases. but should be
tried with caution, and extended only
lin cases which promise results COM
mensurate with the cost. Tho tunnels
should be built underneath the sliding
ground in the undisturbed material
and strongly timbered SO as to avoid
risk OF collapse, which would not only
destroy the tunnel but would also dis
turb the everything material. From the
main tunnel smaller branches may be
extended into the material to be drain
ed and frequent borings made from the
surface to conduct drainage water to
the tunnels from the everything strata.
Such a system would be expensive,
but might be effective In draining the
area tapped by it.
6. SluIcing 1t is suggested also
that cut be made by sluicing in the
East Culebra slide, starting at an ap-
propriated point on the canal and di-
verging from it dlagonally III gen.
eral southeasterly direction, in the
zone OF gentle slopes and in such a
position as to reach the large pond
which now exists on the slide. This
cut would partly separate the roughly
rectangular slide into two approx
imately triangular parts, and the adj
Joining ground could be sluiced along
lit into tho canal. 1t would provide a
main drainage line for the ground on
both sides OF 1t. would empty the sur
face ponds. and would lower the
ground water In adjacent sliding ma
,terial. The pressure OF the triangle
of ground in the rear Of the cut against
the triangle in front of it would be
llessened; and it is probable that move
Iment in the forward part OF the slide
would cease sooner than 1t would
Eotherwlse. When the cut is once es-
ltablished 1t offers second line OF de-
Tense against the slide by making Il
possible to work along two fronts.
In addition to the immediate rem
edial measures suggested above. there
are certain observations and protec-
Tive measures which should be under.
taken with view to the future. A few
slides are now in motion. but many
more are quiescent. A slide Is moi
necessarily dead because 1t has moi
moved notably for few years. It's
stability may hang on a delicate bal.
lance which may be disturbed by some
slowly developing weakness. There
lis also a bare possibility that Cole
land Contractors hills are not so firmly
supported as they are believed to be
Repeated surveys OF properly placed
signals for a number of years to come
should be made in order
(a) To indicate in good time whore
: additional work OF prevention Is need
ed; to indicate how large dredging
fleet must be kept In readiness. and Il
furnish to the engineer of mainten
ance advance indications OF emcrgcnc!
conditions.
DO To test the effectiveness o
remedial measures which may be takel
,, to control or prevent slides. Thes'
tests would BIO more sensitive ant
, definite than the mere occurrence o
non-occurence OF slides.
(c) To furnish reliable basis 70
coincidence when. in the course Of time
: iit appears that tho earth and rocl
movements have so decreased that
stability may be inferred.
Two OF three core boTings SHOULD
be made ON each side of the canal. tn
!, committee thinks, to study the natur
OF the high hills. II recommends {
thorough Investigation of tho local.
ties. percentage Of porosity OF tho sew
erai formations. the OBJECT of tropica
! vegetation, the nature OF the disin
tegration which accompanies tn
: weatheripg OF these rocks. the chem
Iical changes which cause the so-calle,
: hot areas. A mechanical testing of III
q strength OF various rocks is suggesta,